
John Gorka
Happy Days Lodge
500 W. Streetsboro Rd
Peninsula, OH 44236
Nov 6, 2017
1:00 AM UTC
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About this concert
About ProgramRolling Stone magazine called John Gorka “the preeminent male singer-songwriter of what has been dubbed the New Folk Movement.” John has been a favorite with our audiences, and we are so happy to welcome him back!Doors open at 6:00 pm. http://johngorka.com/About Cuyahoga Valley National Park Concert SeriesThe Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park partners with the National Park Service to bring live music year-round to Cuyahoga Valley National Park at three unique park locations! From lively folk concerts to outdoor jam sessions, we've got something for every music enthusiast.
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What fans are saying

Kathy
June 13th 2025
Great show! John was so funny. Love him. They were all fabulous.
Old Saybrook, CT@The Kate
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John Gorka Biography
Gorka was born in Newark, New Jersey in July of 1958. He received his first guitar as a Christmas gift, though Gorka alleges that his older brother stole it from him shortly thereafter. He eventually learned, instead, to play the banjo, and began performing in a folk music group at his church.
Gorka attended Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and joined the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band which would also include guitarist Richard Shindell. He later began performing solo at the Godfrey Daniels coffee house as the opening act for various musicians that toured there. These included Nanci Griffith, Bill Morrissey, Claudia Schmidt and Jack Hardy.
In 1984, Gorka took first place at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Since then he has toured with artists such as Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Michael Manring, Christine Lavin, Dave Van Ronk, Cliff Eberhardt, David Massengill, Frank Christian and Lucy Kaplansky.
Read MoreGorka attended Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and joined the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band which would also include guitarist Richard Shindell. He later began performing solo at the Godfrey Daniels coffee house as the opening act for various musicians that toured there. These included Nanci Griffith, Bill Morrissey, Claudia Schmidt and Jack Hardy.
In 1984, Gorka took first place at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Since then he has toured with artists such as Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Michael Manring, Christine Lavin, Dave Van Ronk, Cliff Eberhardt, David Massengill, Frank Christian and Lucy Kaplansky.
Folk
Singer
Songwriter
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