Interview: Goodwin Made
Ken Goodwin of Goodwin Made talks to Louder Than The Music about new song 'Here I Am' featuring Darick Parson, and how the song tells people to seek God's grace through their struggles.
For those who haven't heard of you before, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in making music?
Absolutely. Music has been a part of my life since I was a kid. I was in a couple of bands growing up - not because I was a great vocalist (I definitely wasn't back then), but because I loved the process of creating something from nothing. Writing music always came more naturally to me than performing it.
Over the years, I kept collaborating and experimenting, and one of the biggest influences on my creative journey has been my good friend Dannel Von Dillon. We wrote several songs together, and in the early 2000s we actually moved to California to chase the dream - both the music side and a screenplay we'd written together. Those years really shaped my passion for storytelling, whether through lyrics or film.
Today, that love for writing and creating is still the core of everything I release under Goodwin Made. I may not be the one behind the mic, but I pour myself into the words, the stories, and the emotion behind each song.
Tell us about your new single 'Here I Am' and what the inspiration behind it was?
Here I Am comes from a very personal place. It wasn't born out of addiction or some dramatic rock-bottom moment, but more from my own desire to grow closer to God. Like a lot of people, I've had seasons where life felt heavy, where I questioned things, or where I knew I needed to realign my heart and my priorities.
At the same time, I've watched people around me struggle - with addiction, with loss, with battles they didn't always win. I've lost people who are now with Him, and I've seen others still fighting their way through the darkness. All of that impacted me. It made me think about how desperately we all need grace, no matter what our story looks like.
Here I Am is really a response to all of that - a moment of surrender. It's saying, "God, I'm here. I may not have it all figured out, but I'm showing up. I want to be closer to You."
It's a reminder that no matter where you are on the spectrum - whether you're the one struggling, the one grieving, or the one simply trying to stay grounded in your faith - God meets you right where you are.
My hope is that the song brings peace, connection, and comfort to anyone who hears it.
Do you have any plans to release more music in the near future?
Yes, absolutely. I actually had enough material to release a full album, but I decided to put the songs out individually as singles. Some songs feature a different artist I've been working with, and I really want to give every song its own moment and its own proper introduction.
I'm continuing to write and work on new material, but right now I have about five more songs already in the lineup. So my main focus is getting those out into the world, one by one, while still letting the creative process keep flowing in the background.
What message would you like people to take from your music?
At the core of everything I write, I just want people to feel something real. Life comes with a lot of highs, lows, loss, love, and moments that shape who we are. My hope is that when someone listens to one of my songs, they feel understood - like the emotions they're going through aren't theirs to carry alone.
Whether it's a song about relationships, faith, grief, or hope, I try to write in a way that's honest and relatable. If my music can bring someone comfort, remind them of the people they love, or even just give them three minutes of connection and peace, then I feel like I've done what I set out to do.
At the end of the day, the message is simple: you're not alone in what you're feeling, and there's always a way forward.
How would you describe your style of music and what are your influences?
I'd describe my style as a blend of modern country storytelling with some nostalgic touches from the music I grew up on. I'm heavily influenced by a lot of today's country artists, but I also can't deny how much the 80s rock era shaped me. That sound - big melodies, emotional hooks, and songs that actually say something - stuck with me.
And then there's the classics my mom played around the house: Air Supply, Barry Manilow... I'll admit it's not the coolest thing to say out loud, but those songs take me right back to childhood. They had heart, they had story, and they made you feel something. My mom also had a real love for poetry, and that had a huge influence on me. I didn't realize it when I was younger, but a lot of my writing today is rooted in the way she taught me to appreciate words, rhythm, and emotion.
So I guess my sound is a mix of all of that - country roots, 80s edge, classic ballad emotion, and a songwriter's heart shaped by poetry.
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why?
If I could work with any songwriter, there are a few who really stand out to me - writers whose honesty, vulnerability, and storytelling have shaped how I approach music.
James Blunt is one of them. He has a way of writing that cuts straight to the heart with simple, emotional truth. His songs feel personal, but somehow universal at the same time.
Johnny Cash is another. His songwriting was raw and real - unfiltered humanity mixed with faith, struggle, and redemption. There's something powerful about how he could say so much with so few words.
From a completely different corner of the creative world, Brian Wilson's genius with melody and arrangement is unmatched. The emotion he could pull from harmonies alone is something I've always admired.
And then there's John Lennon - someone who wrote with both vulnerability and conviction. He had this balance of soul and simplicity that made his songs timeless.
What draws me to all of them is their honesty. They weren't afraid to write from the heart, to expose something real, and to create music that stayed with people. That's the kind of songwriting I strive for, and getting to collaborate with someone who sees music that deeply would be a dream
How would you define success in your career as an artist?
Honestly, I don't really think of myself as an "artist" in the traditional sense. I'm more of a songwriter and a producer - someone who loves building stories, shaping melodies, and working with talented vocalists to bring each song to life.
Because of that, success for me isn't measured by streams, downloads, or numbers on a screen. Those things are nice, but they're not what drives me. What matters most is the impact a song has on someone who hears it.
If one person listens to something I wrote and feels understood, comforted, encouraged, or moved in some way - that's success to me. Even if it's only a few people who truly connect with the message, that quality of impact means far more than any chart position or algorithm ever will.
At the end of the day, if the music I create leaves someone feeling a little less alone or gives them a moment of hope, then I've done what I set out to do.
What is your favorite album of all time?
That's a tough one for me because my musical influences span a lot of different genres and eras. Growing up, I was a huge 80s rock fan - I loved Michael Jackson, Prince, Def Leppard, Poison, Mötley Crüe, Guns N' Roses... all of it. Those albums helped shape my love for big melodies and emotional hooks.
These days, I listen to a lot more country. Artists like Brett Young, Chris Stapleton, Luke Combs, and even the older legends like Tim McGraw and Garth Brooks really resonate with me. I also enjoy a lot of Christian music, which has definitely influenced some of the themes I write about.
If I had to choose just one favorite album of all time, I think I'd have to go with Garth Brooks' "No Fences." It's one of the few albums I downloaded and listened to front-to-back without skipping tracks. But at the same time, I grew up listening to Michael Jackson albums all the way through, too - those were iconic and played a huge role in shaping my early love for music.
So picking one is tough...
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your phone. What track is it?
I'd have to say Spin It Again. It's actually a new song I haven't released yet, but it's about the nearly twenty years with my wife, Raychel - the highs, the lows, the struggles, the growth - and ultimately the choice we keep making to love each other through all of it.
The heart of the song is that no matter what life throws at you, you choose your person again and again. That message is a big part of why I'm where I am today, and why our family is what it is. So if I only had enough battery for one final listen, I'd want it to be the song that reminds me of the life we built and the love that carried us through it.
Song should be released late November, early December 2025.
What does the next year hold for you?
The next year is really about continuing the momentum - releasing the songs I've been working on, collaborating with more incredible vocalists and musicians, and expanding what Goodwin Made stands for. I have several singles lined up, each with its own sound and story, and I'm excited to give them the proper attention and rollout they deserve.
On the creative side, I'll keep writing and producing, exploring new ideas, and pushing myself to grow as a songwriter. I also want to build out the visual and storytelling side of my music - better videos, more behind-the-scenes content, and ways for people to feel connected to the heart behind each song.
Overall, the goal for the coming year is simple: keep creating, keep releasing, and keep putting out music that means something - not just to me, but hopefully to the people who hear it.
