John Gorka

It's always a pleasure to present John Gorka, one of folk's finest songwriter-performers. Like the best in his field, he has come from obscure beginnings to his present national renown, while remaining true to his vision and his fans. He cut his teeth in coffeehouses like Godfrey Daniels', and won the prestigious New Folk Award at the 1984 Kerrville Folk Festival. It's been a steady rise since then, including a contract with Windham Hill/High Street Records and now Red House Records again who released his first album. His albums have been praised by the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and many other publications, and many other artists are covering his material such as Mary Chapin Carpenter and Nanci Griffith. His voice is warm, engaging, and instantly recognizable, and his lyrics can be whimsically funny or deliver a powerful image with understated clarity and acute perceptiveness. Marking his serious songs is an honest willingness to let tough questions remain unanswered, rather than tie them up neatly with glib hooks. His new release is entitled Old Fortunes Gone.