Well worth the wait.
At this point, there’s absolutely no denying that Charles Wesley Godwin is a certified star in today’s alt. country scene. With three incredible studio records under his belt, continual placement on high-profile festivals throughout the year and high praise from his peers, fans and critics alike, the West Virginia native has cemented himself as a staple throughout multiple subgenres/scenes in the genre.
Recently, he’s gearing up for the release of his fourth studio album, Christian Name, which releases on Friday, July 24th. He’d get things started back in May with the release of “Better That Way,” featuring none other than Luke Combs. The track, which is nothing short of a hit in the making, ended up being serviced to radio and scored the most adds across the country for the week of May 19th.
Back to Christian Name, discussing the album, Godwin would admit that the writing process was one of the most difficult yet fulfilling experiences he’s ever gone through. Additionally, he’d give some insight into why he chose the title, Christian Name, explaining that he’s always viewed creating music as his way of glorifying God.
“Writing and recording this album over the last two and a half years has been one of the most difficult, yet at the same time, most fulfilling experiences of my life. Music and songwriting have always been my escape. This time, they became a path to healing and a means of glorifying God. I truly cannot wait to share this album with the world, and I hope it helps someone out there the same way it helped me.”
This was demonstrated best with the release of “Hey There Son,” featuring the red-hot Wyatt Flores, last week, which was also co-written by the legendary Lori McKenna. The track opens up with Godwin speaking to his son, expressing how he can’t wait to watch him grow up and teach him in the first verse.
“Hey there son
I can’t wait to get to know ya
I can’t wait to get to show ya
All the things in this world you’ve got coming your way
Let’s let your mama rest now, it’ll be okay
The chorus comes around. While it may be simple on its surface, it’s undoubtedly effective and pays off in dividends when Godwin revisits it to close the song.
“You came into the world with a mighty cry
That moment I first held you, I’d never been more alive
Heart open wide, I’m on your side”
After another moving verse that sees a time-jump with his son, now moving out of the house with his daughter-in-law and having a child of their own in the bridge. Taking over, Flores delivers the final blow on this tear-jerker of a song when he sings from the son’s perspective.
“Hey there dad
You were there when I was born with a mighty cry
From that moment you held me on the first day of my life
My heart’s open wide, now I’m on your side
Get some rest now. You’re the best now. Goodbye dad”
The track is nothing short of a tear-jerker, and it’s made even more special when you realize it took over five years to complete.
In a recent interview with Troy Cartwright on his Ten Year Town podcast, Godwin would reveal that he had written the first verse and chorus all the way back in December of 2019. However, after hearing McKenna’s brilliant, introspective “When You’re My Age,” he was set on completing it with the legend herself — even if that seemed incredibly far-fetched at the time.
“I wrote the first verse and the chorus of that one back in December of 2019 — couple weeks after my first son was born. I think it was “When You’re My Age” by Lori McKenna, but, man, that had [got me] — what an incredible song.
I wrote the first verse and chorus. I could have kept trucking and gotten that thing done, and I stopped. And I was like, ‘This would be a perfect song to write with Lori McKenna someday.’ In 2019, there was no reason to believe that I’d ever have the opportunity to be in the same room to write a song with Lori McKenna.”
That day would finally come, however, in 2024. As Godwin explained, they met halfway in Connecticut and finished the song, which left the two with tears in their eyes — something CWG noted when teasing the song back in February.
“But I held onto it for five years until that opportunity actually finally came. Man, I was ready for it. We met halfway in Connecticut in July of 2024, and we wrote that.”
Finally, Godwin would admit that he doesn’t think he actually told her that he held onto the song for that long to finally finish it with her, joking and saying he didn’t want to freak her out.
“I don’t know if I told her that. I might’ve pretended like, ‘Oh, you know. I was thinking about some things.’ I don’t know if I told her that, ’cause I didn’t want to freak her out. I had her in mind for that for a long time, and it turned out really well.”
I think saying it “turned out really well” is a bit of an understatement from CWG. Though there have been some absolutely stunning songs released so far this year, “Hey There Son” very well might be the Song of the Year thus far. Check it out for yourself below.
“Hey There Son” (feat. Wyatt Flores)
Charles Wesley Godwin 2026 Tour Dates
Jul 2 – Calgary, AB – Cowboys Music Festival
Jul 10 – Saint Paul, MN – Minnesota Country Club Festival
Jul 14 – Sioux Falls, SD – The District
Jul 17 – Emigrant, MT – The Old Saloon
Jul 18 – Kalispell, MT – Majestic Valley Arena
Jul 19 – Whitefish, MT – Under the Big Sky Festival
Jul 22 – Jackson, WY – Teton County Fair
Aug 4 – San Francisco, CA- Regency
Aug 6 – Sacramento, CA – Channel 24
Aug 7 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
Aug 8 – San Diego, CA – SOMA
Aug 13 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto
Aug 14 – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren
Aug 21 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
Aug 22 – Toronto, ON – History
Aug 27 – Oklahoma City, OK – Criterion
Aug 28 – Lubbock, TX – Cook’s Garage*
Aug 29 – New Braunfels, TX – Whitewater Amphitheater*
Sept 11 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six
Sept 12 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner
Sept 17 – Landmark Theatre – Syracuse, NY
Sept 18 – Philadelphia, PA – Fillmore
Sept 23 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center#
Sept 26 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle*
Sept 29 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17*
Sept 30 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena#
Oct 1 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater*
Oct 9 – North Charleston, SC – Riverfront Revival
Oct 15 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Oct 17 – Garden City, ID – Revolution Concert House
Oct 18 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
Oct 21 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
Oct 22 – Seattle, WA – SoDo
Oct 24 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theater
Nov 5 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre
Nov 6 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Coliseum
Nov 7 – Cincinnati, OH – MegaCorp Pavilion
Nov 12 – Chicago, IL – Salt Shed
Nov 13 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside
Nov 14 – St. Louis, MO – Factory
* co-headline with Dylan Gossett
# supporting Kacey Musgraves
