Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter John Gorka hit road long ago with a songwriting catalogue that’s been recorded and performed by some of the top folk artists in America today. Playing about 150 nights a year, more often than not to sold-out audiences, John Gorka has sharpened his music catalogue over the years and has become one of the top folk artists of his generation.
John Gorka: The Man and His Music
John Gorka’s lyrics capture the lives of real people and a slice of humanity often overshadowed and overlooked by the hyperkinetic music industry today. John Gorka is at his best when describing the old soldier, the young recruit, and the homeless or misunderstood among us. He is especially moving when telling a story about the environment, society and war. Or, even, parenthood. But, just in case you think an evening with John Gorka would be overly intense or moody, think again: it’s his humor and self-deprecation that keeps the crowd coming back time and time again.
So Dark You See Tour
This year’s tour features songs from his new album So Dark You See and also draws deep from his songwriting catalogue. Back with Red House Records, John Gorka continues to tour, tell his stories, and surprise fans and newcomers to the folk scene alike.
What else is there to know about singer-songwriter John Gorka? Plenty. Check out these Top 5 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Singer-Songwriter John Gorka. All the more reason his star shines bright on the new folk circuit.
1. John Gorka lives in Minnesota. Even though he opens each and every show with the crowd-pleaser I’m From New Jersey, that was then and this is now. Singer-songwriter John Gorka lives with his wife and young son, far from the Garden State.
2. John Gorka got his start as a Moravian college student in at Godfrey Daniels, a legendary coffee house in northeastern Pennsylvania. He actually lived in the basement of the club for awhile and served as resident MC. Can you imagine that happening today?
3. John Gorka was once a member of the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band, something that could happen only in the 1970s. You know the old saying, if you remember the ’70s…? You don’t? Never mind!
4. After 5 successful years recording with Wyndham Hill, John Gorka has now found his home again with folk-friendly Red House Records in Minnesota. His latest album entitled, So Dark You See is yet another folk masterpiece from John Gorka.
5. John Gorka has taken his music all over the world, and toured with the likes of Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Christine Lavin, and Lucy Kaplansky. Some of the top folk artists today have both performed and recorded his songs. To this day, John Gorka seems genuinely surprised that his songs have found a place in the hearts and minds of audiences and other musicians from around the world.
RESOURCES
Official Website – John Gorka
http://johngorka.com
Rolling Stone Magazine on Gorka
Wing, Eliza, Rolling Stone, August 8, 1991, p. 17
World Folk Music Association
www.wfma.net
Folk Alley
www.folkalley.com
Folk Music
www.folkmusic.org
