Julian Dawson

Julian Dawson (born 4 July 1954, London, England) is a British singer–songwriter, guitarist and author. His style has been compared to Wilco and Ron Sexsmith. He is fluent in German and French. Outside his solo work, acts he has recorded with (as singer or harmonica player) include Gerry Rafferty, Glenn Tilbrook, Del Amitri, Dan Penn, Iain Matthews and his band Plainsong, Richard Thompson and Benny Hill. He also worked with German krautrockers Can, and BAP.

He attended two Catholic boarding schools for nine years and Exeter College of Art and Design for three years, before deciding to take up music full-time and playing his first professional jobs for the US army in Germany. After a return to London, he learned his craft on the road all over Europe and the UK with various band line-ups, playing his own songs from day one and eventually landing his first record deal.

One pub-rock influenced LP was followed by two albums for Polydor, both recorded at the legendary Can Studio near Cologne with Jaki Liebezeit and guests Richard Thompson and Toots Thielemans. ‘As Real As Disneyland’ garnered album-of-month status and sold well in the German-speaking territories, setting a pattern of Dawson having more success abroad than at home that has remained a feature of his career so far.

In the early nineties Julian turned his attentions to the USA, making two albums in Nashville with E Street Band bass-player Garry Tallent producing and a host of local guests, including Vince Gill, Duane Eddy, Bill Payne and Steve Forbert. ‘Fragile As China’ charted in Germany and helped him build a radio presence and a solid following in the USA, where he still tours at least once a year.

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