About

Born on May 18, 2005, Dawson Westfall grew up in Boone, Iowa, where a love for music took root early. He began playing guitar at 14 during the COVID-19 pandemic, using isolation as a catalyst for creativity. After becoming a Christian at 16, Dawson started performing live on worship teams, an experience that sparked his passion for playing in front of others and shaped his approach to songwriting and performance.

By his freshman year of college, Dawson was playing at church camps and performing locally with a band formed alongside high school friends. In his sophomore year, he turned his focus toward writing original material, briefly exploring another band project before ultimately choosing to pursue a solo path.

Influenced by artists like Pedro the Lion, Starflyer 59, Elliott Smith, and Hayden, Dawson’s solo debut is a concept record tracing the chronology of the most transformative year of his life. Exploring themes of faith, relationships, travel, and new friendships, the album functions as a personal journal, an honest reflection of growth and change. Through these songs, Dawson hopes his story might resonate with others, just as the music that shaped him has done for years.

Music

Song List

I Got By - Tracklist

  1. I-35
  2. 4th Street
  3. Worn
  4. Roots
  5. Casting Lots
  6. Ignorance Is Bliss
  7. Space Needle
  8. Sit and Stare
  9. I-80

Songs That Inspired I Got By

  • Criticism Is Inspiration by Pedro the Lion
  • Parking Lot by Mineral
  • not a lot, just forever by Adrianne Lenker
  • Blue Collar Love by Starflyer 59
  • June 18, 1976 by Pedro the Lion
  • Dynamite Walls by Hayden
  • Better Be Quiet Now by Elliott Smith
  • Walls (Circus) by Tom Petty

Contact