Gordon Goodwin won Emmys for the music he wrote and arranged for TV. He won Grammys for the music he wrote and arranged both for the silver screen and his 18-piece Big Phat Band. He didn’t win a Marconi for "Phat Tracks," but he did win a devoted following from KSDS’s audience and the admiration and respect of his colleagues here. Photo by Larry Redman.
It's with extremely heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Gordon Goodwin. Gordon, who was without question one of the most innovative big band composers and arrangers of his time, died Monday afternoon, Dec. 8, of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 70 years old.
Gordon's work appealed to a wide swath of audiences because he loved music in all its permutations; evidence of his massive ears could be heard in the extraordinary cross-section of sonic influences permeating his compositions and orchestrations. His 18-piece ensemble, The Big Phat Band, was a unique force of nature, fusing his boundless, agile musicality with the power and precision of a Mike Tyson knockout punch and the finesse of a Ferrari. The pièce de résistance, though, was Gordon and his irrepressible charm. His smirking, mischievous sense of humor and eternal boyishness. For as contemporary as his musical sensibility could be, Gordon was a throwback showman who genuinely delighted in dialogue with audiences.
For his original work with the Big Phat Band and the unforgettable music he wrote and arranged for film and TV (The Incredibles, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, 2025's Naked Gun reboot, Animaniacs, Histeria!, the list goes on and on), he won four Grammys, three Emmys, and earned several dozen additional nominations.
Over the past several years, Gordon hosted Phat Tracks, his weekly radio program right here on KSDS. He brought that same charm, wit, and lovable loquaciousness straight from the bandstand to the airwaves; he also gave our audience a window into the way his musical mind worked and shared with listeners the music that invigorated his intellect and touched his soul.
We've had an on-air promo running for a while now that was voiced by one of our members, Cory Meachem. Gordon was Cory's favorite KSDS personality because of how insanely knowledgeable he was and how uncommonly humble he was. He never talked down to his audience, though God knows he could've; he treated them as friends he couldn't wait to share his latest musical obsessions with.
From left: Goodwin, guitarist Andy Waddell, and tenor saxophonist Tom Luer in the foreground. From the Big Phat Band’s Oct. 2023 performance at the Saville Theatre, San Diego. Photo by Larry Redman.
Gordon was a rascal, a wiseacre, a brilliant bandleader, an unparalleled big band arranger, and a broadcaster with genuine belief in and infectious enthusiasm for the music he presented. He was a beloved father, husband, and son and a cherished friend and colleague. May his memory be a blessing to all who loved him and were moved by his work.
Gordon is survived by his wife Vangie, his mother Alice, children Madison, Garett, Trevor, and Garrison, and step-children Levi and Aria.
Please stay tuned in the coming days for an announcement of how and when we plan to celebrate Gordon's life and work with a special on-air tribute.
