The Story Behind Goodwin Made
Not long after 9/11, in the fall of 2001, Ken Goodwin packed everything he could fit into his pickup truck, hitched a 5x8 U-Haul trailer, and drove more than 3,000 miles from New England to Los Angeles with one of his closest friends and collaborators, Dannel Vonn Dillon.
They had a dream, a few songs, and a screenplay they had co-written called With or Without You. The two crashed on the couch of the only person they knew in California — Ryan, a childhood friend finishing film school in Whittier — before settling into a small house in North Hollywood. There, they lived the Hollywood life, chasing ideas, writing music late into the night, and creating stories that blended heart, hope, and a little chaos.
Together, they wrote and recorded an independent album Oblivion, released in January 2009, and even pitched their screenplay directly to Jerry Weintraub, the legendary producer behind The Karate Kid and Ocean’s Eleven. Weintraub offered encouraging feedback and urged them to refine the story and resubmit. Though they didn’t pursue it further, that experience left a lasting imprint on Ken’s creative path.
Ken’s passion for songwriting began much earlier — inspired by his mom, a poet who filled their home with words and meaning. At just 13, he wrote his first lyrics, “I Love You,” and submitted them to 5 Star Music Masters of Boston in 1988. From there, his creative life took many forms — bands, lyrics, screenplays, and, eventually, a lifetime of entrepreneurship.
Before launching his own business, Ken worked in leadership roles within major corporations, including Anthem, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and Bank of America — experiences that shaped his leadership style, discipline, and ability to build strong, purpose-driven teams. In 2011, he opened his own insurance agency, now a well-established and respected firm serving clients throughout California.
Beyond business, Ken’s sense of purpose led him to create and serve on several nonprofit boards, including a foundation he started after his mother’s passing from cancer in 2006. Together with his sister, Kelly, and brother, Keith, the family formed the foundation to help provide end-of-life care to families who otherwise couldn’t afford it — a legacy of compassion they continue to carry forward in her memory.
Life, however, has also given Ken its share of heartbreak. He lost his mother, Andrina, at 57, and his father, Don, at 65, along with others close to his heart — including his niece, Jocelyn, in 2021 at just 23 years old, and a close family friend, Ray, in 2024. That same year, Ken’s son was involved in a serious accident, a moment that reshaped his perspective on life and faith. Through these seasons of loss and recovery, Ken has found deeper meaning in love, gratitude, and storytelling — the foundation of his music.
Over the years, Ken has worn many hats — entrepreneur, coach, husband, and father — but his creative roots never left him. In 2025, at 50, he returned to where it all began: music. Under the banner Goodwin Made, Ken writes and helps produce songs that reflect his journey — blending hard-earned wisdom with the hope that even in pain, there is purpose.
Recently, Ken has been working with talented artists and producers in Nashville, Kansas City, and Texas — collaborators who have worked alongside major names like HARDY, Old Dominion, Dylan Scott, Kid Rock, Sam Hunt, and others, as well as performers who have opened for Chris Stapleton, Vince Gill, Trace Adkins, Dustin Lynch, and more. Together, they’ve been bringing Ken’s lyrics and melodies to life in ways that bridge heartfelt storytelling with modern production.
Family remains the foundation of everything Ken does. He’s married to Raychel and the proud father of three sons — Ray, Logan, and Rayden — and grandfather to his beautiful granddaughter, Kalina. Their love, humor, and resilience are his greatest inspiration, and they remind him daily that life’s most meaningful stories are often born from both joy and struggle.
Each song is a piece of the story — a reminder that life doesn’t move in straight lines. It bends, it breaks, it rebuilds. And through it all, Ken keeps creating — because some things are Goodwin Made.
- Goodwin Made | More Than a Name. It’s a Legacy.