Bonnie Dobson returns to the Betsey to celebrate the release of Take Me For A Walk In The Morning Dew, the first book to document the life and career of this legendary Canadian singer-songwriter.

Join us for an evening of songs and stories from across Bonnie’s career, featuring special guests including regular collaborator Ben Phillipson and the book’s author, John Einarson.

Copies of the book will be available on the night ahead of the official publication date of September 10th.

A key figure in the folk music boom of the late 1950s, Canadian-born singer/songwriter Bonnie Dobson composed ‘Morning Dew’ as a solo acoustic performer in 1961. Along the way, her iconic song has been recorded by everyone from Robert Plant to the Grateful Dead, Rod Stewart to Nazareth. But when American singer Tim Rose covered the song in 1967, he boldly added his name to the songwriting credit. For decades, Rose collected royalties and claimed the song as his. Dobson spent decades battling to regain what was rightfully her song alone.

Take Me For A Walk In The Morning Dew tells the fascinating story of a naïve young folksinger from Toronto who grew up poor in a fractured family living in government housing. Gifted with a soaring soprano voice and a passion for traditional folk music, Dobson began her career in North America, where she released a half-dozen albums and appeared at all the major folk music venues, including Gerde’s Folk City in Greenwich Village, rubbing shoulders there with an unsigned Bob Dylan. She later moved to Britain to follow her heart and soon found herself being tapped to perform with the BBC.

Now in her eighties, Dobson continues to write and record new music. Her 2025 album Dreams, recorded with the rootsy British group The Hanging Stars, was hailed far and wide, while her live performances continue to dazzle.

‘Bonnie Dobson has really never gotten her due. She should be remembered as one of the first female Canadian singer/songwriters. Before Joni Mitchell and others, there was Bonnie Dobson.’ Kevin Courrier, CBC Radio

‘I have been a Bonnie Dobson fan ever since I first heard her back in the sixties. A fine (if sometimes mysteriously overlooked) singer and songwriter with a fascinating story that’s well worth checking out.’ Robin Denselow, writer and broadcaster

‘We were playing at the Royal Festival Hall, and I managed to introduce the idea of Bonnie coming on to perform. It was like her great return. She walked out onstage, and everybody kind of gasped. Here was this legendary figure from the folk movement. Suddenly she was back.’ Robert Plant