Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist John Gorka is one of the sharpest observers on the folk block, and certainly one of the most distinctive singers. If his stunningly soulful baritone isn't raising goosebumps, his spot-on lyrics are likely to do the job as he parlays rich, multi-faceted songs full of depth, beauty, and emotion. Whether it's a tune brimming with love and loss, a sharp daily-life vignette, biting social or political commentary, or just plain old down-home humor, John always displays an unerring grasp of words, melody, and the details that pose profoundly personal, yet universal themes.

On the road on various legs of his ongoing "40-year tour" and over the course of nine albums, most recently last year's Old Futures Gone (Red House), the New Jersey native has swept an ever-growing crowd of loyal fans along on his entrancing journeys through the twists and turns of life.