Toronto singer-songwriter Katie Dauson returns with a charming new single, “Will You Won’t You.” On this track, Dauson effortlessly adapts 1950s rockabilly tradition to the modern age, proudly wearing influences from groups like The Crickets on her sleeve. “Will You Won’t You” is an infectious triumph, with no one immune from its vintage charm.
On “Will You Won’t You,” Dauson not only follows 1950s rockabilly, but the 1970s revivalists who brought the genre to that time. In particular, Dauson was influenced by George Thorogood adding saxophone to rockabilly instrumentation, with a prominent saxophone part throughout “Will You Won’t You.” Explaining Thorogood’s influence, Dauson shares, “I love George Thorogood’s guitar playing, and the fact that he added a saxophone player to his band in 1980. Saxophone is such an important instrument in rock and roll and rockabilly, it really elevated his music.”
“Will You Won’t You” was produced by James Nickle and carefully blends retro stylings with modern punch. Dauson recorded the rhythm guitar part with a unique choice – a left-handed Shoreline Gold G&L Comanche – chosen for the unique tone of its Z-coil pickups. Dauson also added a fuzz pedal to modernize the mix. These choices help “Will You Won’t You” strike a perfect balance between being etched in time and yet perfectly fresh for the modern age.
Dauson’s love for rockabilly is obvious on “Will You Won’t You,” and the track perfectly embodies Dauson’s ability to put her own spin on the sounds she loves. In wearing her influences on her sleeve, “Will You Won’t You” can win anyone over with its unabashed appreciation for the tradition it falls into. Still, Dauson makes sure to keep the sound fresh, and crafts a track that emphatically asserts rockabilly’s place in 2026.