Dawn and Hawkes
Miranda Dawn and Chris Hawkes first met when he crossed an Austin barroom floor and asked her to dance. The first time they sang together they found a sound Texas Monthly calls “undeniably intimate".
Their initial duo effort, Golden Heart, climbed to No. 25 in Billboard’s Folk chart and landed at No. 2 in iTunes singer-songwriter albums and kicked off a whirlwind of cross-country touring and co-writing. Dawn and Hawkes recorded their second album, Yours and Mine, in between tour dates with influential artists Alison Krauss & Dan Tyminski, Patty Griffin, Old 97s, Robert Earl Keen and showcasing at festivals like Austin City Limits, Folk Alliance, AmericanaFest, South By Southwest and TEDx on tours in the US and abroad in Denmark, Germany and Australia. “We'd tour, come home inspired, record a song, tour, rinse and repeat” explains Dawn. Acoustic Guitar hails the musicality of Yours and Mine, as “Impeccable vocal harmonies and instrumentation” Huffington Post summarizes “Transcendent alternative-folk — you will find yourself craving more from this amazing, dynamic duo.”
While touring, the duo stored their possessions and lived on the road, drawing a lyrical soundtrack from American deserts and mountains, to the South Australian coast while navigating a shared journey through mortality, grief and compassion for differing perspectives. Upon returning to Austin, they finished self-producing their second full-length album, The Other Side. The Austin American Statesman calls it “10 new tracks of sweet folk-rock — instantly appealing tunes — rooted in the singer songwriter heyday of the early 1970’s, they also fit well into the modern-day indie-folk revival.”
The newest album from Dawn and Hawkes, Light Inside, is illuminated by the warm glow of family homes, old guitars, familiar stories, new infatuation and loyal, long-standing love. It's an invitation to embrace the light that comes from all of us.
In a time when the world seems more divided than ever, Dawn and Hawkes celebrate hope and our common humanity.
“Impeccable vocal harmonies and instrumentation”
– Acoustic Guitar
“Transcendent alternative-folk—you will find yourself craving more from this amazing, dynamic duo”
– Huffington Post
“Songs of introspective bliss, this singer-songwriter team genuinely helps the listener feel the spirit of life”
– Performer Magazine
“lovely, lilting and clearly heartfelt”
– Elmore Magazine
“Dawn and Hawkes writes with gritty realism, hard conversations about love and life, and a willingness to confront emotions outside of the predictable and easy.”
– Ear To The Ground
“Stark, Gorgeous”
– Billboard
“Undeniably intimate”
– Texas Monthly
“Outstanding musicians individually, they are absolutely magical together.”
– Houston Press
“instantly appealing tunes… rooted in the singer songwriter heyday of the early 1970’s, they also fit well into the modern-day indie-folk revival.”
– Austin American Statesman
“The audience caved for their interplay, romance, and music. They won everyone over by being raw, real, and original.”
– Austin Chronicle
“They bring a fresh take on a classic genre, their impeccable vocal harmonies matched with poignant lyrics over a foundation of iconic folk and country riffs.”
– KUTX
“Roots music that sears the heart yet goes down smooth. Blues, folk, country and rock tangle in their sound, every element amplified by the pair's lovely, tortured harmonies”
– Columbia Tribune
“A couple whose harmonies and chemistry speak for themselves. It was clear from the very first note that Dawn and Hawkes are something very special”
– Taste Of Country
"Naturally drawn to each other, the Austin based indie-folk-Americana duo performs with an unmatched chemistry apparent throughout the interplay of their onstage personas as well as their intricate harmonies.”
– Steamboat Today