Angie Goeke is a multidisciplinary artist, committed activist, and compelling songwriter with a forte for cinematic storytelling. She’s also a mother of four who transformed her lifelong love of music into a serious songwriting career. Inspired by independent, individual artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Willie Nelson, Goeke quickly earned a reputation for her particular brand of haunting, narrative, emotionally-complex songs. Her unique compositions, which she often begins writing on ukulele before expanding for a larger band, fuse elements of classic Americana, folk, bluegrass and jazz, with her captivating vocal melodies front and center. Now poised to drop her debut album If I Were Honest on April 29th, Goeke writes songs encapsulating all the complex emotions and amorphous feelings that make life both complicated and beautiful.
If I Were Honest presents a stunning, atmospheric Americana collection that melds the many facets of her creative and personal life into one cohesive, elegant whole. Recorded in Nashville and produced by Mary Bragg, If I Were Honest celebrates the enormous complexity of being human, with a spectrum of sounds ranging from textural and cinematic to candid and nostalgic. The songs provide vibrant, engaging insights into the mind of a multifaceted, wildly creative woman. “This album was a way for me to identify and reconcile all the different parts of myself. I’m a mom and an artist, a quiet church-goer and a girl who loves a good cocktail. These things aren’t in opposition to one another, but I had to learn that. They’re all valuable—because they make me who I am. I don’t have to let go of one thing to grab hold of another.”
Today Glide is excited to premiere the video for the standout track “Whiskey In a Teacup,” and empowering anthem is Goeke’s way of speaking to strong introverted women everywhere. The swaggering Americana-rocker tune finds Goeke showcasing her honky tonk vocals with a tough edge as she uses a Southern analogy of keeping your strength behind a classy image. Bold organ and sharp guitar work give the song a little more of a rock and roller vibe while keeping the lively vocals and lyrics front and center.
Watch the video and read our conversation with Angie Goeke below…
Please tell us about this song. What inspired you to write it and how did it come together?
I had actually been struggling with a songwriting peer who belittled me quite often by giving me unwanted advice and feedback with what I should do with my career, specifically because I was female and needed direction. I wanted to tell him that just because I’m a girl, it doesn’t mean I’m ignorant or don’t have a plan… but conflict terrifies me, and there was no way I would have ever mouthed off. So I started seeking out encouragement from historical women who really moved mountains. That’s when I came across two quotes. The first is: “The most dangerous animal in the world is a silent smiling woman.” – Unknown. And the second is by Eleanor Roosevelt: “A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until it’s in hot water.” I found my inspiration! I started to consider the hidden strength of whiskey, a beverage that could easily be mistaken for tea. And, as they say, the rest is history. I still don’t think I’d ever speak the things in this song out loud to anyone, but singing them almost brings as much satisfaction as just silently smiling.
What was it like recording this song during the pandemic?
I was worried at first. Traveling in January of 2021 seemed risky, and I didn’t know what to expect. But once I made it to Nashville, the wonderful folks at Sound Emporium made life almost seem normal. We were the only ones recording in the whole studio and the first ones after the long Christmas break. So everything felt incredibly safe, and the studio did major mic and equipment cleaning every night after we left. We masked up (unless singing) and sprayed lots of hand sanitizer. In fact, I’ve got a recording on my phone of us listening back to a song and you can hear someone spritzing sanitizer in the background. Really, whenever you make a record, you kind of hunker down in the studio as the rest of the world keeps turning. So, once in the sound booth, this felt no different. (Except for watching the Capitol being taken over on the 6th while taking a lunch break… that was crazy!)
Let’s talk about the video. Who directed the clip?
I am so happy with it! The video was directed by Casen Hutton and Assistant Director Katherine Kistler from Real Content Solutions. They were fabulous. And I was lucky enough to have the video sponsored by Hatari Entertainment and Johnnie Walker. I still can’t believe that happened!
Whose idea was the video treatment? What story did you hope to tell with the video?
Casen and his team wrote the storyboard. I really wanted the process to be collaborative and for his team to come up with a plot apart from any of my thoughts. I am so glad we took that approach! I was simply thinking of filming a party with all the women in my life, and they transformed that into an amazing and funny storyline. It was important to me that the song stayed light-hearted and fun, a little sassy, and a little classy. It was also important to me that the actors be meaningful people, particularly women, in my life. My four kids are all in it. Helen, the main character, is my second oldest. And Gideon, the little brother, is my oldest son. My sisters appear as party-goers, my mother-in-law is a guest, and my mom stole the show as the “Happy Grandmother.” Every person seen in the video is a dear friend who I loved sharing the experience with!
Tell us a bit about the places where you filmed. What made you want to film there?
We filmed in my home and driveway. What’s more Americana than that? Foremost, I wanted my kids to be in an environment that made them feel comfortable with the process and gave them the best chance at success. Apart from having to help clean the house, they were good with that. I think my neighbors may have been a little thrown off, but it was so worth it.
Any great stories to share from the shoot?
My favorite moment from the shoot was being able to sit back and watch my friends and family just have a blast. I loved watching them be the stars. We had a little party of our own going on in the backyard as my daughter taught them her TikTok dance she is seen doing at the beginning of the video. Everyone was legitimately having a fun time, and that meant more to me than anything else. Another fun moment was the last minute idea to have my mom stand among the wiped out party-goers holding one of our chickens. She thought we were just joking at the idea, but then when we handed her “Mo,” she just went for it. It was awesome.
Any other info you’d like to share with us about this song or the video?
I have to say the final version of the song would not be what it is without the talented Mary Bragg’s vision for it (and killer background vocals). Lex Price’s funky bass and Bryan Owings chain-clanging and goat-hooves drum additions make it so fun and unique. Not to mention Ben Garnett tearing it up on guitars and Kira Small adding just the right amount of organ to put it over the top. I am so thankful to have met and worked with Mary. She took a rough recording of me on ukulele with my friend, Alfred Williford, on guitar and transformed it into so much more! None of this would be happening without her and the supporters who helped make it happen. I am beyond grateful!
