Token Family man, Charles Wesley Godwin sat down with Beatroute to chat about his new album, Family Ties. He tugs on our heartstrings when he talks about how important his family and the people around him are and how crucial they were in creating this new album. Navigating the challenges of an industry disrupted by the pandemic, Charles found solace in the success of his previous album, a testament to the enduring power of his music. Collaborations with fellow artists like Zach Bryan brought moments of camaraderie and creative synergy, enriching the fabric of Family Ties. As his fan base continues to grow, Charles remains committed to crafting music that resonates on a personal level, offering solace and inspiration to listeners. In this album, Charles bares his soul, inviting listeners on a journey of honesty and vulnerability. With each heartfelt melody and candid lyric, he weaves a tapestry of human experience, bridging the gap between artist and audience with undeniable talent.
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Your new album, Family Ties dives deep into personal themes, particularly your family, relationships and your upbringing. What inspired you to make such an introspective album and approach to songwriting for this album?
Charles: I was in a rut leading into this. When I was writing at the beginning of 2022 I had a lot of new situations in my life and pressures I never had to deal with. While I was writing songs before in 2021, I started taking a full band out with me and maybe before I should have. That led to a lot of financial stress and made it through the second album which came out in the fall of ‘21. There was all this label interest and now I had these people that are dependent upon me for their living; it was a lot to deal with. I never had that kind of pressure before on me, all while my second child had just been born. There was so much going on and I wasn’t doing real well. At the beginning of 2022, I kind of lost confidence in myself and my ability to write. Eventually, I worked through it and ended up just going with what was on my heart and that was my family. So that’s how I got back in the swing of things. Going back to the basics and writing what was on my heart worked me through the funk and led me through.
Can you share more about your songwriting process for this album?
Charles: They start with maybe a line and a melody. Whether I’m mowing grass, in the shower, or sitting there in front of the notebook, a melody line might pop into my head and then I make sure to record it immediately. Whether it’s in my voice memos or in my notes app on my phone, then I work from there and piece it together.
This album seems to be a departure from your previous album in terms of focus on intimate familial themes. How do you feel this album represents your growth as an artist?
Charles: I think it shows that I’m able to expand my ability of what I’m capable of doing as a writer. My first two albums were a lot of story songs with characters and people that maybe don’t even exist. This one is very personal to me. A lot of it is about my own life and my own relationships with my wife, my kids, my parents as long as I stay consistent, show up, and put the work in it totally.
You mentioned 2022 was rough for you and the pandemic impacted your ability to tour and connect with your fans. After the release of your previous album, how did you navigate those challenges and how did it influence the creation of this?
Charles: The relief was that second album when it came out, it really made everything start working. The crowds got bigger and I was able to pay my guys. It was the summer and fall of ‘21 that was the time that I almost went belly up. I took a few months off after my daughter was born and once we got back out there in the spring of ‘22 it just, the rooms were filled and we were selling everything out all across the country when we went on tour with Zach [Bryan] that year. Ever since then, each year it has doubled, tripled even. I feel very fortunate and very lucky that things worked out. We found our audience and we were able to get through that rough patch.
You mentioned Zach Bryan, went on tour with him in ‘22 and you recorded “Jamie” with him. What was it like creating that track?
Charles: It was great. We recorded in Philadelphia and he asked me the week before if I wanted to come in and sing on that one with him. I drove up from West Virginia one morning, parked outside the studio and I think we had it done in 30 minutes. We turned the mics on and we knocked it out real quick…then we went out for drinks, it was a good day.
As your fan base continues to grow, what do you hope your listeners will find in your music, particularly on this album?
Charles: I think what’s happening now is exactly what I hoped for. I’ve got all kinds of young kids that listen and don’t even know that they aspire to have that, which is cool in today’s society. I think the music has inspired a lot of folks that a fulfilling way to live life is to have family and loved ones and close relationships with people that you can lean on and that can lean on you. It is a lot more fulfilling than having a certain salary point. I think what folks have been getting out of the album is exactly what I hoped. It’s enhancing their lives, it’s improving it, it’s helping people through tough times and that’s all I could ever hope for.
What was it like making the in-studio documentary for ‘Family Ties’?
Charles: It was fun. We forgot the cameras were on, honestly. Trevor was with us the entire two weeks, we were recording and I completely forgot that he was even filming. Trevor had been on the road with us for two years too. We’re just comfortable around him and it was the same as it would have been if the cameras were off.
From opening for Zach Bryan to another massive country star, Luke Combs. Can you tell me more about the experience?
Charles: Incredible. Luke’s entire tour culture with his production, his team, his management, his band. Everybody’s super cool and some of the best people I’ve ever worked with on shows that size and we had a great time. It was a great opportunity to try to work on a stage that big.
How do you feel about your upcoming performance at the two-day Buckeye Country Superfest in Columbus, Ohio?
Charles: I’m pumped. My wife and I lived in Athens, Ohio for five years. Just an hour southeast from Columbus. So it’ll be cool to go back there and play in Ohio State Stadium and have a bunch of folks from Ohio that I’m friends with and family that will be at the show.
If you could give one piece of advice to anyone starting out in the industry or just trying to learn the ropes and something you wish someone would have told you at the start of your journey. What would it be?
Charles: I would say, if nobody else is committed as you are to your music, then you gotta go your own way. If you’re trying to do the band thing, but it’s not equal commitment, that’s not going to work out. You might learn some things along the way, which I did, which helped me later on down the line. You are going to be as dedicated to yourself and your music and where you want to go, more so than anybody. Also, never trust yourself to remember an idea for a song. Have that notes and voice memo app ready. Do not trust yourself to remember a good melody. I’ve lost some good songs, in the early years, but I learned.
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