by Charlotte DillonWhen Carolyn Dawn Johnson was only five years old, she started to play the piano. In high school she added the clarinet, flute, and saxophone, then later the mandolin and even the guitar. She practiced her singing at church, doing hymns with her family. When Johnson hit her teens, she began writing songs and dreaming about a professional career in music. In 1995, young Johnson moved to Nashville, TN, to pursue her musical ambitions. She found simple work as a bartender and waitress to support herself while she performed wherever she could. She also kept writing those little country songs. In a year's time she had a publishing contract with Patrick Joseph Music. Johnson became a member of Martina McBride's band in 1999, touring with the group. Johnson's songwriting ability was earning her a reliable name in Nashville. She enjoyed traveling with McBride, but hadn't given up on becoming a singer herself. That dream began to co...