Bekka Bramlett, born Rebekka Ruth Lazone Bramlett on April 19th 1968, is an American singer, songwriter and prolific session background singer. The daughter of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, of the popular music duo Delaney & Bonnie, she was a member of Fleetwood Mac from 1993-95.
Early years[]
Bramlett grew up around music, first appearing on her father's album Mobius Strip in 1973 at the age of five. In her early twenties she worked as a backing vocalist with the likes of Belinda Carlisle.
The Zoo[]
Bramlett's connection with Fleetwood Mac began when Mick Fleetwood recruited her to sing for his spin-off band The Zoo for the 1992 album Shakin' the Cage. The album featured one song co-written by Delaney Bramlett and, most movingly, featured the divorced couple on backing vocals on one song.
It wasn't long after this that Fleetwood was seeking to assemble a new line-up of Fleetwood Mac following the departures of Stevie Nicks and Rick Vito. Bramlett was hired to replace Nicks which Vito's place was taken by ex-Traffic guitarist Dave Mason who had worked with Delaney and Bonnie at the turn of the 1970s.
The band, along with Billy Burnette, made their live debut at the 1994 World Cup concert. Bekka sang Dreamin' the Dream, an acoustic ballad co-written with Burnette, and shared lead vocals with him on the Peter Green classic Oh Well. This was followed by the Another Link in the Chain tour (1994-95) on which Bramlett sang Dreamin' the Dream in addition to songs in the group repertoire written by Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie. Most shows ended with her rendition of Imagine by John Lennon with Steve Thoma accompanying on piano.
The line-up recorded one album, Time (1995). Bramlett harmonised with Burnette on the two songs he contributed to the album and sang lead on Dreamin' the Dream, her father's song Nothin' Without You (for which she wrote an extra verse) and Winds of Change, contributed by Kit Hain late of the British duo Marshall Hain.
But the making of the album was not harmonious, with Bramlett and Mason clashing, and with Time's commercial failure, the line-up split shortly after the album's release.
Bekka and Billy[]
The professional gelling between Bramlett and Billy Burnette in the country/rockabilly vein led to them releasing the Bekka & Billy album together in 1997. The project did not last but the two remained friends and Bramlett contributed backing vocals to Burnette's 2000 Are You With Me Baby album.
Later career[]
Since then, Bramlett has worked mostly as a backing vocalist, perhaps most notably with Billy Joel. But she toured in 2002, making What's In It For Me, an album of demos, available at the shows.
A full solo album I've Got News For You was released in 2009.
Fleetwood Mac colleagues[]
Christine McVie (remote capacity only)
Other internal collaborations[]
Lindsey Buckingham (Nothin' Without You (1995))
Jeremy Spencer (1995 live guest apperance)