John Gorka mines folk, blues, bluegrass, and other acoustic musical forms to create deceptively simple tunes that convey a rich variety of emotional textures and ideas. Like many young singer/songwriters, Gorka paid his dues at open-mike events and later as a perpetual opening act in the early-'80s New York folk scene. He won the Kerrville Folk Festival's New Folk Competition in 1984, and started hanging out with the Jack Hardy crowd -- the same folkies who nurtured Suzanne Vega's career. He began recording for Red House Records in 1987, and has also recorded critically acclaimed albums for Windham Hill and High Street. His relaxed style and wry, witty lyrics have endeared him to a smallish but loyal following. ~ Rovi Staff