Country music will fill the air at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts tonight as singer Jacy Dawn returns to her hometown of Chelmsford for a concert, along with Grammy nominated songwriter Jeff Batson.

Dawn started singing when she was 6, performing at her own kindergarten graduation. She worked her craft and quickly found herself opening  for such acts as Reba McEntire, Willie Neslon, and Marina McBride, singing in front of sold out arena crowds. Five years ago, she left Chelmsford to head to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue her dreams of being a famous country singer and songwriter.

“I try to come back home once or twice a year and do a show in town,” said Dawn. “I love doing shows in my hometown. If it weren’t for my fan base here, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Dawn has had many unique performance experiences, including singing the National Anthem for President Bill Clinton and performing at the Manchester Mill City Festival for the Governor of New Hampshire.

Dawn became the co-host of the local TV show "Town Talk" in 2005 for Dennis Ready. Her three year stint on the show gave her an outlet for her music and a chance to network with more people in the entertainment industry.

“Dennis Ready is great,” said Dawn. “Without his support, I don’t think a lot of things would have happened for me.”

After the move to Nashville, Dawn released her debut album "Small Town Heart" in November 2007. She’s developed her love for songwriting and has worked with experienced writers in Nashville who have helped to teach her the ropes of country music hits.

“This year I hope to branch out and work with more songwriters (who) will help my music to grow,” said Dawn. “One of my goals is to have a major label artist put out one of my songs.”

Tonight, Dawn and Batson will be backed by a full band, performing their original music and sharing stories with the audience about some of their songs.

“”I have a love for storytelling,” said Dawn. “It’s something I am able to do through my music, and I love to tell the audience the story behind a song.”

Dawn has big plans for this year, and hopes to reach the stardom that she’s been working for since she was 6.

“There’s a quote I love that says ‘music expresses feelings that words can’t define' ,” said Dawn. “That’s what I do. When a friend calls me with a problem, or personal things are happening in my life, I sit down and write a song about it. I express myself through my music and lyrics.”

See Jacy Dawn and Jeff Batson live in concert tonight at 7 p.m. at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts. Tickets are available for $20 at the door. To learn more about Jacy Dawn and to hear samples of her music, visit www.jacydawn.com