Before artists like The Avett Brothers and Mumford & Sons kick-started the newest iteration of folk, John Gorka started the genre’s revival back in the ’80s and ’90s.
“He was the one who was doing it and coming up when there wasn’t a huge swell (of folk artists),” said Brian Koscho, marketing director for Stuart’s Opera House. “He has a good amount of appreciation among his fans and almost has this small cult-like following of people who love his music and love his live show.”
Gorka will bring his honest, heartfelt folk to Stuart’s Opera House, 52 Public Square Nelsonville, at 8 p.m. Saturday to a crowd of devoted fans for the second time following his 2012 appearance.
“The interests of our audience here at Stuart’s is that Americana and folk world, strong singer songwriters and good guitar players — John kinda fits all of those things,” Koscho said. “He writes really, really good songs and he’s been doing it for a while.”
Rolling Stone previously called Gorka the “leading singer-songwriter of the new folk movement,” a title Koscho echoed as appropriate for the robust experience the artist has in the genre.
He will release his album Bright Side Of Down in March after over a year of working on the tunes diligently to change in perfect them.
“I wanted to build it slowly and see how I like it over time,” Gorka said. “If there was a line that bothered me I could take it out and re-sing it and I could cut out things that didn’t seem to be working, so in the end I liked every bit rather than having to live with a part that wasn’t quite right.”
He added that this is the album of his that he’s gone back and listened to over and over again the most and still enjoys it, which is definitely a good sign of quality.
A huge fan of Gorka’s is none other that Athens’ resident folk musician, Bruce Dalzell, operator of the Front Room Open Stage.
“He’s a really surprising guy because he’s kinda nervous onstage,” Dalzell said. “He writes beautiful, beautiful songs but he has trouble articulating, and the cool thing about it is that he plays it up and doesn’t try and hide it at all. He’s funny and self-effacing.”
Although, Gorka said that he often gets nervous on stage, a sentiment Dalzell echoed.
“He was sweating bullets, this guy travels the world and he’s seriously popular in those folky circles but he’s nervous as can be,” Dalzell said. “He’s a great songwriter in that he speaks to me.”
If You Go:
What: John Gorka
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Stuart’s Opera House, 52 Public Square, Nelsonville
Admission: Floor seats $20 adv., $25 door
@WILBUR_HOFFMAN
wh092010@ohiou.edu
