Singer Devin Dawson is a California native with deep country roots. He grew up just outside the gates of Folsom Prison, but in addition to Johnny Cash and Alan Jackson, he counts Marvin Gaye as an influence.

"All on Me," Dawson's debut single, is much more progressive. Fans will recall more modern singer-songwriters like Keith Urban or Gavin DeGraw before they hear the legends. More than anything they'll hear a unique, confident sound from a new artist who has taken the time to mold his craft.

The 28-year-old is a Belmont University graduate who first found some fame covering a Taylor Swift song in 2014. There is a darkness to his music ("Dark Horse" is the highlight of his wide-ranging live show), but every song plays well on stage. Recently he opened for Maren Morris, and has a big summer planned with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.

But who is Devin Dawson, really? During ACM weekend in Las Vegas, Taste of Country caught up with the newcomer to talk about the important things in life, like how he takes his coffee, if the Beatles are better than Elvis and if he's ever been in a cop car. And then there's his Twitter handle ... what's up with that "z" in @zdevin? Find out during this Who Is Devin Dawson video.

Watch Devin Dawson's Stunning Performance of "Asking for a Friend

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