John Gorka is widely considered one of the top male singer-songwriters on the contemporary folk scene. Since being named a Kerrville New Folk Winner in 1984, he has become a popular fixture on the coffeehouse and festival circuit, and a number of other notable artists have recorded and/or performed his songs. He is part of a new folk trio called Red Horse with Eliza Gilkyson and Lucy Kaplansky, whose Red House Records debut will be released on July 13.
With his rich, soulful baritone, Gorka delivers his own well-crafted songs in a way that prompted Rolling Stone to call him “the preeminent male singer-songwriter of the new folk movement.” Ever self-effacing, Gorka has professed to “consider myself to be an aspiring folk singer, not an accomplished one.” His legion of fans – including Kathy Sands-Boehmer, who posed a few questions to him recently – would disagree.
[To read Kathy's Quick Q & A with John Gorka, click on the headline.]
In a popular music landscape where today’s talented singer-songwriters are often ignored, it’s a little miracle to listen to radio stations — usually small, publicly-run or independent — that promote songwriters who might fall between the cracks. Among the many wonderful DJs out there supporting independent singer-songwriters in markets across the U.S., one of the most well-known and well-listened to is John Platt, host of “Sunday Breakfast” on New York’s WFUV. Sharon Goldman recently elicited his thoughts about the singer-songwriter scene for her blog, Songwriting Scene. Her Q & A interview with him is reprinted here with permission.
[To read the Q &A with John Platt, click on the headline.].
In less than two years’ time, Kelleigh McKenzie has made quite a mark in acoustic music circles. A talented singer-songwriter who alternately accompanies herself on banjo, guitar and amplified stompbox, McKenzie has appeared on “Mountain Stage” and the “WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour,” was a co-winner in the 2008 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest, secured a coveted formal showcase slot at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) Conference, and was selected to participate in emerging artists showcases at both the Falcon Ridge and Grey Fox festivals. Her debut album, Chances, was on the Americana Music Chart for six months, while “Gin,” one of the tracks on it, won an Independent Music Award for Best Americana Song. Kathy Sands-Boehmer recently posed a few questions to Kelleigh.
[To read Kathy's Q & A with Kelleigh McKenzie, click on the headline.]
Multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter John McCutcheon has collected a legion of fans since he first started recording and performing in the mid-1970s. As Kathy Sands-Boehmer maintains, “McCutcheon skillfully combines his great storytelling with poignant and evocative songs which continue to inspire young and old alike.”
[To read Kathy's quick Q & A interview with John McCutcheon, click on the headline.]
