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Dawn Sears

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dawn Sears
Birth nameDawn Marie Skari
Born(1961-12-07)December 7, 1961
Grand Forks, North Dakota, U.S.
DiedDecember 11, 2014(2014-12-11) (aged 53)
Gallatin, Tennessee, U.S.
GenresAmeripolitan, Country
OccupationSinger-songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active1990–2014
LabelsWarner Bros., Decca Nashville
Formerly ofThe Time Jumpers
Websitewww.dawnsears.com

Dawn Sears (born Dawn Marie Skari; December 7, 1961 – December 11, 2014) was an American country music singer. In addition to her work as a backing vocalist in Vince Gill's band, she recorded four solo studio albums, of which two were released on major labels. She had one single that charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

Biography

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Dawn Marie Skari was born in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. She began her career in 1990 with the album What a Woman Wants to Hear on Warner Bros. Records. The album produced two minor singles. Because of her debut album's poor performance, Sears had decided to leave the country music scene. However, she later received a call from Vince Gill, who had asked her to join his road band as a harmony vocalist. According to information provided by Thomas "Duke" Miller, a TV/movie/celebrity expert, Sears was also known for her song "Another Dream Away", which became a theme song for the newer "Bandit" movies starring Brian Bloom. The movies were a reissue to cash in on the "Smokey And The Bandit" franchise.[1][2]

In addition to singing harmony on Gill's 1992 album I Still Believe in You, Sears provided duet vocals on the track "An Out of Control Raging Fire" on Tracy Byrd's 1994 debut album. In 1994, she was signed as the first act on Decca Records' newly revived country music branch.[1] Her second album, 1994's Nothin' But Good, was issued on Decca,[3] and its lead-off single, "Runaway Train", entered the country music charts. Other singles from the album were unsuccessful, and Dawn exited Decca's roster not long afterward. A self-titled album was released independently in 2002, followed by her first Christmas album. Sears returned to her work as a backup vocalist for Gill.[3] She made appearances on several of Gill's albums, including his 2003 album Next Big Thing.[4] Sears also performed with The Time Jumpers.

In February 2012, Sears was diagnosed with lung cancer, which was diagnosed as Stage 3B in March 2013.[5] She died in Gallatin, Tennessee on December 11, 2014, aged 53. Sears was married to Kenny Sears (a Time Jumpers bandmate), and had a daughter, Tess.[6]

Discography

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Albums

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Title Album details
What a Woman Wants to Hear
Nothin' but Good
Dawn Sears
  • Release date: 2002
  • Label: self-released
A Christmas Dawn
  • Release date: 2002
  • Label: self-released

Singles

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Year Single Peak positions Album
US Country
[7]
CAN Country
[8]
1990 "San Antone"[9] Non-album single
1991 "Good Goodbye" 77 What a Woman Wants to Hear
1992 "Tell Me I'm Crazy"[10]
1994 "Runaway Train" 62 71 Nothin' but Good
"Nothin' but Good"[11]
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

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Year Video Director
1990 "San Antone"
1991 "Good Goodbye" Jim May
1994 "Runaway Train"[12] Steven Goldmann
"Nothin' but Good"[13] Michael Salomon

References

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  1. ^ a b "This Month's Music: Dawn Sears: "Runaway Train"". New Country. 1 (5): 6. July 1994. ISSN 1074-536X.
  2. ^ "Dawn Sears biography". Dawn Sears.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
  3. ^ a b McCall, Michael. "Dawn Sears biography". Allmusic. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
  4. ^ "Next Big Thing – Vince Gill". Capital News. March 2003. Archived from the original on September 4, 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2008.
  5. ^ "Dawn Sears Cancer Diagnosis: Time Jumpers Member Undergoing Treatment". Theboot.com. March 6, 2013. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  6. ^ "Dawn Sears of Time Jumpers dies at 53". The Tennessean. December 12, 2014. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 373. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  8. ^ "Dawn Sears - Country Singles". RPM. July 17, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  9. ^ "Single Reviews". Billboard. November 3, 1990. p. 82.
  10. ^ "Single Reviews". Billboard. February 22, 1992. p. 76.
  11. ^ "Single Reviews". Billboard. August 13, 1994. p. 61.
  12. ^ "CMT : Videos : Dawn Sears : Runaway Train". Country Music Television. Retrieved October 14, 2011.[dead link]
  13. ^ "CMT : Videos : Dawn Sears : Nothin' But Good". Country Music Television. Retrieved October 14, 2011.[dead link]
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