Acclaimed Canadian guitarist, composer, and songwriter Don Ross releases his new single “Did I Fool You” today, offering a rare glimpse into a creative partnership that stretches back to his teenage years. Written with longtime collaborator Norman Wolfson, the song is the first single from Ross’s album Songs That Found Me, out now via Goby Fish Music. The track bridges decades of musical craftsmanship, combining elements of a 1981 Toronto recording session with newly recorded performances that reflect Ross’s evolving artistry and production vision.
“I wrote this song with my old friend Norman Wolfson back when we were both teenagers,” Ross says. “We wrote a lot of songs together for various projects. We always thought this song was maybe our strongest tune.” The original version was recorded at Captain Audio in downtown Toronto in the early 1980s, when Ross and Wolfson entered the studio with hopes of presenting the song to established vocalists. What emerged instead was a recording that captured the spirit of two young writers finding their voice. More than four decades later, that session has become the foundation for a strikingly contemporary release.
The song’s lyrics carry the emotional clarity and introspection that have long marked Ross’s writing. In the chorus, he sings, “But I’m all right, I’m fine / Everything happens my way / I could fool anyone, but did I fool you?” — a line that anchors the song’s reflective tone and melodic sweep. Elsewhere, Ross sets the stage with poetic imagery: “Dreams and songs remain to haunt my worried mind / How often have I stayed inside myself, beside myself?”
“Back in about 1981 we went into Captain Audio recording studio in downtown Toronto and did the best job we could recording this song,” Ross recalls. “Mostly what we ended up with was a really nice recording.” Years later, while exploring recording engineering in greater depth, Ross discovered a box of tape reels from those early sessions and carefully transferred them into the digital realm. That archival moment became the starting point for the single’s innovative production approach.
Using the A.I.-powered software Spectralayers, Ross separated the original stereo recording into its component parts, allowing him to remix and expand the track. The result is a recording that blends eras seamlessly: electric guitar, keyboards, bass, and backing vocals preserved from the 1981 session, alongside Ross’s newly recorded lead vocal, acoustic guitar, orchestration, and a fresh drum performance by longtime collaborator Marito Marques. “Definitely the most 21st century approach I’ve ever taken to a mix,” Ross says of the process.
Ross’s career spans decades of innovation across acoustic music, songwriting, and composition. Born in Montréal and now based in Windsor, Nova Scotia, he first emerged on the international stage after winning the U.S. National Fingerpick Guitar Championship in 1988, becoming the competition’s first two-time champion when he won again in 1996. Over the years he has released more than two dozen albums, toured extensively across Europe, Asia, and North America, and built a reputation for genre-blending work that connects virtuoso guitar playing with expansive musical storytelling. His upcoming album Songs That Found Me marks his 19th solo release and continues a creative path that has led to honours including the Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts from the Canada Council for the Arts.
Following the release of “Did I Fool You,” Ross will bring his music to audiences across Europe and North America throughout 2026, including performances in Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, and across Canada, with notable stops at the Luminato Festival in Toronto and the Stewart Park Festival in Perth, Ontario. Additional dates span from Aurora, Ontario to Vancouver, British Columbia, continuing a touring tradition that has connected Ross with global audiences for decades.
Don Ross Confirmed 2026 Tour Dates:
All shows double bill with Julie Malía unless noted
- 24/04/2026: Neuötting, Germany
- 25/042026: Neunkirchen, Germany
- 26/04/2026: Hemsbach, Germany
- 30/04 - 03/05/2026: Klasdorf, Germany (Groove Guitar Camp)
- 08/05/2026: Nienhagen, Germany
- 09/05/2026: Wernigerode, Germany
- 14/05/2026: Einbeck, Germany
- 15/05/2026: Marmagen, Germany
- 16/05/2026: Gelnhausen, Germany (solo)
- 23/05/2026: Aurora, ON, Canada (solo)
- 06/06/2026: Luminato Festival, Toronto, ON, Canada (solo)
- 17-18/07/2026: Stewart Park Festival, Perth, ON, Canada
- 14-16/08/2026: Don Ross Guitar Weekend, Windsor, NS, Canada
- 18-20/09/2026: Warsaw Fingerstyle Guitar Festival, Warsaw, Poland (TBC)
- 01/10/2026: Salty Towers, St Andrew’s, NB, Canada
- 02/10/2026: Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside, PE, Canada
- 04/10/2026: Le Richelieu, Meteghan, NS, Canada
- 07/10/2026: Strathspey Performing Arts Centre, Mabou, NS, Canada
- 10/10/2026: Chester Playhouse, Chester, NS, Canada
- 15/10/2026: Sofia, Bulgaria (Venue TBA) (solo)
- 22/10/2026: Paderborn, Germany
- 23-25/10/2026: Bad Wildungen, Germany
- 31/10-01/11/2026: Beuggen, Germany
- 06-07/11/2026: Hamburg Guitar Festival, Hamburg, Germany
- 14/11/2026: Heidenheim, Germany
- 19/11/2026: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
- 20/11/2026: Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
- 21/11/2026: Valemount, BC, Canada
- 22/11/2026: Canmore, AB, Canada
- 23/11/2026: High River, AB, Canada
- 24/11/2026: Cranbrook, BC, Canada
- 26/11/2026: Duncan, BC, Canada
- 27/11/2026: Courtenay, BC, Canada
- 28/11/2026: Victoria, BC, Canada
- 29/11/2026: Vancouver, BC Canada
- 04/12/2026: Bath, ME, USA