The Sit Down with Dawson Anderson
When Dawson Anderson was last in the UK he was touring as part of Temecula Road. Earlier this year we chatted with Dawson when he made his European return at C2C in Berlin and is wasting no time in getting back to Europe as he prepares to bring his solo project to the UK at this years Long Road Festival. We jumped on a Zoom call with Dawson to look ahead to the Long Road weekend and reminisce about his Berlin weekend.
My guy!
Afternoon. How you doing?
I'm good, man! My sleep schedule's been all jacked up, man. I've been staying up late working on some new songs, and learning bass!
How's learning bass going, then?
Dude, it's incredible. I am having so much fun playing bass. You have to lay so far back when you play and it makes me feel like I'm a better guitar player now that I'm learning bass. It's making me think differently about it, approach the instrument differently.
Is it changing your writing too?
It absolutely does. I try to have bass on all my songs, but I've been playing a lot more of it when I'm in studios for writing songs, even just for demos and stuff, I'll try to play more of it which is cool. I like being hands-on with the music, and anything I can play, if it's gonna be good enough, then I'll play it.
Come on though, we need some new music, desperately!
That's coming, man. I'm working on some new stuff. I appreciate your excitement. We're gonna get you some, don't you worry. Don't you worry. I know it's been a couple of months and we've just been in the studio working on some new stuff, we're trying to figure out kinda how we're gonna get these songs out. There’ll be some announcements coming soon, so some good things on the works, and within all of that, definitely some new music - hopefully even a few more songs before the end of the year. We're rockin' and we're rolling, man, it feels good.
My guy!
Afternoon. How you doing?
I'm good, man! My sleep schedule's been all jacked up, man. I've been staying up late working on some new songs, and learning bass!
How's learning bass going, then?
Dude, it's incredible. I am having so much fun playing bass. You have to lay so far back when you play and it makes me feel like I'm a better guitar player now that I'm learning bass. It's making me think differently about it, approach the instrument differently.
Is it changing your writing too?
It absolutely does. I try to have bass on all my songs, but I've been playing a lot more of it when I'm in studios for writing songs, even just for demos and stuff, I'll try to play more of it which is cool. I like being hands-on with the music, and anything I can play, if it's gonna be good enough, then I'll play it.
Come on though, we need some new music, desperately!
That's coming, man. I'm working on some new stuff. I appreciate your excitement. We're gonna get you some, don't you worry. Don't you worry. I know it's been a couple of months and we've just been in the studio working on some new stuff, we're trying to figure out kinda how we're gonna get these songs out. There’ll be some announcements coming soon, so some good things on the works, and within all of that, definitely some new music - hopefully even a few more songs before the end of the year. We're rockin' and we're rolling, man, it feels good.
You've been busy, though, since Berlin in March. There's been plenty of going on and even a bus fire while touring with Lanco.
Dude, that was nuts. Lots of great shows, and the bus fire, which was unfortunate, but luckily everyone's okay. All we lost was stuff, which of course was a real big bummer, but it was crazy, man. It definitely teaches you, like, wow, okay, I've gotta be appreciative of the things that I have, and don't take life for granted. You know, we almost stayed on the bus, which would have been a disaster. If we had, you'd like to think everyone would make it off, but luckily we got off the bus before the fire happened, so everyone was good.
Have you just been trying to get your name out there as much as possible since March across the states? I know that was your plan.
Absolutely. Just continue to play as many shows as I can, bust my butt on socials too. For a long time there, I was doing these little livestreams - I need to get back into those. I was actually just thinking about it last night, that I miss doing them. If I'm staying up to play bass, I might as well go live! I’m just wanting to continue growing the fan base, and I've got some great shows coming up, and super excited to be back in Europe, a few short weeks. I leave the 28th and I get in on the 29th, then the Saturday is show. I heard Bailey just dropped out of that. I love Bailey, I'm bummed up about that, but I'm excited to see who they get. Sometimes the last-minute additions can be really fun! I'm also playing Saturday on the same day as Bailey was, so come on out and see me! I'll let him know. I actually have no idea what stage I'm playing yet though!
You up for a headline slot, do you think?
Coach, put me in! I'm ready for the opportunity. Dude, I'm so excited, man, I freaking love Europe, and I haven't been back to the UK in I think 7 years since. The end of 2019, right before COVID hit, I was out there with Scotty McCreary. Berlin was the first time I got to go back to Europe, for music. I'd been to Sweden a couple years prior to that, but that was just a family vacation, so I'm so excited, man. I'm grateful that I get to keep coming back here, and I'm just getting my footing again in Europe, and building some fans, and getting my name out there over there, I think it's such an incredible market, and it's one that I don't ever want to stop tapping into. Everyone's always like, oh my gosh, come back, come back. I'm like, I will… I will be there as much as you'll have me, as much as it makes sense financially to fly there. Even if I'm losing a little bit of money, I don't care, I just want to get out there and see everybody. The country music fans out there are just incredible, and that's very widely known. A lot of the artists here talk about how honestly, it's better to play out there, it's more fun. They're more respectful fans, they get rowdy, they do their homework, they're appreciative of it. Not that I don't like playing in Nashville, but you just see it so much here. I ran into Jon Pardi at Losers, like, 2 weeks ago, out on a Monday night, just this random night, and you're just like, what the heck! This is just how this town works. It's cool out there, everyone's really soaking it all in, they're not taking it for granted, which is cool.
With this being your first time back in the UK since 2019, do you think people are going to remember you are one third of Temecula Road?
You know, I think so. There's some fans out there, because there were some people in Berlin that lived in London, that came to Berlin for C2C, and then recognised me from those days, so I would imagine that there'd be some and if they aren't already fans of me as a solo artist, we'll loop them in, and we'll get them hooked. There's gonna be plenty of new people there, and new faces, and I can't wait to meet everybody that is gonna be. It's gonna be awesome. I got some friends that'll be in the UK, too that are coming over as well for the festival. We'll have a little powwow, I'm sure there'll be lots of good times.
Maybe drop a Temecula Road song into your set, just to jog some memories!
For real! Honestly, I wouldn't even be mad about it. There's a couple that I actually was listening to in the studio with a buddy, and there was a few of those songs I haven't listened to in, like, years. Some of the older ones, and I was like, God, I'm so much better than I used to be. I think fondly of those days. I don't have any ill will towards the girls, we're all still friends, and I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you without that band, so I'm grateful for it, and that time, and being able to grow and develop and figure out how I was gonna run things, and how to write songs, and build a show, and perform, and all of that. Social media, all of those things came from when I was in that band learning, just kind of figuring out how to grow up. At 15, starting that band, still growing up, figuring out how to be an artist. It was a beautiful run, man. I'm grateful, and I'm grateful to still be doing it, all these years later. We back.
Dude, that was nuts. Lots of great shows, and the bus fire, which was unfortunate, but luckily everyone's okay. All we lost was stuff, which of course was a real big bummer, but it was crazy, man. It definitely teaches you, like, wow, okay, I've gotta be appreciative of the things that I have, and don't take life for granted. You know, we almost stayed on the bus, which would have been a disaster. If we had, you'd like to think everyone would make it off, but luckily we got off the bus before the fire happened, so everyone was good.
Have you just been trying to get your name out there as much as possible since March across the states? I know that was your plan.
Absolutely. Just continue to play as many shows as I can, bust my butt on socials too. For a long time there, I was doing these little livestreams - I need to get back into those. I was actually just thinking about it last night, that I miss doing them. If I'm staying up to play bass, I might as well go live! I’m just wanting to continue growing the fan base, and I've got some great shows coming up, and super excited to be back in Europe, a few short weeks. I leave the 28th and I get in on the 29th, then the Saturday is show. I heard Bailey just dropped out of that. I love Bailey, I'm bummed up about that, but I'm excited to see who they get. Sometimes the last-minute additions can be really fun! I'm also playing Saturday on the same day as Bailey was, so come on out and see me! I'll let him know. I actually have no idea what stage I'm playing yet though!
You up for a headline slot, do you think?
Coach, put me in! I'm ready for the opportunity. Dude, I'm so excited, man, I freaking love Europe, and I haven't been back to the UK in I think 7 years since. The end of 2019, right before COVID hit, I was out there with Scotty McCreary. Berlin was the first time I got to go back to Europe, for music. I'd been to Sweden a couple years prior to that, but that was just a family vacation, so I'm so excited, man. I'm grateful that I get to keep coming back here, and I'm just getting my footing again in Europe, and building some fans, and getting my name out there over there, I think it's such an incredible market, and it's one that I don't ever want to stop tapping into. Everyone's always like, oh my gosh, come back, come back. I'm like, I will… I will be there as much as you'll have me, as much as it makes sense financially to fly there. Even if I'm losing a little bit of money, I don't care, I just want to get out there and see everybody. The country music fans out there are just incredible, and that's very widely known. A lot of the artists here talk about how honestly, it's better to play out there, it's more fun. They're more respectful fans, they get rowdy, they do their homework, they're appreciative of it. Not that I don't like playing in Nashville, but you just see it so much here. I ran into Jon Pardi at Losers, like, 2 weeks ago, out on a Monday night, just this random night, and you're just like, what the heck! This is just how this town works. It's cool out there, everyone's really soaking it all in, they're not taking it for granted, which is cool.
With this being your first time back in the UK since 2019, do you think people are going to remember you are one third of Temecula Road?
You know, I think so. There's some fans out there, because there were some people in Berlin that lived in London, that came to Berlin for C2C, and then recognised me from those days, so I would imagine that there'd be some and if they aren't already fans of me as a solo artist, we'll loop them in, and we'll get them hooked. There's gonna be plenty of new people there, and new faces, and I can't wait to meet everybody that is gonna be. It's gonna be awesome. I got some friends that'll be in the UK, too that are coming over as well for the festival. We'll have a little powwow, I'm sure there'll be lots of good times.
Maybe drop a Temecula Road song into your set, just to jog some memories!
For real! Honestly, I wouldn't even be mad about it. There's a couple that I actually was listening to in the studio with a buddy, and there was a few of those songs I haven't listened to in, like, years. Some of the older ones, and I was like, God, I'm so much better than I used to be. I think fondly of those days. I don't have any ill will towards the girls, we're all still friends, and I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you without that band, so I'm grateful for it, and that time, and being able to grow and develop and figure out how I was gonna run things, and how to write songs, and build a show, and perform, and all of that. Social media, all of those things came from when I was in that band learning, just kind of figuring out how to grow up. At 15, starting that band, still growing up, figuring out how to be an artist. It was a beautiful run, man. I'm grateful, and I'm grateful to still be doing it, all these years later. We back.
When you closed out the Berlin day stages you certainly left everything on the Town Square Stage.
That was, that was such a cool moment. You were the one who came to me and you said, who did you have to talk sweetly to get that slot? And I was like, I have no idea what you're talking about. You're like, the ending slot. You're the only one playing. I'm like, no, there's a bunch of people playing that day. And you're like, no, no! When you play at that time, you're the only person in the whole festival that's playing, and I got really excited, I mean, you saw me, but I just got really excited. It was such a surreal moment, dude, like, it's one of those things you just couldn't plan that, at all. I mean, I didn't plan that, I honestly was just gonna bring up 4 or 5 girls in the crowd, I was gonna pluck them up to bring them up on stage, because there was the bar in the background. For those of y'all that weren't there, there's a big bar on the stage, and it was just for looks. There wasn't a bartender up there, there wasn't any alcohol back there – should’ve been! Next year! Let's just get that bar going, make it a fan experience thing. Anyway, it was my photographer, Mike Rodway, who was with me and he said, dude, I've seen a bunch of people play this stage all weekend, but no one's brought anybody up to sit at that bar, you should bring people up to sit there. I said, that'd be fun. So then when I announced, I was like, hey, I'm like, I've got this beautiful bar behind me, and I want some people sitting here, like, come join me, show a hand, anyone wanna join me? I figured people were gonna be like, oh I want to be up there, and then I'm like, yeah, you, you, you, and whatever, and then I pull them up, but people just kind of bum-rushed the stage! It was awesome because C2C Berlin is one of those festivals that is very fan-immersed, and it's the artists that make the trip to come over, the fans that want them to be there and together they make that festival so beautiful. It felt very, very storybook to end out the last bit of shows, before the headliner that night. We had Spencer Crandall, Tyler Rich, my buddy Jake Banfield up there with me, and Dylan Schneider, I believe, was up there. I might be missing a few people, but what a cool moment. Seriously, like, top 5 career moment of mine.
Those are the moments that the German crowd will remember you for and hopefully encourage people to bring you back.
Yeah, dude, I hope so, man. I hope they know I mean business, and I got a lot of really good feedback, and everyone was talking about that moment. I wanted to make it a communal thing and I genuinely just thought it was gonna be a cool look, and it was a good idea from my photographer, so I’m really happy that that worked out. Hopefully we've made a good impression, and I'd like to be getting back there as much as I can. In Berlin, and also I'm gunning hard for C2C in London next year. Top of 27, dude, I would love to be back there as well.
Then you've got Denmark this time around, just to add on the trip and keep spreading the Dawson Anderson name.
Yeah! Denmark, and then, and then Rotterdam.
How did the Denmark show come about?
Well, you know what's funny? The Denmark show was the flagship show of this trip that I'm taking, which will include The Long Road. There was a guy, Bjorn, that was in Berlin and just saw one of my shows, and he came up to me after my set and was like, you're awesome, and I book a festival in Jelling, Denmark. I said, I've never been to Denmark, I've heard it's beautiful. I love festivals, so I'm super down. I gave him my information, I said, hit me up as soon as this is over, and we'll connect. I had just started working with an agent at the time, too, so I looped him in. I was like, hey, help me land this and my agent, Kyle, was like, okay, we've got this festival, it makes sense to go out there and do it, but what else can we get around? He went and was able to get us booked on The Long Road Festival and Once in a Blue Moon in Rotterdam to add to Longhorn in Jelling. I'm super grateful, and shout out to my agent Kyle for being a champ and helping round out the trip. It's gonna be a beautiful time. I'll get some time in Denmark, it's gonna be great. It’s almost surreal that we're gonna go back here, getting back to Berlin in March was such a goal of mine. After my previous band had broken up and lost the record deal and all that, I was dreaming of the day that music would take me back to Europe, and it did in March, which was so cool. It’s a testament to the hard work that me and my team put in over 2025. To then have this come about too in the same year, just 6 months later, is really, really cool. I'm pumped, I'm grateful. I appreciate you always for loving on the project, and supporting. Hopefully there’s many more boat interviews to come in Berlin too.
That was, that was such a cool moment. You were the one who came to me and you said, who did you have to talk sweetly to get that slot? And I was like, I have no idea what you're talking about. You're like, the ending slot. You're the only one playing. I'm like, no, there's a bunch of people playing that day. And you're like, no, no! When you play at that time, you're the only person in the whole festival that's playing, and I got really excited, I mean, you saw me, but I just got really excited. It was such a surreal moment, dude, like, it's one of those things you just couldn't plan that, at all. I mean, I didn't plan that, I honestly was just gonna bring up 4 or 5 girls in the crowd, I was gonna pluck them up to bring them up on stage, because there was the bar in the background. For those of y'all that weren't there, there's a big bar on the stage, and it was just for looks. There wasn't a bartender up there, there wasn't any alcohol back there – should’ve been! Next year! Let's just get that bar going, make it a fan experience thing. Anyway, it was my photographer, Mike Rodway, who was with me and he said, dude, I've seen a bunch of people play this stage all weekend, but no one's brought anybody up to sit at that bar, you should bring people up to sit there. I said, that'd be fun. So then when I announced, I was like, hey, I'm like, I've got this beautiful bar behind me, and I want some people sitting here, like, come join me, show a hand, anyone wanna join me? I figured people were gonna be like, oh I want to be up there, and then I'm like, yeah, you, you, you, and whatever, and then I pull them up, but people just kind of bum-rushed the stage! It was awesome because C2C Berlin is one of those festivals that is very fan-immersed, and it's the artists that make the trip to come over, the fans that want them to be there and together they make that festival so beautiful. It felt very, very storybook to end out the last bit of shows, before the headliner that night. We had Spencer Crandall, Tyler Rich, my buddy Jake Banfield up there with me, and Dylan Schneider, I believe, was up there. I might be missing a few people, but what a cool moment. Seriously, like, top 5 career moment of mine.
Those are the moments that the German crowd will remember you for and hopefully encourage people to bring you back.
Yeah, dude, I hope so, man. I hope they know I mean business, and I got a lot of really good feedback, and everyone was talking about that moment. I wanted to make it a communal thing and I genuinely just thought it was gonna be a cool look, and it was a good idea from my photographer, so I’m really happy that that worked out. Hopefully we've made a good impression, and I'd like to be getting back there as much as I can. In Berlin, and also I'm gunning hard for C2C in London next year. Top of 27, dude, I would love to be back there as well.
Then you've got Denmark this time around, just to add on the trip and keep spreading the Dawson Anderson name.
Yeah! Denmark, and then, and then Rotterdam.
How did the Denmark show come about?
Well, you know what's funny? The Denmark show was the flagship show of this trip that I'm taking, which will include The Long Road. There was a guy, Bjorn, that was in Berlin and just saw one of my shows, and he came up to me after my set and was like, you're awesome, and I book a festival in Jelling, Denmark. I said, I've never been to Denmark, I've heard it's beautiful. I love festivals, so I'm super down. I gave him my information, I said, hit me up as soon as this is over, and we'll connect. I had just started working with an agent at the time, too, so I looped him in. I was like, hey, help me land this and my agent, Kyle, was like, okay, we've got this festival, it makes sense to go out there and do it, but what else can we get around? He went and was able to get us booked on The Long Road Festival and Once in a Blue Moon in Rotterdam to add to Longhorn in Jelling. I'm super grateful, and shout out to my agent Kyle for being a champ and helping round out the trip. It's gonna be a beautiful time. I'll get some time in Denmark, it's gonna be great. It’s almost surreal that we're gonna go back here, getting back to Berlin in March was such a goal of mine. After my previous band had broken up and lost the record deal and all that, I was dreaming of the day that music would take me back to Europe, and it did in March, which was so cool. It’s a testament to the hard work that me and my team put in over 2025. To then have this come about too in the same year, just 6 months later, is really, really cool. I'm pumped, I'm grateful. I appreciate you always for loving on the project, and supporting. Hopefully there’s many more boat interviews to come in Berlin too.
Don’t worry, the boat is booked for Berlin next year. It just needs you to get booked for the festival again!
Dude, we're trying! They don't really bring back people two years in a row, just because they're so many artists, and they want to give the chance to, but I'm gonna try to go back to Berlin next year. I wanted to try to make it into this trip, but I couldn't quite do it. We were looking for some shows, and I was trying my best, but nothing really made sense. Even if it's not C2C Berlin, even just getting back to Germany next year at some point, would be pretty epic. It's happening, I'm manifesting, I will be in Germany next year at some point.
Okay, well, make sure it involves a weekend so that I can fly out there, okay? That's the only deal.
Yes. Oh, yes. I'd love to have y'all out there. I'd love it. I just appreciate the support from you and from everybody over there, and it's just been kind of surreal, as I've entered into this new phase of the last couple years of being a solo artist and just running it up.
I'll see you in less than a months’ time at The Long Road.
Thanks man, great chatting with you. Talk soon and I’ll see you there.
The Long Road Festival takes place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire between Thursday 27th and Sunday 30th August, with tickets on sale now. You can find ticket details and further information on their WEBSITE and you can be the first to know all updates ahead of this year’s event by checking out their socials on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.
Dude, we're trying! They don't really bring back people two years in a row, just because they're so many artists, and they want to give the chance to, but I'm gonna try to go back to Berlin next year. I wanted to try to make it into this trip, but I couldn't quite do it. We were looking for some shows, and I was trying my best, but nothing really made sense. Even if it's not C2C Berlin, even just getting back to Germany next year at some point, would be pretty epic. It's happening, I'm manifesting, I will be in Germany next year at some point.
Okay, well, make sure it involves a weekend so that I can fly out there, okay? That's the only deal.
Yes. Oh, yes. I'd love to have y'all out there. I'd love it. I just appreciate the support from you and from everybody over there, and it's just been kind of surreal, as I've entered into this new phase of the last couple years of being a solo artist and just running it up.
I'll see you in less than a months’ time at The Long Road.
Thanks man, great chatting with you. Talk soon and I’ll see you there.
The Long Road Festival takes place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire between Thursday 27th and Sunday 30th August, with tickets on sale now. You can find ticket details and further information on their WEBSITE and you can be the first to know all updates ahead of this year’s event by checking out their socials on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.