Loving Loudly, and Living Life Like It’s Golden Featuring Guest Ken Golden (Ep 28)

💐 Episode Summary This episode explores how music can be the map we create to contend with grief, healing, and identity. Join us as music licensing expert Ken Golden shares the deeply personal songs he would want played at his own funeral. From Stevie Wonder to Jacob Banks to Nina Simone, he reflects on how each track tells part of his story, honoring love, loss, resilience, and the joy of being fully alive. It’s a moving conversation about how a playlist can hold core memories and celebrate a life, and how certain songwriters (Jacob Banks, we’re looking at you!) give people permission to feel more deeply. 💿 Songs Mentioned Stevie Wonder “As”

2. The Jacksons “Blame It On the Boogie”

Otis Redding “I’ve Been Loving You…”

Jacob Banks “Like You’ll Never See Me Again”

Stevie Wonder “Love’s In Need Of Love Today”

Jill Scott “Golden”

Jacob Banks “Coming Through”

Stevie Wonder “Knocks Me Off My Feet”

Nina Simone “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”

Jeff Buckley “Lilac Wine”

James Blake “Seance”

Nicholas Britell “Eden”

Coldplay “Fix You”

Boyz II Men “Yesterday”

Jacob Banks “Little Me”

Samm Henshaw “Joy”

You can listen to Ken’s playlist here: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/play-this-at-my-funeral/pl.u-leylWlLUjb07Ml 🎙 About the Guest Ken Golden is a 42-year-old life-long music lover. The Syracuse University alum is dancer, writer, and former comedian, has spent the last 20 years working in the music industry primarily focused on licensing music for films, television shows, and ads for tv and social media. His taste in music is so eclectic across time and genre that if someone who didn't know him were to search through his extensive record collection, they might presume it's a collection curated by a group of folks ranging from a 14-year-old girl from the suburbs to an 80-year-old man from the Mississippi delta. Ken is beyond excited to talk about his thoughts on life and its ever-growing soundtrack. 🙏🏽 Thank You to Our Supporters TremFit — Kara Tremel’s boutique online training experience helping every body feel strong, confident, and cared for.Second Home First — The hit podcast rethinking homeownership and wealth-building. What if your 401(k) came with a fire pit and a lake view? 🌹 About Play This At My Funeral Play This At My Funeral is a deeply fun, slightly macabre, always heartwarming podcast about the songs that shape our lives — including the ones we’d play at our funerals. Each episode, Dinah invites a guest to curate their hypothetical send-off playlist and share the stories behind the music. Think Desert Island Discs meets Films To Be Buried With — with more vibes and fewer survival scenarios. Created and hosted by Dinah Susan Alobeid. Edited and co-produced by Alice Marcondes. 💜 Stay Connected Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share with someone building their own “funeral playlist.” Follow on IG @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPodcast, TikTok @PlayThisAtMyFuneralPod, and Dinah @DinahSusanAlobeidWrites Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and join Dinah’s Substack community, Write, Dance, Repeat. 🎙 About the Host Dinah Susan Alobeid is a writer, dancer, and VP of Communications & Content. Her writing appears in Porter House Review, Five on the Fifth, Reverie Literary Magazine, Spectrum Magazine, and more. She lives in New Jersey with her partner and their rambunctious toddler. I hearby declare that I do not own the rights to any music or lyrics played during the recording of this podcast. All rights to the music and audio belong to their respective owner(s).