Bonnie Dobson (born November 13, 1940, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)[1][2] is a Canadian folk music songwriter, singer, and guitarist, most known in the 1960s for composing the songs "I'm Your Woman" and "Morning Dew". The latter, augmented (with a controversial co-writing credit) by Tim Rose, became a melancholy folk rock standard, covered by Skating Polly, Fred Neil, Ralph McTell, Lulu, Nazareth, the Grateful Dead, the Jeff Beck Group, Robert Plant, the Pozo-Seco Singers, The 31st of February (including Gregg Allman, Duane Allman, and Butch TrucksofThe Allman Brothers Band), Long John Baldry, DEVO and Einstürzende Neubauten, among many others.
Bonnie Dobson
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|---|---|
| Birth name | Bonnie Dobson |
| Born | (1940-11-13) November 13, 1940 (age 83) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Contemporary folk music |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Labels | Hornbeam |
Dobson was born in Toronto.[3] Her father was a union organizer and opera lover. Her early music influences included Paul Robeson[4] and The Weavers.[5]
Dobson became part of the active folk-revival scene in Toronto, performing in local coffee houses and at the Mariposa Folk Festival. She later moved to the United States where she performed in coffee houses across the country[6] and recorded several albums, including 1962's Bonnie Dobson at Folk City, which contained her well-known song "Morning Dew".[7]
Dobson has consistently questioned Tim Rose's right to a co-writing credit for "Morning Dew" (stating that Rose first heard it as sung by Fred Neil) (1964 album Tear Down The Walls, crediting Dobson). [8]
After returning to Toronto in 1967 she continued to perform locally in coffee houses as well programs on the CBC.[1] She married, and in 1969 moved to London, England, where she took up university studies and later became an administrator of the Philosophy Department at Birkbeck College, part of the University of London.[2]
After retiring in the 1980s, Dobson returned to perform in 2007 in London with Jarvis Cocker;[6] she released a new album in 2013 with the Hornbeam label and that year launched a number of concert dates.[9]
She performed with Combined Services Entertainment, and was one of the last performers at RAF Salalah, Oman.