Charles Wesley Godwin Premiers Video for Resilient “Strong”

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Charles Wesley Godwin’s latest album How The Might Fall is the reigning Saving Country Music Album of the Year, and it was named as such because of songs like “Strong,” which so poignantly express the experiences and struggles many of us face. When the song was first revealed in October of 2021, it seemed to speak of the hardship we had just endured during the pandemic, and that we were hopefully emerging from. Here six months later as inflation skyrockets and even more of us are living paycheck to paycheck, the song feels even more propulsive and pertinent.

“‘Strong’ is all about resiliency,” Godwin tells Saving Country Music. “It glorifies the grind, struggle and comeback. The times we are in are hard, things aren’t certain and life is throwing curve balls at the everyday person left and right. So much in this world is out of our control, but our attitude and the mentality that we bring to each day is under our control. It’s never too late to improve yourself and to begin taking the steps towards where you want to be in life. I wrote this song to pump myself up at a difficult time and remind myself of that fact.”

To illustrate the spirit and inspiration for the song, Charles Wesley Godwin has just released a video for “Strong” directed by Robert Tinnell (see below). The video was shot over the course of four days, and features Godwin and his band playing at the State Theater in Uniontown, PA, along with following the storylines of three distinct characters. The film was purposely shot over multiple days to capture separate textures from each of the characters.

“When I work with Charles I don’t really think of what we are doing as music videos as much as films. As stories,” says director Robert Tinnell. “And with the powerful subject matter of the song—which was, for me at least, magnified by the pandemic—I was inspired to create imagery that underscored the belief in the human spirit and potential that is at the core of the lyrics. For me, ‘Strong’ is like an anthem—an inspiring anthem that pushes you to push yourself.”

From West Virginia, Charles Wesley Godwin has proven himself to be one of the preeminent members of the new resurgence of authentic voices from the Appalachian region. And off the strength of his second solo record How The Mighty Fall, Godwin is quickly becoming a nationally and internationally recognized name.

“Charles’s music always connects with me on a very personal level. The specific way he captures Appalachia alone would appeal to me. But with ‘STRONG’ it was bigger than that,” continues director Robert Tinnell. They wanted to illustrate perseverance through adversity.

“The three storylines, shown masterfully by Robert Tinnell, in this video are testaments to that sentiment,” says Charles Wesley Godwin.

Robert Tinnell, Director
Allegheny Image Factory, Production Company
Jeffrey Tinnell, Producer
Jason Walker, Director of Photography

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