Here’s a gorgeous video for a gorgeous song. ‘Coal Country’ is the lead single from Charles Wesley Godwin’s debut album, ‘Seneca’, which was released to critical acclaim in 2019. The album transports the listener to the mills, mines, rivers, valleys and mountains of Godwin’s West Virginia home.
His father was a coal miner and the “…Closed up towns, forgotten dreams…” of ‘Coal Country’ feel achingly real and authentic. It’s a superbly-crafted song, full of great musicianship, including a lovely fiddle solo. Godwin told AUK: “I think ‘Coal Country’ is a cornerstone song on ‘Seneca’. It’s my best attempt to write an even-handed song about the past and present of the coal industry in my hometown. I’m so grateful to the director, Robert Tinnell, for making the video possible. I think he did a great job of capturing the essence of the song on video. These things happened here in the past, here’s what’s happening now and here we will remain.”
He has found an audience with his richly-drawn and honest tales of life in the Appalachians and has shared a stage with the likes of Colter Wall, Shooter Jennings, Luke Combs and Tyler Childers. Enjoy.
Our Scandinavian readers can catch Godwin at one of his upcoming shows. His upcoming tour begins in Denmark on 29th January and includes a further 23 dates across Norway and Sweden. Tickets are available here:
https://www.bandsintown.com/en/a/13737700-charles-wesley-godwin
