While country music’s history is cherished and celebrated every year at Big Valley Jamboree, the real magic lies in the artists who never give up.
Running Aug. 2 to 5, the four-day festival is importing main stage heavyweights such as Thomas Rhett, Alabama and Florida Georgia Line.
But it also features Aaron Goodvin, 33, one of the most hard-working, persistent country singer-songwriters to have come out of St. Albert.
Born in Spirit River, Goodvin was performing on stage by age 12. During high school, his family moved to St. Albert. As he grew older, the excitement of performing accelerated, and at 18, Goodvin formed his own country band.
From the beginning, the young artist had an unerring belief in success, whether as the next big thing or as an unknown songwriter pouring out his heart in a million-dollar song.
At 25, he moved to Music City where the adrenalin rush of landing that big break was in every bar and jukebox joint. He was having the time of his life discovering new opportunities, but fame also proved to be a tough bronco to tame.
“I love that I got to start as early as I did. Over the years, it’s been tough to stay positive. There were times I felt I was spinning my wheels, but making it to Nashville I found people who were in the same boat as me. You do your thing until something breaks,” said Goodvin.
As a songwriter, he scored a major league hit with Out Like That on Luke Bryan’s platinum album Crash My Party.
While the former St. Albert resident kick-started his Nashville career as a songwriter, his dream was always to sing his own songs. Knock on Wood was the right single at the right time followed by his romantic Woman In Love, inspired by his devotion to wife Victoria.
But it was the heart-wrenching power ballad Lonely Drum that hit the Top 10 Canadian country charts and brought him to national attention.
In September, the recording artist plans to release a new single, You Are. It sports an edgy vibe and there is talk of new five-track EP coming down the pipe.
Lonely Drum has not only climbed the Canadian country charts, it’s also become a golden ticket to endorsements. Goodvin recently inked a deal to endorse a clothing line for Warehouse One The Jean Store.
“It’s really a good fit for us. They’re a blue-collar company and I’m that kind of artist."
The Goodvin line includes a hoodie, baseball hat and several T-shirts for both men and women.
“It’s something they’ve never done before – partnering with an artist – and luckily, they felt my name was big enough to use,” Goodvin said.
For the moment he’s focused on sharing Saturday’s BVJ main stage show with headliner Alabama and support acts Dallas Smith, Jess Moskaluke, Ken Stead and Patricia Conroy.
“I’m where I’m meant to be. And I have such great people around me it makes making music easy. But I think there’s a thank you I need to put out there. A lot of people in St. Albert supported and got behind me. I have a lot of memories of St. Albert and it was a huge part of my life. Thank you to people who reach out on social media and people who buy my record.”
Goodvin is also hosting an autograph signing at Warehouse One in Camrose on Saturday, Aug. 4, at 11:30 a.m.
