There are few contemporary songwriters that come anywhere close to the talent of John Gorka. His songs have a way of working on you long after you thought you had it all figured out. I will listen to a song that I know all the words to and can sing a long with and then one day sitting at a traffic light I realize that there was a whole other layer of meaning that I had missed.
In 1984 John Gorka won the prestigious Kerrville New Folk competition. He has over ten albums to his credit. John is a songwriter's songwriter and his songs are championed by an amazing circle of artists including Nanci Griffith, Mary Chapin Carpenter, David Wilcox and many more.
“I feel like the song is not complete unless it has a receiver — a listener who makes it a part of their own imagination, their own life. It becomes kindof a collective property and it’s as much their song as it is mine.”
In this in depth interview, John talks about his early musical meanderings and the influences that shaped him into the songwriter he is today. He also discusses his creative process and philosophy on writing songs. This episode contains two intimate live performances from John: "Stranger With Your Hair" and "Gypsy Life".