Alan Dawson (July 14, 1929 – February 23, 1996) was a respected jazz drummer and widely influential percussion teacher based in Boston.
He was born in Marietta, Pennsylvania and raised in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Serving in the Army for Korean War duty, Dawson played with the Army Dance Band while stationed at Fort Dix from 1951–1953. During his tenure, Alan explored the post-bop era by performing with pianist Sabby Lewis. After being released from the Army, Alan toured Europe with Lionel Hampton.
Dawson is best remembered as an early teacher of Tony Williams, and Sawyer Brown drummer, Joseph Smyth. Other former students include: Terri Lyne Carrington, Julian Vaughn, Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Smith, Kenwood Dennard, Gerry Hemingway, Jeff Sipe, Billy Kilson, and many others. He began teaching at Berklee College of Music in 1957. Dawson suffered a ruptured disc in 1975 which led to him halting his touring schedule, to leave Berklee and limit his teaching to his home in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Alan Dawson (1 September 1932 – 29 October 2014) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Alan Charles Dawson (born 27 November 1969 in Cape Town, Cape Province) is a South African cricketer who played two Tests and 19 One Day Internationals for South Africa as a seam bowler.
His international career lasted from 1998 to 2004, yielding 21 ODI wickets at a bowling average of 34.04 and five Test wickets at 23.39. However, both of his Tests were against bottom-ranked Bangladesh.
Dawson's best 'international' performance occurred in the semi final of the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. South Africa had lost nine wickets when Dawson joined Nicky Boje at the crease. They put on a partnership to steer South Africa into the final where they beat Australia (captained by Steve Waugh)
Dawson's best batting in first class cricket occurred in a Supersport Series final when Western Province had lost much of their upper order and Dawson and Eric Simons rescued them to post a decent total which they defended.