(born 21 June 1936, Peckham, London – died 15 October 2004 in Rotherham, England) Dave Godin, the individual credited with coining the term "Northern Soul," was born to a milkman in Peckham, London. His early childhood was marked by the upheaval of World War II, prompting his family to relocate to Bexleyheath, Kent. There, he earned a scholarship to Dartford Grammar School, where he began collecting American R&B records and played a pivotal role in nurturing the younger Mick Jagger's interest in black American music. Godin later remarked, "It was at Dartford Grammar School that I met Mick Jagger and introduced him to black music, I'm ashamed to say. It's ironic that as a result of meeting me he's where he is today." Though he participated in early jam sessions that contributed to the formation of The Rolling Stones, he harbored resentment towards Jagger for what he perceived as the band's exploitation of black music.

After a brief stint working at an advertising agency and as a hospital porter in lieu of national service (he was a conscientious objector), Godin established the Tamla Motown Appreciation Society. His expertise eventually led to his recruitment by Berry Gordy as Motown's consultant in the UK, where he facilitated the label's distribution through EMI. During a 1964 recording of Ready Steady Go!, Jagger approached Godin for an introduction to Marvin Gaye, to which Godin responded, "I told him to fxxk off and introduce himself."

In 1967, Godin opened Soul City, a record shop that soon evolved into a record label. Under this label, he released previously obscure soul classics such as "Go Now" by Bessie Banks, collaborating with David Nathan and Robert Blackmore. It was within the walls of Soul City that Godin coined the term "northern soul." He later elaborated in a 2002 interview with Chris Hunt of Mojo that he created the term in 1968 as a sales reference to help staff distinguish the more modern, funkier sounds from the earlier, smoother, Motown-influenced soul:

"I had started to notice that northern football fans who were in London to follow their team were coming into the store to buy records, but they weren’t interested in the latest developments in the black American chart. I devised the name as a shorthand sales term. It was just to say 'if you’ve got customers from the north, don’t waste time playing them records currently in the US black chart, just play them what they like - ‘Northern Soul.’"

Throughout his career, Godin also introduced the term "Deep Soul" and championed the music of numerous American artists whose work had fallen out of favor in their home country.

In addition to his contributions to music, Godin pursued a second career in cinema exhibition. After studying art, design, and film at Sheffield Polytechnic, he became a senior film officer for the British Film Institute and managed the Anvil Cinema in Sheffield from 1983 to 1990, notable for being the only UK cinema funded by a local authority.

In the mid-1990s, he began compiling a series of CDs titled Dave Godin's Deep Soul Treasures for Ace Records, showcasing rare recordings from artists such as Loretta Williams, Eddie and Ernie, Jaibi, Ruby Johnson, and Jimmy and Louise Tig. This series received widespread critical acclaim, and Godin regarded it as the proudest achievement of his life.

A vegan and advocate for animal rights, Godin was also involved in various anarchist and anti-capitalist organizations, including the Freedom Newspaper and Class War. He notably identified as the only atheist in his local pro-life organization. In his later years, he developed an interest in Jainism.