Gene Watson's Peers: Dawn Sears
Gene Watson's peers within the country music industry
believe in the sheer talent of this unassuming man from east Texas, so much
so that Gene is regarded by many of them as 'the singer's singer' - and
rightly so!
All of Gene's Peers who were contacted in 2010 were most gracious with their
time & words. It is here, within this special part of gene-watson.com, that
you have an opportunity to read a quote from
Dawn Sears, which she submitted to this site on
Thursday 4 February 2010.
Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to
Dawn Sears
who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online
'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'.
Dawn Sears
This quote was submitted on Tuesday 2 February 2010
'I am more than happy to offer a quote
for Gene Watson's website & I thank you for asking! I have always been a
huge fan of Mr. Gene Watson. He is a singer's
singer & he's as good as it gets, in my opinion!
I recently had the pleasure of singing with Gene on an Opry Cruise (in
January 2010) & every
note he sang was as true and as pure as you could ever imagine! I kept
pinching myself to be sure it was really happening - and I was really there!
Wow!
At the end of the cruise, there was a guitar pull & Gene ended up singing 'Bitter
they are, harder they fall', a song written by Larry Gatlin (a big hit
for Larry). Larry Gatlin was in attendance as an artist for the Opry
Cruise as well - and part of the guitar pull.
He played the guitar while Gene sang 'Bitter
they are, harder they fall'...and Gene knocked it out of the park!
Larry was knocked out!
I looked at my husband Kenny & we were both crying like babies - as was most
of the crowd. He tore us all up!
I have to quote my friend, Eddie Stubbs (650AM WSM), when someone knocks him
out musically...'Are there any questions?' To me...Gene Watson is the
best there is regarding pure country music. Game over!'
Thank you, Dawn Sears, for your support of Gene Watson.
About Dawn Sears...
Dawn Sears' heart was raised on country music greats such as
George Jones, Merle Haggard, Lefty Frizzell,
Connie Smith & Dolly Parton. Listening to her parents'
collection of classic country music, Dawn formed her own ideals of what
truly is country music. By the age of eleven, she got her first guitar.
Deciding to try
her luck in public, she sang 'Satin sheets' in a talent contest in Grand
Forks, North Dakota VFW hall at the age of fourteen. It was the first time she ever stood
before a microphone. She shook off her
nerves, though, started singing again & won the contest.
Winning more contests, Dawn moved on to the local club scene in Minnesota and,
when the time seemed right, she made her move out on her own. She left home
fresh out of school & was lucky enough to get a band gig on the road.
Dawn's Mum & Dad were undoubtedly
her biggest fans & they did everything they knew to do in order to help Dawn
achieve a dream she so desperately wanted.
It proved to be a great education & experience. Those dreams led Dawn to
fronting her own band & touring the American West & Midwest. Dreams again are
what led Dawn to Nashville in 1987.
Dawn met Kenny Sears in Las Vegas in 1986. She was playing in the Sahara Lounge with
her band & he was playing the
showroom with Mel Tillis. She knew that
she had found her 'knight in shining armour' from the first moment
she saw him. Dawn & Kenny were married six months
after they met & they're still together today.
Dawn Sears' first major break was on TNN's 'Nashville Now'. Ralph Emery liked
her
enough to call her at work the next day & asked if she'd come & sing on his
morning show. Dawn performed on three of Ralph's shows & he then asked
if she'd like to be a regular. Dawn immediately agreed to do so.
Dawn's television exposure led to her first major recording contract; she
signed with Warner Brothers Records in 1991 & the label released her debut
album, 'What a Woman Wants to Hear' (Warner Bros. Records, 1991).
The label released three
well-received singles, most notably 'Good goodbye', but they weren't able to
break her nationally.
Dawn then gave serious thought to leaving country music behind to
attend college & begin med-school (another interest of hers), after having
had a first-hand look at the realities of a major record deal.
Before she had the
chance to enrol in school, Vince Gill called
& asked if she
wanted to sing backup vocals for him on the road. He had sung background vocals on
one of the songs she had recorded. Vince later called Dawn to sing
background vocals on 'Say hello', a track from his highly acclaimed 'I Still Believe in You'
(MCA Records, 1992).
The call from Vince Gill is something that causes Dawn to shake her head;
she was just so
shocked that he was interested, that he even remembered who she was.
Initially, she started with Vince for a two-week trial period, but it turned into a long
relationship that she's very proud of. Dawn considered working with
Vince Gill as the chance of a lifetime.
Dawn Sears also provided exquisite background vocals on the Vince Gill
albums 'When Love Finds You' (MCA Records, 1994), 'The Key' (MCA Records,
1998) which included a duet vocal on the track 'Don't come cryin' to me' and
'Next Big Thing' (MCA Records, 2003).
Dawn Sears also provided duet vocals on 'An out of control raging fire', a track on
'Tracy Byrd' (MCA Records, 1993), Tracy Byrd's self-titled debut album.
In 1994, Dawn Sears was signed as the first act on Decca Records' newly-revived
country music branch. Her second album, 'Nothin' But Good' (Decca
Records, 1994), was
issued on the label & its lead-off single, 'Runaway Train', entered the
Billboard country music singles chart.
Other singles from the album were unsuccessful,
however, and Dawn Sears exited Decca Records' roster not long afterward.
Dawn Sears provided the exquisite backing
vocals on Benny Berry's 'Things I Want to Sing About' (Acoustic Revival
Records, 1999)
Dawn Sears saw the independent release (on her own label) of 'Dawn Sears' in 2002.
While this album release may not have had a major record label attached to it,
there was nothing lacking for the listener. The album is a quality production,
featuring exceptional musicians &
vocalists (Connie Smith sings a duet with Dawn
& Vince Gill sings
background vocals), supreme examples of song-writing and a voice so eloquent
that it speaks for itself.
Dawn Sears continues to play the music she loves.
Additionally, she
went after her second interest of medicine & is now a licensed clinical
aesthetician with her own clinical skin care practice in Music City;
Skinsation is located at
the Skyline Medical Plaza, 3443 Dickerson Pike, Suite 640-B in Nashville.
Dawn Sears' life is full of love & life with her music, her second career, her
husband, the highly acclaimed fiddle player Kenny Sears & her daughter Tess
(Kenny & Dawn are pictured above onboard the
Cruise Ship Valor during the Opry Country Classics Cruise which took place
in January 2010).
Dawn Sears is also a member of The Time Jumpers, a Western swing ensemble
formed in Nashville in 1998.
The Time Jumpers are an award winning Western Swing band from Nashville,
with two awards from the Association of Western Artists, one from the
Western Music Association & two Grammy nominations.
This group of
Nashville's studio elite has evolved from casual jam sessions at the Grand
Ole Opry to performing on the main stage, and becoming
the Monday night destination
in Nashville. As a band, they've been sought out to record with artists such as Vince
Gill, Amy Grant & John Anderson.
Their individual recording & performing credits cover virtually the entire
history of country music, ranging from Slim Whitman to Carrie Underwood &
their members have recorded extensively with artists in other genres as
well, from Barbra Streisand to Megadeth.
Their combination of tight arrangements, soulful singers, brilliant
soloists & an irresistibly swinging rhythm section have packed their
weekly performances at Nashville's legendary Station Inn for close to ten
years, drawing not only their peers, such as fellow recording musicians Glen Worf, Brent Mason, Reggie Young, Bob Moore
& countless others, but an
amazingly diverse array of stars, including Jimmy Dean, Vince Gill, Amy
Grant, Jimmy Buffet, Reba McEntire, Robert Plant, BJ Thomas, The White
Stripes, Kings of Leon, Luna Halo, Norah Jones, John Rich,
Ronnie Dunn, Bonnie Raitt, Ronnie Milsap
& Kelly Clarkson.
Dawn Sears & Gene Watson pictured backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in
Nashville on Thursday 2 April 2009
Visit Dawn Sears' Official Site
Visit The Time Jumpers' Official Site
