Charles Wesley Godwin at Treaty Oak Distillery

Charles Wesley Godwin’s sound is shaped by the time weathered hills and hollers of his home. Charles is a singer/songwriter born and raised in West Virginia. Nowadays, if you want to find him, you’d look in any dive bar, café, or live music venue in Appalachia. However, you’d be surprised to learn that Charles Wesley didn’t even pick up a guitar until 2011, when he was 19 years of age. You’d also be surprised to know he didn’t grow up singing either. He did, however, grow up fishing in Upshur County Streams, hunting on the Allegheny ridges, tagging along with his grandfather on the farm, and listening to old-timers talk about life in his grandparents’ general store. Charles Wesley’s father was a coal miner until his birth, and his mother was a schoolteacher. Little did he know, this background would come to play a major role in the songs and stories that captivate rooms full of listeners today.

In 2013, Charles began to play bluegrass music professionally thanks to a strong, unique voice that he’d only recently discovered. He played bluegrass music from the banks of the Mississippi to whiskey bars in Manhattan, and everywhere in between with the band, Vandalia. After nearly a year, the band dissolved, and Charles turned to his attention to crafting his own songs. Eventually, he founded Union Sound Treaty in the latter part of 2015. Union Sound Treaty began performing regionally soon there after and began work on what would become an impressive debut album, Next Year. “With Next Year you also feel like you’re listening to a record of a band that is only going to continue to get better, and you’ll be listening to them and Charles Godwin for years to come.” – Saving Country Music

Charles continues to perform with Union Sound Treaty and as a solo artist all across Appalachia and beyond. He’s grateful to have shared the stage with artists such as Shooter Jennings, Luke Combs, Waymore’s Outlaws, Aaron Watson, Colter Wall, and many more. Charles plans to release his first solo EP in 2017 as well as continuing his work with Union Sound Treaty. Whether he’s performing solo for a room full of patrons who’ve quieted to a barely audible murmur or a music hall full concert goers breaking in their boots to the rhythm of a Union Sound Treaty tune, Charles Wesley Godwin turns heads and opens ears everywhere he plays. His stories strike a chord in all of us, and his voice gets the point across with a genuine authority. You’ll certainly be hearing Charles Wesley Godwin for years to come.