(4/4) Why did Ritchie Blackmore choose Me? Graham Bonnet tells all 

It's nice that Graham's Dad knows so much about his son's career.🤣

"Down To Earth" is a great album. 'No Time To Lose' is my favorite ...great performance throughout the whole album. Heard the album when it was released and still, to this day, I'm astonished at some of the vocal parts. 💯

Such a unique voice. Blackmore, Schenker, Malmsteen! What a résumé!

Graham Bonnet the legend

Graham is a great singer, down to earth, great album. All his music too.

Graham Bonnet was the least likely choice, yet the genius choice, for Rainbow. He had gone from being an R&B/Disco singer to a Metal singer in one fell swoop, and changed the face of Metal forever. I have always loved Graham Bonnet as a singer and now I must say I love him as a person too. He is such a supremely engaging storyteller. Love the guy. And what a great singer he is!!

"Down To Earth" is one of the best. It's a shame Ritchie was half way between classic rock and American commercial rock when Graham joined. A couple of albums could have really got something extra special. Graham still has an amazing voice to this day, something his contemporaries can't always claim.

Graham bonnet was in rainbow for a year and a half

Makes me feel SO OOOOOLD, seeing more and more musicians of my musical era becoming Old Men & looking like my ‘ole “grrraaaan-pop” IF they’re still alive👴🏼👀🤔🥺. It’s so hard to believe that Graham is currently 75 years old. Got me thinking of the current ages of other great frontmen: Paul McCartney - age 81 • 6-18-1942 Robert Plant - age 74 • 8-20-1948 Paul Rogers - age 73 • 12-17-1949 Ian Gillan - age 77 • 8-19-1945 Ozzy Osbourne - age 74 • 12-03-1948 David Coverdale - age 71 • 9-22-1951 Steven Tyler🇺🇸 - age 75 • 3-26-1948 … just naming ones that immediately came to mind. (Please pardon me for others that I forgot, I’m getting old myself😑. I guess the reality of mortality and how fleeting time is wound up and belted me today🫤. I guess if anything, I can be thankful they are all still with us - AND - that they were discovered, and allowed to create the music that has so inspired our lives.

I met graham in New Zealand back in the late 70's early 80's???? .., he was touring with Warm ride(cool song), i waited in line at the local record store to get his autograph hehe......great singer.

My favorite Graham Bonnet outing was Michael Schenker's Assault Attack. Great lineup. Great sounding record.

One must admit: Rainbow was huge with Dio, a fantastic act live, then went average "April Wine league" with Bonnet. I'm glad they only recorded one album

I bought Down to Earth when it came out. Saw the tour. Graham is also on one of the Michael Schenker albums that came out recently. Great singer !!

Down to Earth is probably my favorite album by Rainbow! Graham did an amazing job on that one... and the songs! Wow!

graham is a legend.

Who does Ritchie Blackmore find these musicians. Unreal, I thought when I saw them Rainbow stood out with his hair. It was different and unique.

Graham Bonnet has turned into John Shuttleworth.

That old man sang Danger Zone, just think about that.

Assault attack is my favorite GB

Graham is an *amazing* vocalist. For Fans of his work I highly recommend Alcatrazz's album "Disturbing the Peace" on which most of the songs were co-written by himself and guitarist Steve Vai. Before you listen for the first time, be sure to have a fire extinguisher within reach.. for when your head explodes.

Somewhere in there, a certain Brian Johnson auditioned for the band as well. Goodness, would we all love to hear GB's "Mistreated" performance. My understanding was always that, after the cassette game that Cozy played, the gig was pretty much Graham's anyway.

Huge voice....how daring to take the mic after RJD left...yet he took the chance and did it and the most important in his own way...he never tried to immitate him...he didn't try to change his persona... that's why he is a huge singer... like RJD and like JLT.... each one on his own right 🎉❤

Could you ask Graham about his brief tenure with The Party Boys in Australia back in the late 80's?

Great segment of a superlative interview!

The only bad thing about the Down To Earth album is the cover artwork. 👻🤘

It's a shame that Queen never recorded Since You've Been Gone. That song sounds so "queenish", was always a perfect fit for Mercury and Brian May. For the record, Brian May played it live several times

Graham was at his best when in MSG & Alcatrazz

i keep thinking those guitars are going to fall off and hit him every time he leans back and they start swinging

I have read that Bonnet, a cousin of the Bee Gees, was Ritchie's 5th choice. No one wanted to sing in his band after they heard some "stories" about him and how he "works" with his bandmates. By the way, all lyrics on that one album with that screamer (that ain''t singing what Graham is doing...) were written by Roger Glover^

It’s like Ritchie just couldn’t find his vocalist…he wanted Paul Rodgers…I think the closest was Joe Lynn Turner…and those Rainbow albums, I thought, were the best.

Thats Count Arthur Strong!

Turns out Both had the same Alpha Ego! Only room for 1 Chief in 🌈 So just like in DP! It was Ian Gillian or David Coverdale all over again for Richy! 🎸 That's probably why Richie reverted to a "Ouija Board" 😆 He probably thought he was cursed with uncooperative lead singers! GB Great Voice! Just Not a Team Player!

Those JLT albums are good, but they would've been more appealing to me if GB had stayed in Rainbow. I think they would've been more successful too. Don't forget that Graham made a 10/10 classic with Schenker.

superb singer, much better than jolene turner imo his album with rainbow is my favourite.

🌸 'Promosm'

The very last good singer of Rainbow !

I never liked dio,but I liked Graham and after he was gone I would never listen to rainbow again. Next never liked ingvaa mamastine either, a real big.

Graham Bonnet - the Joe Biden of rock.

Great singer, odd visual, weird stage presence. Looks like Abba or Village People went metal. It was like if the uncle from the barbershop were singing in my favorite band