Following graduation from college, Goodwin was employed as a musician at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California.
He continued his musical education at Cal State Northridge with Joel Leach and Bill Calkins. He wrote his first big band chart, called 'Hang Loose', when he was in the 7th grade. Gordon Goodwin was born in Wichita, Kansas. He has won Grammy Awards and Daytime Emmy Awards and has received over twenty Grammy nominations for his compositions and arrangements. He is the leader of Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, and on faculty at the Los Angeles College of Music. Goodwin (born 1954) is an American pianist, saxophonist, composer, arranger, and conductor.
For the British athlete, see Gordon Goodwin (athlete).
