ABOUT DAWN

Dawn also continues to perform with the dynamic and talented singer/songwriter Shana Morrison. Dawn has previously played with some amazing musicians, including touring with the Grammy winning singer/songwriter Tracy Chapman and with the group Elettrodomestico (featuring Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Go’s).

She was a member of the band 4 Non Blondes way back when and played on the hit song “What’s Up” along with touring, recording and doing television appearances and videos with the group.

Dawn’s drumming can be heard on the recently released solo album from Zoe Fitzgerald Carter, Before the Machine, produced by Jeffrey Wood.

Dawn continues to play and teach drums and to create materials for drummers of all ages and levels to foster learning technique and spark creative drumming. She offers both in-person and online private lessons.

She has been producing lesson materials for www.onlinedrummer.com including her full-length course, Chart Topping Drum Fills, the 60’s through today, which combines a 61-page book (available as both ebook and hard copy) and video demonstration segment. This book/course includes both song examples and coordination building exercises. The ebook with audio, Rhythm Reader, has 279 rhythms organized from beginning through advanced that can be used in a variety of ways such as improving sight reading and building rhythmic confidence.

Dawn also has various drum method books published by Mel Bay Publications (Building Blocks of Rock; Fill Workbook; Block Rockin’ Beats; Kid’s Rock Drum Method; Beginning Rock Drum Chart) and has appeared in feature articles in Modern Drummer and Drum! magazines. She has also done some writing for various drumming publications including Tom Tom, DW Edge and Drum! magazines. Dawn is also happy to have been a part of the Hit Like a Girl campaign. HLAG is a global contest that seeks to increase the visibility and acceptance of female drummers and to promote drumming to girls and women.

 As a member of 4 Non Blondes, Dawn received gold and platinum records for sales in the United States and abroad. She toured the world, opening for such rock legends as Aerosmith, Neil Young, Pearl Jam, and Prince and has appeared on national and international television performing live on The Dave Letterman Show, The Late Show with Conan O’Brien, MTV’s Beach House, The Billboard Music Awards, and England’s Top of the Pops.

Dawn grew up in Los Angeles and began playing the drums at the age of 13. Throughout high school and college, she played drums and percussion in all sorts of groups including rock bands, marching band, concert band, orchestra and percussion ensembles. She holds her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Percussion from Cal State Los Angeles where she studied privately with Raynor Carroll - the former (now retired) principal percussionist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Dawn has also studied drum kit/percussion with Jim Volpe, Jim Vessiny, Steve Houghton and Greg Goodall. Dawn currently lives in San Francisco where she teaches and continues to perform and record with various musical projects. Dawn is endorsed by Pacific Drums/Drum Workshop, Zildjian Cymbals and Vic Firth Sticks.

Highlights of Dawn’s touring and/or recording career
include many notable bands and singer/songwriters

  • 4 Non Blondes (Interscope Records)

  • Penelope Houston (Normal Records)

  • The Loud Family (Alias Records)

  • Go-Go Market
    (Innerstate Records/featuring Chuck Prophet & Stephanie Finch)

  • Joe Gore/Mental 99,

  • Dolorata

  • Katie Cash

  • Conor Coughlin

  • Kandur

  • Spirit in the Room

  • Sean O’Brien

  • Alexis Harte

  • Toby Beard

  • Lucia Comnes

  • Marca Cassity

  • Margaret Cho

  • The Paul & John (John Moremen & Paul Myers)

  • Markowski’s

  • Lillix (Maverick Records),

  • Gus (Almo Sounds)

  • Angel Corpus Christi (Almo Sounds)

  • Erika Luckett (Birdfish Records)

  • Holly Vincent

  • Blame Sally

  • Kindness

  • The Martinis (featuring Joey Santiago of The Pixies)

  • Vicki Randle (The Tonight Show).