Raitt Will Receive Arts Medal

Country and blues singer Bonnie Raitt, who left Harvard after her sophomore year to pursue a career in music, will receive the Harvard Arts Medal on May 3, the Office for the Arts at Harvard and Radcliffe (OFA) announced yesterday.

Raitt--a former member of the class of 1972 and resident of Cabot House--will accept her award during the fifth annual Arts First, the University-sponsored weekend in May that features student performances and exhibitions.

Myra A. Mayman, director of OFA, said Raitt was chosen on the basis of her musical success by a committee which Mayman heads.

"She's a graduate, and they felt that she had a prominent career and she had done a lot for the arts," said Katherine Kinderman, a spokesperson for Arts First.

Raitt, who released her first album in 1971, grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.

She has recorded 14 solo albums, the most recent of which was the 1995 release "Road Tested."

Raitt's last appearance at Harvard was in 1986 when she gave a free concert in the Yard in honor of the College's 350th anniversary.

Fans of Raitt's music said they were excited that the singer would be coming to campus.

Trevor P. Prichett '97, a resident of Lowell House, said he hopes to be able to see Raitt perform in Cambridge this year after having attended one of her concerts last year.

"It was a great show," said Prichett, who said he learned to appreciate country and blues music while growing up on a farm in Sudbury, Mass.

However, Kinderman said the popular rhythm and blues singer is not scheduled to perform during her May visit to Cambridge.

"She'll probably be attending some of the performance activities," she said. "It's [great] for her to come and enjoy being at Harvard again and really see what's going on in the arts here."

Raitt fans say they are not bothered by the fact that Raitt--like last year's recipient of the award, rock singer Pete Seeger--never received a degree from the College. Seeger was a member of the class of 1940.

"Bill Gates didn't graduate from here, did he?" said Robert M. Hatch '98, a Leverett resident and fan of Raitt.

Raitt got her start in the music world through performing in Cambridge--popular lore holds that the singer once played in the streets of Harvard Square.

Hatch said today's street performers do not necessarily have the potential to achieve Raitt's level of success in the modern musical climate.

"Commercially, I don't know if there's much of a market for that these days," he said. "A lot of country music, especially, seems to just fit this one mold.

Raitt, who released her first album in 1971, grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.

She has recorded 14 solo albums, the most recent of which was the 1995 release "Road Tested."

Raitt's last appearance at Harvard was in 1986 when she gave a free concert in the Yard in honor of the College's 350th anniversary.

Fans of Raitt's music said they were excited that the singer would be coming to campus.

Trevor P. Prichett '97, a resident of Lowell House, said he hopes to be able to see Raitt perform in Cambridge this year after having attended one of her concerts last year.

"It was a great show," said Prichett, who said he learned to appreciate country and blues music while growing up on a farm in Sudbury, Mass.

However, Kinderman said the popular rhythm and blues singer is not scheduled to perform during her May visit to Cambridge.

"She'll probably be attending some of the performance activities," she said. "It's [great] for her to come and enjoy being at Harvard again and really see what's going on in the arts here."

Raitt fans say they are not bothered by the fact that Raitt--like last year's recipient of the award, rock singer Pete Seeger--never received a degree from the College. Seeger was a member of the class of 1940.

"Bill Gates didn't graduate from here, did he?" said Robert M. Hatch '98, a Leverett resident and fan of Raitt.

Raitt got her start in the music world through performing in Cambridge--popular lore holds that the singer once played in the streets of Harvard Square.

Hatch said today's street performers do not necessarily have the potential to achieve Raitt's level of success in the modern musical climate.

"Commercially, I don't know if there's much of a market for that these days," he said. "A lot of country music, especially, seems to just fit this one mold.