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Still jamming...

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Going strong in 2024 and still occasionally to be discovered rousing British audiences, youthful octogenarian Bonnie Dobson still knows how to woo a crowd. For many years now she’s been playing for enjoyment when summoned out of unofficial retirement and is still keen to remind people of the political parallels between the 1960s and the present day.

But although it’s her clarion call, “Morning Dew” is far from being the lone success of Bonnie’s long and varied musical career. Although it’s been covered to such an extent that it quickly became an enduring standard in many a legendary artist’s repertoire (sample covers below) it just happened to be the first of many original and traditional songs she still readily performs.

It might take a lot to get this talented lady away from making raspberry jam or red currant vodka, but this is the page to watch for news of her next musical outing. You’ll read it here first!

 

Legends reunite at Mariposa for Hall of Fame award...

In 2018 Bonnie Dobson was presented the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Award for her timeless and enduring song Morning Dew.

The award was presented by her old friend Gordon Lightfoot, some 57 years after Bonnie's debut performance of the song at the inaugural Mariposa Folk Festival. Today it's her most well-recognized song, and it was set on course at that debut to became an international standard. Few others in this year's audience were likely to remember that gig more than half a century ago, but as the reviews all stated, it sounded every bit as fresh and relevant in 2018 as it did that summer's day in 1961. [See promo]

 

How Robert Plant came to record Morning Dew...

In Plant's Digging Deep podcast series – S3E1: Morning Dew – he tells the story of how he first met Bonnie and came to include her legendary song on his 2002 Dreamland album.
Listen to the full episode: HERE

 

Morning Dew Playlist:

We've picked a bunch of Morning Dew covers from the 1960s to present day. Hit "play" to hear Bonnie's original 1962 live performance, followed by 70+ cover versions spanning seven decades, or sample each using the controls:

1. Bonnie Dobson (1962)
2. Vince Martin & Fred Neil (1964)
3. The National (2016)
4. Wendy Peters (1968)
5. The Goldebriars (1964)
6. Long John Baldry (1980)
7. Robert Plant (2002)
8. Lulu (1967)
9. Tim Rose (1967)
10. Nazareth (1971)
11. Nazareth (1981 German version)
12. Jeff Beck [ft. Rod Stewart] (1968)
13. Duane & Greg Allman (1972)
14. The Orange Wedge (1969)
15. Blackfoot (1984)
16. Clannad (1973)
17. Episode 6 [Ian Gillan /Roger Glover] (1967)
18. Einstürzende Neubauten (1987)
19. Devo (1990)
20. Jorma Kaukonen (2021)
21. Sugar Shack (1968)
22. The Human Beans (1967)
23. Procol Harum (1967)
24. Screaming Trees (1993)
25. Lee Hazlewood (1968)
26. Barbara Müller (1964)
27. Mythology [pre-Black Sabbath] (1968)
28. The Nova Local (1968)
29. The Move (1967)
30. Baz Noon (2013)
31. Grateful Dead (1974)
32. Serena Ryder (2006)
33. Tongue (1969)
34. Wild Hyenas (1988)
35. Sweet Smoke (1968)
36. Jackie Trent & Tony Hatch (1968)
37. Lyle Grobe & The Rhythm Ramblers (1978)
38. Dirtmusic (2007)
39. Damnation of Adam Blessing (1968)
40. Pozo-Seco Singers (1967)
41. Skating Polly (2016)
42. Herman's Hermits (1968)
43. Mungo Gerry Bluesband (2013)
44. Gregorian (2010)
45. The Bethlehem Exit (1966)
46. The End (1967)
47. The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band (1967)
48. Ralph McTell (1968)
49. The Avengers (1968)
50. Group Therapy (1968)
51. The Whiskers (1968)
52. Allison Durbin (1968)
53. Maggie Joddrell (1968)
54. Los Z-66 (1968)
55. Krokodil (1969)
56. Sound Foundation (1969)
57. The Third Eye (1969)
58. Salena Jones (1970)
59. Beck, Bogert & Appice (1973)
60. La Muerte (1990)
61. The Sunset Strip (1990)
62. Dave Graney 'n' the Coral Snakes (1992)
63. The Fatal Shore (1997)
64. Chris Norman (2011)
65. Blindside Blues Band (2011)
66. The Radiators From Space (2012)
67. The Third Mind (2020)
68. Don Niño & Françoiz Breut (2023)
69. Séverine (1968)
70. Peter Belli [Danish] (1983)
71. I Corvi [Italian] (1968)
72. Blue Mink (1972)
73. Briarwood Singers (1963)
74. Crystal Jacqueline (2016)
75. The In-Set (1968)
76. Droogs (1991)
77. Highwaymen (1972)