A Chat with Angie Goeke (06.02.26)
Interview with Karen Beishuizen (Guest contributor)
Angie Goeke is a singer and songwriter based in Texas and Montana. Her debut album, If I Were Honest, was released in 2022 to critical acclaim. We talk about her career, her music, motherhood, her favourite songs, and more.
You are a singer-songwriter from Texas. How would you describe your music?
Angie Goeke: My music has been greatly influenced by growing up in the live music capital of the world, Austin. As a child, it was not unusual to spend the evenings watching Austin City Limits on PBS, or going to hear the Austin Symphony on Town Lake, or going to hear live country music at The Broken Spoke, or a live jazz ensemble. The variety of music, along with the magical connection between performer and audience at a live concert, developed my sound. There are influences of Ella Fitzgerald, Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, and even choral church hymns in my sound. My main objective, apart from genre, is being able to connect with my audience, whether during a live show or through the digital sound waves.
You are also a mother of four. How do you juggle family, songwriting and performing?
Angie Goeke: Well, half of my children are now adults, of which I am so proud. It has been fun to see them leaning into their unique creative sides as adults and how they have prioritised their dreams and artistic pursuits. I wouldn’t call it juggling. I’d call it creative integrity. We share ideas and passions and ask each other for help with ideas, lyrics or even chord progressions. It’s been a beautiful transition. My youngest two are also immensely creative and talented. We’re just working on getting assignments in and answers that are longer than “I don’t know”, but the overall balance for any parent is hard.
I think mothers, especially if they have been stay-at-home moms for a time, like myself, can find it hard to give ourselves permission to pursue songwriting and performing when the desires of our kids always live at the forefront of our hearts. Thankfully, I feel like my kids are supportive of me, and hopefully, they never feel forced to give up time with their friends to come support me at a show. Again, I think it helps that they are talented and creative kids themselves, because they honor the craft and see it as a job, not just Mom’s selfish hobby.
Your debut album, If I Were Honest, was released in 2022 to critical acclaim. What happened after that?
Angie Goeke: Yes, I was so blessed to have If I Were Honest so well received! I am still learning how to navigate this business. I went on a short tour (with my daughters, which was so special) and entered some songwriting contests and networked through some conferences. I started an EP project to keep momentum going with some of those new connections, but then life took a sudden twist. My father passed away in January of 2024, and then we moved to Montana from Texas shortly after. The transition and adjustment to all these things really set my career on the standby as I simply “figured things out.”
Having said that, I’ve been writing with my friends and wonderful musicians, Ashley Bandara and Alfred Williford (Houston, TX), for our trio, Runaway Revival. Writing in the context of rich harmonies and these tight friendships honestly has brought me through all the transitions of life. We have been very active, writing and performing in both Texas and Montana. I was a finalist in the Synapse Star Search Competition in Nashville as well.
I love ‘Whiskey in a Teacup’! Very sassy! What is the song about?
Angie Goeke: Ooof! There’s a story. Years ago, I had been invited out to coffee with another songwriting friend to talk shop. I thought we’d be swapping notes and contacts and mutually supporting each other. Well, this meeting quickly became a long list of advice for me, including how I should essentially be less of a wallflower. Needless to say, I went home a little put off. And what better to do with some pissed-off feelings than right a sassy song? I have always considered it my theme/fight song for introverts all over the world. It can also easily be heard as a women’s empowerment song, but its genesis is all about the hidden power and wisdom of the introvert!
How do you start writing songs? What inspires you?
Angie Goeke: Usually, I start with a theme or title. It honestly could come from life, or a quote from a BBC show, or just something clever I overheard someone say. More often than not, no matter how I start, life and emotion leak in. Sometimes, I’ll start with just a melody that won’t leave my head, but usually those get archived for when a theme or title comes along, and it snaps together like a puzzle. Lately, I’ve been stretching myself with a local songwriting group here in Billings, MT, where we are given a random song prompt every two weeks. It’s been great! Per the usual, life always creeps in, but new perspectives or metaphors are formed, and I have to somehow work the prompt in. It’s been a creative petri dish.
Are there artists you would love to collaborate with or wish you had?
Angie Goeke: Oh, wow! There are so many! I love collaboration. Even though my Imposter Syndrome usually kicks into high gear, along with my introverted nature, it has always been a dream of mine to play in the sandbox with the “cool kids”. I would love to write with people I have never met, like Lucas Nelson, The Milk Carton Kids, Joy Williams, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sarah Jarosz. And also those who I consider friends: Mary Bragg, Jackson Emmer, and Jeff Plankenhorn, to name a few!
Your seven most favorite songs in all music genres (not your own): what would you pick and why?
Angie Goeke: GREAT QUESTION!
‘Hypotheticals’ – Lake Street Dive.
The penultimate dance song. Never fails the mood I am in, I just can’t help myself.
‘Opportunity to Cry’ – Willie Nelson.
So much heart, so much feeling. My go-to sad song when I need a good cry.
‘No 2: Stabat Mater’ – Giuseppe Verdi.
I was in the 1996 Texas All-State Choir, and I will never forget when a clinician walked us through the meaning of the piece and how the orchestral parts were telling the story under our vocal parts…from heartbeats to tears. It was a pivotal moment for me in my depth of appreciation and understanding of music and the power it holds to tell a story and evoke emotion.
‘Lonely Sometimes’ – Oh He Dead.
I just wish this were my genre and I were this cool. Maybe one day when I grow up! HA!
‘Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’ – Ella Fitzgerald
Most of my high school years were spent listening to Ella and jazz standards. It’s hard for me to pick just one, but this one’s got that big band behind her, and the agility in her vocals is killer.
‘Jordan’ – Joy Oladokun
I discovered this song at a unique time in my life of transition and questioning some pretty foundational constructs in my life; therefore, it really spoke to me and took on very personal meaning. It has since become a favorite that I return to often.
‘Trendsetter’ – Connor Price, Haviah Mighty.
I mean, you can’t help but dance and also respect the craft of fitting that many words into one song.
What are you currently up to?
Angie Goeke: Currently, I am finding my place here in Billings, MT. The music scene is simply different from that in Houston, and I am working with local musicians to bring a little bit of what I miss to Billings. The music community here is very tight and invested in each other, which has been so welcoming and amazing. We began hosting house concerts in our home during our first summer here, and they were received by our neighbours so well that we often had a packed house. However, due to their popularity, we ran into some difficulties with code enforcement. After lots of discussion and two court appearances, we are now working with the city to rewrite the code to not just allow but support house concerts within the city limits. It’s not what I thought I’d currently be up to, or would choose to be working on, but I do believe house concerts are foundational to a city’s cultural livelihood and their support of live original music.
I am also working on the release of a new EP, produced by Dale Penner (Loverboy and Nickelback). The 3 songs are fun and upbeat, and a slightly different sound for me. I am also working on a few singles that I hope to release after the EP. They are all songs that are deeply personal and intimate. I feel like they each need to stand on their own and be produced with great intentionality. I am really excited about them and sharing them with the world.
I am also working with my Houston-based trio, Runaway Revival, to get some of our originals released. This group has been such an amazing collaboration and gift for me. We’ve been performing pretty routinely in both TX and MT, and it’s time to let the music reach a broader audience. I’m really excited to see where this group and sound go. I believe it is so unique, and once it’s out there, it will take off.
Other than that, I am embracing my new surroundings by learning how to wrap fly fishing rods and painting the beautiful nature around me. I’m taking long walks and learning to not just tolerate, but enjoy the cold and snow. I’m leaning into my role as a mother of adults and teenagers and the shift in what’s needed from me! I hope I am continuing to grow and learn more about myself, the industry and how to do this thing called ‘life’! Thank you for the opportunity to share what that looks like for me.
Thanks to Angie Goeke for talking to us. Find out more about Angie Goeke on her official website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify.
