The Sunday Football-Related Music Post: From Gridiron to Gospel

gradkowski:dawson

via Toledo Blade

There are a lot of things I thought about writing on for today, but since it’s Easter I just couldn’t bring myself to put up a review of Le’Veon Bell’s rap mixtape (that appears next Sunday,) or the punk rock band made up of members of the Dallas Cowboys (that’s coming, once I can bring myself to do the research.) Even opera (yes, there’s another opera singer coming in a few weeks) is too violent and secular. No, I’m going full-on Gospel today.

One of the earliest posts in the series was on the NFL Gospel Choir, and that was a lot of fun. But this post features a man who played Division 1 football with Bruce Gradkowski at Toledo but didn’t make it to the NFL, as, like so many promising college athletes, injury derailed his career. After a few surprising twists and turns he’s returning to his roots.

His name is Trinity Dawson, and before I give you his story, you should hear him sing. This is off of his recently released album, “With All I Am”. He has quite a voice:

Here’s a brief version of his life, on his MTV artist page:

Houston, Texas-based singer Trinity Dawson is a passionate performer known for his contemporary gospel and faith-based R&B. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dawson grew up in a religious, musically inclined family with a musician father who played with the Gap Band, Rick James, and the Followers of Christ.

However, by age 12, it was football and not singing that dominated his attention. Earning a full-ride football scholarship to the University of Toledo, Dawson spent four years as starting running back, where he finished his time as third in the school’s history for rushing.Although highly touted as an NFL prospect, Dawson suffered a hip injury in his junior year that ultimately led to the end of his sports career. Shifting gears, he transitioned into a successful business career, eventually becoming an executive account manager at a Fortune 500 company. However, it was while serving on the faith and worship team at his church, Houston’s Fountain of Praise, that he first began pursuing a music career in earnest.

Here’s quite an unusual song off the EP, which debuted last year at No. 5 on Billboard Gospel:

Here’s Dawson telling his own story:

And finally, here is a link to a version of one of the songs on the album, with a bit of a twist—he remade it along with his college roommate, former Cincinnati, now Cleveland wide receiver Andrew Hawkins. I love Hawkins, if one can be said to do so, for his “BabyHawk” videos (you can see them here.) According to the site That Grape Juice:

In light of the multitude of trending of tragic events happening Stateside and worldwide, former football star turned Urban Inspirational recording artist Trinity Dawson has released a relevant anthem for today’s society in the form of his second single ‘Not That Easy,’ an encouraging and uplifting song that talks about being steadfast and unbreakable during tough situations.

Here’s the link to the Soundcloud version.

I look forward to seeing (and hearing) more of this young man! And happy Easter, everyone.

 

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