Vocalist Dawn Sears — a member of Nashville's Grammy-nominated western swing group The Time Jumpers, as well as Vince Gill's touring band — died Thursday night in Gallatin, Tenn.
Mrs. Sears was 53 and was battling lung cancer. On November 30, she presented a benefit concert in Gallatin for cancer research at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, headlined by Reba McEntire.
"Every time I turn around somebody I know has cancer of some kind, and I just got tired of hearing it," Mrs. Sears said last month. "This is my way of fighting back."
As a longtime member of The Time Jumpers, Mrs. Sears was a leading voice in one of Music City's most popular live acts. Since 1999, they've been seen onstage in Nashville nearly every Monday night of the year, starting with a 13-year residency at The Station Inn, then moving to 3rd & Lindsley in 2012.
She continued to perform until June of 2014, and was still bringing the room to a whisper with renditions of Hank Cochran's "Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me" and Vern Gosdin's "If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right)."
Those audiences often included other country music notables. Larry Gatlin said he was floored the first time he heard Mrs. Sears sing "Sweet Memories," with a voice that was "a cross between Patsy Cline and Barbra Streisand and Sarah Vaughan."
The two became friends, and Gatlin remembered a conversation he had with Mrs. Sears on his radio program.
"I told her, 'You didn't become the big star, Dawn, but let me tell you what I've seen. I've seen big stars sitting in there at The Station Inn and 3rd & Lindsley, listening to you sing and absolutely eating up every word of it.' She was an incredible singer. It wasn't just a great voice, but the way she phrased a song. Like Patsy Cline, she had that little tear in her voice that was just fabulous."
Mrs. Sears' talent was evident from the first time she stepped in front of a microphone at age 14. It was for a talent contest at the VFW hall in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and she took first place. Three years later, she left her home in Minnesota to hit the road with her band. In 1986, her travels would take her to Las Vegas, where she met fiddler Kenny Sears. Six months later, the two were married and living in Nashville.
A regular gig performing on TNN's "Nashville Now" led to a recording contract with Warner Brothers, who released her debut album, "What a Woman Wants to Hear," in 1991. It earned favorable reviews, but failed to gain commercial traction. Her second album, "Nothin' But Good" was released on Decca in 1994 and met a similar fate.
But between those two releases, Mrs. Sears began a working relationship with Vince Gill that would endure for the next 22 years. She became a member of the country star's touring band, and both singers continued to provide background vocals to each other's albums over the years. In 2010, Gill returned the favor and became an official member of The Time Jumpers.
In her final years with The Time Jumpers, the western swing band's profile had never been higher. In 2012, they earned their third and fourth career Grammy nominations, including a nod for country album of the year. They were also guest performers on Miranda Lambert's 2014 album "Platinum."
In the years following her cancer diagnosis, Mrs. Sears had a new perspective on what was important in her life.
"I think the biggest thing I've learned is that big houses and cars and all the toys don't matter," she said. "What matters are the people in your life - family and friends. That's what's really important. Family members. The fellowship between human beings is so much more important than stuff."
In a statement, McEntire said Mrs. Sears fought a "courageous battle" against lung cancer.
"Dawn contributed so much to the music industry with her beautiful voice. Her last contribution to us was to help find a cure for lung cancer with her benefit in Gallatin, Tennessee that raised over $100,000. She was a sweetheart."
Mrs. Sears is survived by her husband and Time Jumpers bandmate, Kenny Sears and daughter, Tess.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Josh Cross of the Gallatin News Examiner and Tennessean country music reporter Cindy Watts contributed to this report.
