Songwriting


Over the past 10 years Dawn has worked to build a catalog of songs which is diverse in style, subject and genre. Winner of the prestigious Merlefest Chris Austin Song Contest in 2015 for Bluegrass, she spends a considerable amount of time co-writing and has collaborated with many notable writers and artists. Her songs have won numerous songwriting awards and have been recorded by artists in the bluegrass and folk genres.  


Dawn hosts a number of  ongoing songwriting events in the Greater Boston area; a songwriting workshop series with visiting professional songwriters and
 a bi-monthly "Roots Song Salon"  

Dawn is a staff songwriter with publisher HeartRoots Music.  
 

Dawn's songs recorded by: 

Circa Blue with Dawn Kenney  - "Bells Of Home"
Bells Of Home, Release Oct 2016, 
(co-writer David Morris)

Circa Blue with Dawn Kenney  - "Candy Cane Sweetheart"  Bells Of Home, Release Oct 2016
(co-writers Joyce Kenney & Judy Grise')

Circa Blue with Dawn Kenney  - "Christmas In The Keys", Bells Of Home, Release Oct 2016
(co-writer David Morris)

Circa Blue with Dawn Kenney  - "Happy Birthday Jesus"  Bells Of Home, Release Oct 2016
(co-written with Steve Harris & Malia Furtado)

Jim Hurst Trio - "This Waltz Is For You"
JHT1 - Release Sept 2016 (co-writers Jim Hurst & Keith Little)

Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike - "Something About A Train" Small Town Heroes - Release Sept 2016 
(co-writers Matt Merta & David Morris)

Dave Adkins Band - "Russell Fork River" 
Dave Adkins  - Release Feb 2016 
(co-writers Dave Adkins & David Morris) 

Dave Adkins Band - "Turn and Burn" 
Dave Adkins - Release Feb 2016
(co-writers Dave Adkins & David Morris) 

Circa Blue - "I Sing Your Song" 
Once Upon A Time -  Release Feb 2016 
(co-writers Steve Harris & David Morris) 

Circa Blue - "Tripped, Stumbled and Fell"  
Once Upon A Time - Release Feb 2016
(co-writer Rick Lang) 

Jim Hurst - "All Of This, Just One Man"  
Looking Glass - Release 2014
(co-writer  Jim Hurst) 

Nancy Beaudette - "Hard Times" 
Honestly - Release 2010
(co-writer Nancy Beaudette)

2015 Merle Fest Chris Austin Winner
Dawn and her co-writers took the Bluegrass category in the prestigious Merlefest  Chris Austin Songwriting Contest for 2015
The  song "Something About A Train" was penned with co-writers Mitch Matthews and David Morris. 


Songwriting Highlights 

*March 2016 - Hazel Dickens Song Contest, second place winner - with co-writers David Adkins and David Morris for
"Turn And Burn"

*April 2015 – Merlefest Chris Austin Song Contest Winner – Bluegrass with co-writers David Morris and Mitch Matthews for 
 “Something About A Train”  

*September 2014 – Selected for the IBMA World Of Bluegrass Songwriter Showcase for 
“Something About A Train” 

*March 27, 2013 – Top 5 winner of the 15th Annual Great American Song Contest, in the Special Music Category for 
“Candy Cane Sweetheart” 

*March 30,2013 – First Place winner of the 14th Annual Great American Song Contest, in the Christian/Gospel category for 
“Sing Me Home” 

*November 30, 2012 – Performance at Carnegie Hall of "Sing Me Home"  @ The American Christmas Carol’.
Benefit Concert for Kate Winslet’s Golden Hat Foundation with: Sarah McLachlan, Loreena McKennitt, Andrea Corr & Hayley Westenra.  


 

Songwriter Adventures

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