By: Amber Knox
Photos provided by Dr. Charles Goza
Dr. Charles Goza was born in 1938 in Brownfield, TX, with music in his blood. Instead of seeking fame and fortune with his talents, he spent his life helping others. And now at 87, he and his wife of 64 years, Ruth Anne, will be driving from Colorado to attend the 52nd Annual Peanut Valley Festival in Portales.
Serving in the Army from 1960 to 62, Dr. Goza played guitar and sang for the Special Services. Later, he spent thirty years as the Minister of Music for churches in New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, and Colorado.
In 1974, Dr. Goza’s friend and a professor of history at ENMU Roswell, Dr. Elvis Fleming, heard about the festival in Portales and booked them a spot in the talent show. Dr. Goza had just moved to Andrews, TX, but the two young men made the trek, and Dr Goza won with his yodeling.
Active on Facebook, he noticed that the festival is this weekend. At 87, he and his wife are downsizing, and Dr. Goza decided to donate the impressive trophy back to the festival. Dr. Fleming has since passed away, so he will make the trip with his wife.
Dr Goza isn’t just a musician, though. With a doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy from Eastern Baptist Seminary in Philadelphia and a passion for music, he combined the two and, at 72, conducted music therapy for hospice patients for a decade. He said he can no longer yodel, but he can still sing.
If you see Dr Goza and Ruth Anne at the festival on Saturday, make sure to say hello and thank them for making the trip to donate not just a part of his history but a piece of Portales’ history as well!
