It seems oddly appropriate that Jill Dawson suggested meeting at a Starbucks to chat. The chain is undeniably the textbook example of intimate coffeehouse gone corporate. Dawson, on the other hand, epitomizes more of a corporate gone intimate coffeehouse type. She's a singer/songwriter with a folk/pop fusion, joining the rather crowded world of acoustic femmes. Dawson doesn't get lost in the shuffle though. Her voice is a lucky combination of strong and sweet with lyrics that don't put undue stock in the sweet end of the equation. She's honest, singing sung themes with a refreshing twist. Dawson avoids the pitfalls of personal and relationship-based songs that far too many songwriters trip up on. Case in point: In "I Try and I Try" off her debut album, First Time Around, Dawson sings about a relationship she's not particularly interested in pursing. She hops around the overly dramatic, single-minded cliches, instead taking the frank not-a-sinner-nor-a-saint approach: ÒMonday, I think you're peculiar, Tuesday, I like your smile. Wednesday, I think you're just my kind. By Friday, I changed my mind.Ó
With the June 2000 release of First Time Around, Dawson has proved there are a couple of things she's not going to change her mind about. She's not a business slave (anymore); she's determined to bring Chicago's female artists together; and she sure isn't afraid to share her voice.
Centerstage: How did you make the choice to leave your job as a successful corporate executive to pursue a musical career?
Jill Dawson: After college I got a job with Anderson Consulting and was promoted to manager after five years. I thought I'd feel exhilarated at the change, but it wasn't what I truly wanted to do -- going to work everyday was like lugging a semi up a hill. Oprah had just launched her "Change Your Life" TV, talking about living your life the way you intended to live it. I realized I didn't want to be the partner taking about her Tiffany's bracelet. So I cut down to part-time work [eventually quitting], started taking classes at Old Town School of Folk Music and worked on my album...and here I am.
CS: Has the transition been all smooth sailing?
Dawson: Well, it's been an interesting transition from one side of the brain to the other. I'm finding it's all small potatoes being an independent artist, which makes me glad I'm not 21. I think that if I had gone straight into this I would have been more drawn into the negative side of the industry.
CS: In terms of the industry, how difficult was it to break into the Chicago scene?
Dawson: Chicago is rare because it's so spread out. There are so many place to play that it's like breaking into 15 markets at once. As a solo acoustic act, it's complicated because I'm fairly limited to coffeehouses. I tend to tour acoustically and book as a full band, which opens the number of available venues. I think it's a really great time for music though. There are so many different types getting on the charts. I've toured in Nashville and they have this successful formula where they want everyone to sound the same. They aren't ready to take risks, but I think there are so many artists in Chicago who are.
CS: How do you see your role in the Chicago music scene as a female?
Dawson: Well, I'm currently the chapter director for WMMW (Women of Music Music of Women). The Chicago chapter, which is fairly new, has about 30 women in it. We'd like to do a national tour, but I'm reluctant to totally bank on that, so locally I started up a group called FAB (Female Artists and Bands) which is a powerhouse of kick-ass female bands, acoustic acts and everything in between. We have an early November show planned at the Heartland Cafe with a lot of amazing women lined up. It's a great way for us to network and to showcase talent.
CS: In terms of your album -- why did you decide to mix up the acoustic with a full band?
Dawson: I finished writing the songs in late February and thought that some of them lended themselves really well to a full band. So I got a band together, [including guitarist Tom Sanchez of Liquid Soul, bassist Erik Vaveris, organist Steve Rashid and drummer Kevin Connelley] brought them into the studio and said here's what I'm thinking. Having a band brought a power to the songs and gave them a completely different flavor. There definitely is magic to acoustic music on the other side of the coin. And there's definitely an audience for acoustic music. It's just a matter of knowing where that audience is.
CS: The majority of your song lyrics seem really personal and honest. Where does your inspiration come from?
Dawson: The album is so about me. That's what I wanted to call it First Time Around. It's about me wanting to live life true to myself. The circumstances aren't my experiences necessarily, but it comes across in my own words. I really just want to bring more positiveness to music. Like in "I Try and I Try" -- it's so contradictory, so not what women are singing. But there's a sense of compassion to it. The album is definitely a starting point and I'm proud of how it came out. But two years from now I don't want to be playing the same 12 songs. There's definitely more to come.
KATE SCHWARTZ 10/26/00
Centerstage Will Feed You
