Arista Nashville artist Carolyn Dawn Johnson signed a publishing deal with UMPG in 2001. Johnson’s debut album, Room With A View, generated four chart singles, including “Complicated,” which reached No. 5 on the R&R Country chart and the Top 10 on Billboard’s Country Singles chart. A Canadian native, Johnson swept the 2001 CCMA’s (The Canadian Country Music Awards) by winning a record-breaking five awards including: Album of the Year; Female Vocalist of the Year; Single of the Year; Rising Star; and the SOCAN Song of the Year award for “Complicated,” which she co-wrote. In addition, Music Row Magazine named Johnson its 2000 “Breakthrough Songwriter.” She also penned hits for Chely Wright, JoDee Messina, Patti Loveless, Pam Tillis, Lila McCann, Kathy Mattea, Suzy Bogguss, and SheDaisy. Raised on a farm in Deadwood, Alberta, Johnson was surrounded by music at a young age — listening to her parents’ Jim Reeves and Don Williams’ records; singing at church functions and school plays, and playing the piano. Johnson was drawn to a wide range of artists including Charley Pride, Marty Stuart, Fleetwood Mac, UMPG's Jann Arden, Abba, and UMPG's Matraca Berg. In 1992, she decided to make music a career goal and joined the Nashville Songwriters Association International. Johnson traveled to Nashville for the first time in 1994 to participate in one of the NSAI workshops. The positive feedback she received there legitimized her quest and for the next three years, she commuted 3000 miles between Vancouver and Nashville until she was able to obtain a work visa and move to Nashville permanently in 1997. She began recording demos and soon received the attention of record label executives. Johnson’s credits began appearing as a studio vocalist on album releases for Patty Loveless, Martina McBride, Loretta Lynn and Kenny Rogers. In 1999 it all came together: a record deal, a hit single on radio with Chely Wright, and an opportunity to tour as backup singer and guitarist for long time idol, Martina McBride. Johnson co-produced her 2003 sophomore effort with Dann Huff (Faith Hill, Lonestar and Jewel) and the album produced the radio hit “The Simple Life.” She begins recording her follow-up this spring with producers Troy Verges and Justin Neibank. *For more information on Carolyn Dawn Johnson contact Whitney Williams at UMPG Nashville.