Bonnie Dobson

• Name — Bonnie Dobson • Birth Name — Bonnie Dobson • Born — 13 November 1940 • Birthplace — Toronto, Ontario, Canada • Known for — Morning Dew

Dobson was born in Toronto. Her father was a union organizer and opera lover. Her early music influences included Paul Robeson and The Weavers.

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 and recorded several albums, including 1962's Bonnie Dobson at Folk City, which contained her song "Morning Dew". 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, whose version appeared on his 1964 album Tear Down The Walls with Dobson credited as the composer. After returning to Toronto in 1967 she continued to perform in coffee houses as well programs on the CBC. 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. After retiring in the 1980s, Dobson returned to performance in 2007 in London with Jarvis Cocker. She released a new album in 2013 on the Hornbeam label and that year performed a number of concert dates. She performed with Combined Services Entertainment, and was one of the last performers at RAF Salalah, Oman.

According to the website SecondHandSongs, "Morning Dew" has been covered by more than 70 artists, including several versions as recently as the early 2020s. Among those who have recorded the song are Fred Neil, Ralph McTell, Lulu, Nazareth, Grateful Dead, Jeff Beck Group, Robert Plant, Long John Baldry, DEVO, Einstürzende Neubauten, and Gregg Allman, Duane Allman, and Butch Trucks (of The Allman Brothers Band).