PUTNEY, Vt. – Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present singer-songwriter John Gorka at Next Stage on Sunday, June 2, at 7 p.m.
Rising from a milieu of lovelorn singer-songwriters, John Gorka illuminates instead with his trademark wordplay – twisting, turning, and tying words and phrases in the way a balloon artist creates complex creatures from simple balloons. Few contemporary songwriters coax language as deftly as Gorka.
For over two decades, Gorka’s keen ear has picked up the stories of those along his path, folding them into poetry and song. His sharp perceptiveness inspires people from all over the world to share their stories. By involving those tales in his music, he escapes the trap of introspection that hobbles less-gifted singer-songwriters.
John Gorka flies below the pop culture radar with an almost cult-like following that never fails to fill concerts. Speak with any of his fans, and one instantly feels their enthusiasm and genuine affection. His shy, almost self-effacing stage presence rightfully focuses attention on the songs. His versatility on guitar and piano keeps his sets musically interesting, while his rich baritone effortlessly executes his bidding. And he’s never short of the sly comment or clever joke that invariably ignites his audience.
With his uncanny ability to work every nuance of language, capturing a wide array of topics and experiences woven into memorable melodies, John Gorka’s career continues to prosper, and to garner ever-increasing attention.
As of 2023, John has released 14 full-length studio recordings, and several live CDs and DVDs. His project during the pandemic was recording and releasing videos of individual songs on Youtube; a song a week for an entire year. He called the series One Song Concerts, and they have had thousands of views.
For the past few years he, along with friends Cliff Eberhart, Lucy Kaplansky, and Patty Larkin, has been touring a revival of their very popular show, “On A Winter’s Night.” He has also been participating in a very successful songwriting workshop that runs two to three times a year, put on by another close friend, Eliza Gilkyson.
John is going into the studio with a batch of new songs in 2024, with a tentative release date of January 2025 for the project.
Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, Vt. Tickets are discounted in advance through www.nextstagearts.org. For information, call 802-387-0102 or visit the website.