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I’ve always believed in the vocal talent of Dawn E. Robinson . [The "E." was for Eliza until she adopted her late father's name as her professional signature.] Dawn is one of those lights under the basket. Or maybe it’s a “waiting for Godot” – someone has to come along to recognize or find your talent. But this is an ADD world. The elevator pitch is down to a twit. Not everyone gets a “Susan Boyle moment.” Even Boyle, in some ways, fits a marketing plan and gimmick with the familiar narrative of “A Star Is Born.” It may take a lifetime with its baggage of bad breaks –losses, foreclosures, and other contemporary spills — to make an artist recognize what he/she really loves and where she/he needs to be to get centered again.

Dawn’s tracks cover Blues Alley, opening for Nancy Wilson, the festival circuit, performing with gospel great Richard Smallwood, backup vocals for Maysa (of Incognito fame), and a ton of other gigs live and in studio. Dawn will be giving her first full concert in eight years Sunday, June 27 at 4 PM at the Shiloh Baptist Church (1500 9th Street, NW) in Washington, DC . For many, the sanctuary brings the music back to mission. The concert will be a mix of sacred and secular music. How did Dawn get away with this in the Baptist church? That’s a question for our Eclectique Interview. I always wanted to sing - I never wanted to do anything else. I still have the LP (remember those?) “Sleep, Baby, Sleep” that my folks played when I was in the cradle. It had singers on it like Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby & Diahann Carroll. I was told that I sang along with the record (not with words, of course) and that I had a fit if they played Side B before Side A.

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