[3] She filled in for Ikette Jessie Smith who had briefly quit after her boyfriend, Sam Rhodes, a bassist in the Kings of Rhythm was fired.

"[1] Eventually Bramlett moved to Los Angeles to escape abuse by her father and stepfather.

[4] In 1967, she met musician Delaney Bramlett (1939–2008), performing at the opening of a bowling alley with the "Shindogs", the house band of the television show Shindig!.

With frequent drop-in performances by other noted musicians like Duane Allman, George Harrison, and Dave Mason, the group became known as Delaney & Bonnie & Friends.

[4] Bonnie and Delaney Bramlett had small roles in the 1971 film Vanishing Point and in 1974's Catch My Soul.

She released her first solo album Sweet Bonnie Bramlett in 1973, recorded with the Average White Band whose name she initially proposed.

That album presaged the Disco movement, particularly with the track Crazy 'Bout My Baby played heavily in underground dance clubs like the Gallery in New York.

[9] In 1973/74, Bramlett toured the United States and Canada, with her band, 'The Entertainers', promoting her new album and herself as a single artist.

That musical entourage featured: Michael 'Papabax' Baxter on the keyboards; Little Moe Mosely on drums; Doc Schwebke on bass; Michael Elliot, Donnie Dacus, and Phillip John Diaz on guitars; Larry Williams, Jimmy Reed and Big John Rayford on saxophones; background singers; Carolyn (Brandt) Corlew, Lagatha (Smallwood) Wharton, and Lea Santos..and Bandleader, Gabe Flemings on trumpet.

Bramlett continued to contribute vocals to recordings by other artists, including Little Feat and the Allman Brothers Band.

In 1979, Bramlett travelled to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the historic Havana Jam festival, alongside Stephen Stills, the CBS Jazz All-Stars, the Trio of Doom, Fania All-Stars, Billy Swan, Weather Report, Mike Finnegan, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge and Billy Joel, plus an array of Cuban artists such as Irakere, Pacho Alonso, Tata Güines and Orquesta Aragón.

While on tour with Stills in 1979, Bramlett punched Elvis Costello in the face at a hotel bar in Columbus, Ohio, after Costello referred to James Brown as a "jive-ass nigger" and Ray Charles a "blind, ignorant nigger.

She also appeared in the Andrew Davis film The Guardian (2006), starring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher.

In 2006, she was a backup vocalist for the Southern rock artist Shooter Jennings on his album Electric Rodeo.

[4] Bonnie Bramlett told People that they had an abusive relationship: "We fought a lot—heavy-duty physical stuff.

She credited Danny Sheridan for saving her from her addictions and her friend Roseanne Barr for giving her work on her show.

While visiting her friend Gregg Allman's farmland in Juliette, Georgia, she planned to commit suicide by shooting herself with a shotgun in December 1976.