BEATING HIS DRUM - Popular country artist Aaron Goodvin will hit the stage at Westerner Days July 18th. photo submitted

BEATING HIS DRUM - Popular country artist Aaron Goodvin will hit the stage at Westerner Days July 18th. photo submitted

Aaron Goodvin hits the Westerner Days stage July 18th

Goodvin is preparing for a new release

Country singer Aaron Goodvin is preparing for his upcoming show at Westerner Days July 18th and it’s something he’s always wanted to do.

Born in Northern Alberta in Spirit River, Goodvin is familiar with Red Deer as his sister went to Red Deer College.

Now residing in Nashville, he has been busy touring and working on his new record, which he’s been excited about.

“I make music every day for a living and it’s an amazing ‘quote unquote’ job. But I really do feel like God put me on this earth to make music and to make music that helps people,” said Goodvin.

“As a musician and songwriter I just love real music and what I mean by that is music that actually touches people and actually makes them feel good.”

On the new record, which is slated to come out some time this fall, people can expect some songs that are a little more fresh yet some that are more of a throwback.

“It sounds like we’re all over the place but I’ve always believed that variety is key and I’m just inspired by so many different types of music so that’s really going to come out on the new record.”

And variety is something Goodvin has with the different types of songs he performs. One of his hit songs Lonely Drum, got certified platinum in Canada, something that hasn’t quite hit home yet for Goodvin.

He said many people who are close with him tell him he’s a ‘give a damn’ songwriter, which is something that shines through in his songwriting.

“I have a really hard time writing something that I haven’t either lived or when it’s just a feeling that comes out of me. For me, I really have to give a damn about it.”

For Goodvin, he calls himself a real guy that just loves to write about real things.

“I’ve been in this business for such a long time and the first time I was on stage was close to 20 years ago, so this has just been a lifelong dream to make it this far and even if I didn’t I’d still be doing it.”

His venture into the music world started at a young age. When he was just 12 years old, his parents bought him a karaoke machine and he and his sister – both outgoing kids – used to sings karaoke songs in the living room.

Diagnosed with ADHD at around that same age, he had trouble focusing on school and his mom tried to find things he was interested in.

“When I was growing up I played a lot of hockey. That was my other passion but I was a little bit of a trouble maker.”

And it was singing he took an interest to. He would sing with his whole family around the campfire since he was a little boy, with country music being the genre.

And that karaoke machine took him a long way as Goodvin’s been touring across the country, playing at many different shows.

He hits the Westerner Days stage July 18th with fellow country star Aaron Pritchett.