Filed under: News
Black Voices recently learned of the passing of actress and singer Dana Dawson, who died of colon cancer at the age of 36.
Dawson was a theater actress who had a role on as understudy of the character Mimi in the National Tour of the Tony Award winning musical 'Rent.' She would later join the Broadway cast in 2001 as an understudy/swing.
Singing since the age of 7, Dawson had her first single at the age of 14. With her second album released in 1995, three of her singles -- '3 Is Family,' 'Got to Give Me Love,' and 'Show Me' -- made the UK Top 40 chart.
Dawson's songs are included on many other albums, including EMI's 'Music of the Twentieth Century: 1980-1999' and Virgin's 'Best Dance Album 1995;' she also performed on the Michael W. Smith 1989 Gospel album 'I 2 Eye.'
The New York native also appeared in the 1988 film 'Starlight: A Musical movie' and an ABC Afterschool Special.
Dawson's birthday was Aug. 7. She passed away Aug. 10.