Dawson Smith was an American soul and funk singer active in the 1960s and 1970s. A member of the Blue Notes (1968), he took part in the only album by The New Sounds (1970), on which he sang, played saxophone and trumpet. He then enjoyed a brief solo career, marked by the rare and cult single "I Don't Know If I Can Make It" (Scepter Records, 1974), a deep soul/funk tune prized by Northern Soul collectors. Reissued in 2026, the track reached number 76 in the UK physical sales charts.