We recently connected with Charles Goodwin and have shared our conversation below.
Charles, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
Definitely sooner. I treated music like a hobby for too long, I think I was afraid of failure, of being told I was no good by people who know what it takes. I had this naive hope that it would just fall in my lap and I wouldn’t have to pay my dues. I was young and unencumbered by responsibility. Had I been bolder, I could have taken the risk.; should have taken the risk.
Years later, I gained the confidence to record and perform professionally. I learned that the confidence came with the effort; that it requires a balance of failures and successes and I would have neither unless I tried.
Unlike my younger self, I have a family now and cannot yet afford to pursue music full-time. Yet, this challenge brings a wonderful benefit: My daughter, who is 9 years old, is getting the music bug. She’ll play tambourine with me and sing backup during certain shows when it is appropriate. I absolutely love this unique and special opportunity to bond with her.
Charles, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’ve loved music my entire life, but I was not a natural musician, despite being mostly self-taught. It was tough, but I learned the craft and found my voice and my style. It was more than perseverance and tenacity; I also benefited from special experiences and relationships with other musicians.
There are three foundational experiences that stand out as momentous to my development. First, I was a member of The Cape Fear Songwriters Guild in Fayetteville, NC for around 2 years. The talent in the group was awe-inspiring. We shared knowledge freely, collaborating and challenging each other, which greatly elevated my songwriting. Later, I fronted The Richard Cranium Band, and it was at this time I developed my stage-presence and learned how to entertain. I formed a life-long friendship and bond with the other RC members. Finally, I recorded my debut solo album Gaslight Baby with producer Nick Coatzee who taught me so much about composition and melody and how to make a good song great. Many more have influenced me, but these three moments in my life are definitely the most formative.
I now perform mostly as a solo acoustic artist in the northern parts of Tampa Bay. Apart from intriguing original songs, I offer quite a different set of cover songs than many in the area. I have a heavy focus on rock, folk, and alternative songs from the 90s and 2000s. Many songs I play are the ones you knew, you loved, but you’d forgotten about. Others are deep cuts from your favorite artists that you may have never heard until I play it for you. Adding interest and flare to what I do, my 9 year old daughter will often join me on stage. She’s a natural entertainer; way more talented than I was at that age, and I glow with pride every time.
I’ve recently been recording again with Nick at Rain Music Studios, and I am very excited about the new songs. As proud as I am of Gaslight Baby, I think these songs are a big step above. I’m eager to complete it and share it with the world. Unlike Gaslight Baby, this will be a waterfall EP and the songs will be released one at a time. Be on the lookout for them; they will hit CharlesGoodwinMusic.com first, then probably get aired on 96.7FM RadioStPete.com, then released to the digital platforms.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
The number one best resource out there is each other. Before finding The Cape Fear Songwriters Guild, I felt I was on my own. I didn’t know much about the music business and I didn’t know where to get answers. Some think there is a competition, but it’s not. We can and should help each other out and lift each other up, and we will all benefit from it. I wish I had learned that earlier and I hope that more people discover this. I will always try to have a positive impact on my peers.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I love it when someone relates to my songs in a meaningful way, or when someone is captivated by my performance of a cover song that holds special meaning to them. Music can allow two very different people to have a common heartfelt connection. We can feel the same things about different events through the same song. It’s magic in its own way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://CharlesGoodwinMusic.com
- Instagram: @CharlesGoodwinMusic
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/CharlesGoodwinMusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CharlesGoodwinMusic
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5MR6BeB3Uzbeiu2AkHM7ke https://music.amazon.com/artists/B002X1L8B4/charles-goodwin Also on Apple, YouTube Music, and other streaming platforms
Image Credits
Nick Coatzee, Steven West