Stories like this highlight the guys that are really in the industry for the music and not the fame.
The country music internet nearly broke yesterday when Charles Wesley Godwin appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience. While Rogan has championed the independent and authentic sound of the country for quite some time, something about getting the Family Ties artist on the pod made people go wild. And I don’t blame them. CWG is a class act, and this episode highlights his humble beginnings, a huge reason people love CWG.
During a portion of the episode, the two talked about how Godwin really got the short end of the stick with his first album being released right before the start of the pandemic.
“I’m 31, and I released my first album in 2019, but I didn’t get booking and management till after that. So, COVID cut the legs out from me. Things were just starting to actually look a little bit legitimate for me and my life, and COVID cut the legs out from under that.”
After the pandemic, it took CWG a second to get back on the road, first going out on a solo tour. Once the spring of 2021 hit, he was back out on the road with his band, but with a seven-head band comes paychecks for each one.
He goes on to open up that when he took his band back out on the road, he went broke.
“I explained to my guys what was happening, and they stuck with me…I was bleeding real bad in ’21.”
Once he had some management involved, his day-to-day manager told Godwin how, at this rate, he was going “belly up.” The manager advised him to cut half of his band.
“After that gig, we all sat outside in the alleyway, and I explained to them what was happening, and they all took half pay. So, my guys were willing to go $50 a show. They were in it 100%. They didn’t have jobs and stuff back home; they were with me. And they were game to go with that, and you can’t live off that.”
He then says that once their second album came out after the pandemic and they were asked to go on tour with Zach Bryan was when a new chapter turned out, and they were able to start profiting off being on the road and from dedicating their life to music.
“That’s what makes the story beautiful. The terrible stories you quit, that’s the terrible story.”
Joe Rogan notes that the payoff is there for Godwin now for staying true to his dream and fighting to make it work. And what a hell of a story for his band, who stuck by him through thick and thin. A testament to the talent and character of Chuck, no doubt. I mean, it’s no wonder their sound is so addicting. The passion behind each of these guys’ eyes is a fire that burns bright, and it’s all for the love of the game.
Not that we were searching for another reason to love Charles Wesley Godwin & The Allegheny High, but you can add this to the list.
@whiskeyriff CWG’s band all took half pay so they could stay together and tour. #whiskeyriff #charleswesleygodwin #joerogan #countrymusic ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff
