Newmarket Singer-Songwriter John Dawson Finds Himself Right At Home With Uplifting “Where You Belong”
Newmarket-based folk roots performer John Dawson puts his heart on his sleeve with his latest single “Where You Belong” from his Outlier album. The tune, produced and mixed by Adam Brunner, speaks to the universality of times a relationship might be in peril. But, by sticking things out together, it’ll be water under the bridge or in the rear-view mirror as time marches forward.
Dawson, who describes “Where You Belong” as a “scrappy little love song,” offers a lovely piece of music and lyrical prose by believing the proverbial glass is half full, not half empty. With gorgeous harmonies, sweet piano accents in the background and the solid rhythm duo of bassist Manny DeGrandis and drummer/percussionist Anthony D’Angela, “Where You Belong” exemplifies the quality and depth Dawson brings to each song with an economical use of words that brings to mind lyrical craftsmen like Ron Sexsmith, Lyle Lovett and Nick Lowe.
Tell me I’m wrong,
But if we just wallk away,
We’ll be giving in to all they have said.
You decide,
But I believe,
That by my side,
Is where you belong.
“Where You Belong” is the latest single from Dawson who released “Things That I Meant To Say” in July, 2024. In an August, 2024 interview with Newmarket Today, Dawson said the songs emerged from a handful of touchstone events in his life including the death of a parent, getting married and the birth of a child.
“Much of the music was coming just working through a lot of emotions myself,” he told the outlet. “Just sort of reporting what I’m seeing in my life through the music I create.”
Dawson says there’s also an appreciation for his craft now that he has become a bit more removed from his teenage years and twenties.
“The joy to be able to know that my hands can do these things,” he told the outlet. “It changes as you get a bit older. You don’t go out to be a rock star. You do it because of the genuine love of the art form.”
Dawson is no stranger to music, having worked in a myriad of parts of the industry from performing to education. A graduate of Humber College, Dawson cites Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Paul Simon, and the late George Harrison as some of his music and lyrical influences. He also earned degrees in Music and Education from York University. And if that wasn’t enough, besides being chosen for various commissions and publishing projects the last two decades, he also co-hosts Ringside Heat, a weekly professional wrestling radio show.
Now with his new single “Where You Belong,” look for John Dawson to keep crafting fully formed gems that tug at your heartstrings as he wrestles with timeless, thoughtful aspects of the human condition.
Hi John! Good to see you again! What have you been up to since we last spoke?
Hey! Great to be with you again. I have just been enjoying the summer with my kids while doing the best I can to promote the new album. It’s been a lot of fun and a great learning process.
Can you take us through the creative process behind “Where You Belong” and how it came to embody the emotions of a relationship in peril?
Like a lot of my songs, I often begin with a mood on guitar. A certain sound of a chord progression or musical phrase will start the wheels turning. Honestly, I don’t know if I remember any specific “peril” but it was a definitive moment. I think a lot of us come to that point where we start really appreciating the magnitude of commitment to a specific person. It would be weird if we did take that lightly I think! You owe it to yourself and the other to move into that commitment with a certain resolve regardless of any challenges that may or may not come.
You’ve cited musical influences like Ron Sexsmith and Lyle Lovett. How do you feel their songwriting styles have influenced your approach on this track?
As a Canadian songwriter, I would be hard-pressed to ignore the contributions of Ron Sexmith. Not only is he a brilliant songwriter and guitarist, he has been very true to his own vision of his art. Listen to a song like “Secret Heart”. The melody is so direct, so concise, and yet it almost feels like his own body can barely contain the power of his voice. He’s a far better singer than I could ever hope to be but, somehow knowing he even exists gives me something to aspire to. He will always be a great source of inspiration. As for Lyle Lovett, one of my favourite songs of his will always be “Nobody Knows Me Like My Baby”. The specificity of his lyrical and musical choices in that song alone have had a great impact on me. It’s an economy of writing that remains a masterclass to any student of the art form.
Your previous single, “Things That I Meant To Say,” was deeply personal, touching on significant life events. How does “Where You Belong” fit into the broader narrative of the Outlier album?
What a great question! Thank you! One of the dominant themes of Outlier is change, be it positive or negative. It’s also about those changes in relation to the people closest to me. “Where You Belong” fits in by exploring one very significant change as it came time to make a definitive decision about the person who would share my life in a wholly unique way. As exciting and beautiful as that change is it is still a change. And a big one at that! There are a lot of emotions involved. Most of them are good of course 
As someone who has worked in various parts of the music industry, how do you balance your roles as a performer, educator, and radio show host?
Oh, that’s easy: I make sure to only go for the bare minimum level of achievement in each area so as to not impact my TV watching. 
Kidding of course! It’s actually pretty manageable. It’s easy to find time for things that bring me joy and, though it can be busy I truly do enjoy it all. I’m very grateful for all of the wonderful things I get to do.