Bobby Dove doesn’t make music for the mainstream. The Montreal-born, Toronto-based singer-songwriter; a trans/non-binary artist whose identity runs through their storytelling as naturally as a chord change … makes music for the people who still believe country is supposed to tell the truth.
Fortune Teller, Dove’s latest album on New Motor Records/Warner ADA, makes that case from the very first track. Produced in Toronto by Aaron Goldstein (whose credits include Cowboy Junkies and Kathleen Edwards), the 12-track collection is a rich, unhurried record that moves comfortably between honky tonk, country-blues and contemporary folk without ever losing its footing.
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A Sound Rooted in Tradition, A Voice That’s Entirely Its Own
Goldstein’s production deserves real credit here. The sonic palette on Fortune Teller is warm and layered, built around pedal steel, electric and acoustic guitar, piano and violin. Toronto players Nichol Robertson, Dani Nash, Burke Carroll and Alison Corbett all contribute, and the result feels like a record made by people who genuinely love the genre.
The title track sets the tone well. It leans into mystical imagery and storytelling archetypes in a way that feels more Americana campfire than tarot card gimmick. Dove has a gift for grounding abstract ideas in something emotionally tangible, and that carries through the whole album.
The Highlights Are Worth Seeking Out
Fortune Teller has a few moments that stand above the rest. “Did I Speak Too Soon” is a duet with Grammy-winning songwriter Jim Lauderdale, and it’s the kind of collaboration that earns its place rather than just trading on a famous name.
“Dreamt I Met John Prine” is another standout. It’s upbeat in tempo but carries a darker undercurrent, built around a dream Dove had after Prine’s passing. It’s a genuinely moving tribute that avoids sentimentality without sacrificing heart.
The album also includes a cover of Blaze Foley’s “If I Could Only Fly,” a song that’s been covered plenty but still rewards a thoughtful interpretation. Dove’s version holds up.
Already Turning Heads Before the Album Dropped
The previously released singles “Not Much of an Outlaw,” “Trans Canadian Blues” and “Leaving Manitoba” each found international radio play and earned editorial playlisting from Amazon Music ahead of the album’s release. That’s not nothing, and it helped build the kind of audience that was ready for Fortune Teller when it arrived.
Dove has been putting in the road work to match, having toured Canada, the U.S. and parts of Europe since their critically acclaimed 2021 album Hopeless Romantic. Showcases at AmericanaFest, SXSW and Folk Alliance, plus festival appearances alongside artists like Mary Gauthier and Richard Thompson, have put Dove in front of the right rooms.
On the Road This Summer
Bobby Dove is touring through the summer and into the fall, with dates across Western Canada, Ontario and the UK. Stops include the Toronto Folk Festival on August 23, The Long Road Festival in Leicestershire on August 28, and a return to AmericanaFest in Nashville in September.
Full tour dates and tickets are available at bobbydove.com/shows.
The Verdict
Fortune Teller is a confident, cohesive record from an artist who has found their voice and knows exactly what to do with it. Bobby Dove isn’t chasing trends, and that’s precisely why this album works.
If you’re a fan of artists like Kathleen Edwards, Mary Gauthier or Jim Lauderdale, this one belongs in your rotation.
In country music, the Front Porch has long been a place of reflection. A place where you can look at the life you have inside that front door. A place where time almost seems to stand still, where you can get away. It’s also a place where you can go to observe the world as it passes by you. To think about your place out there beyond the driveway.
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