John Gorka got his start in the late 1970s at Godfrey Daniels, a small but legendary coffeehouse in eastern Pennsylvania, where he was a student and resident soundman. Immersed in a scene that included icons like Stan Rogers and Tom Paxton, he began writing and performing his own songs. Gorka’s powerful baritone and poignant songwriting earned early acclaim, especially after winning the New Folk Award at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1984. His debut album I Know (Red House Records) was followed by five celebrated albums on High Street Records, and his music drew praise from Rolling Stone as “the preeminent male singer/songwriter of the new folk movement.” He toured extensively in the U.S. and Europe, with artists such as Nanci Griffith and Mary Chapin Carpenter, and his songs were covered by many prominent performers.

In 1998, Gorka returned to Red House Records, embracing a more personal, roots-driven approach. Albums like After Yesterday, The Company You Keep, and Writing in the Margins deepened his catalog with stories shaped by family life and decades on the road. Collaborators have included Ani DiFranco, Patty Larkin, and Lucy Kaplansky. His 11th studio album, So Dark You See, is among his most acclaimed, and his work continues to resonate through national broadcasts and documentaries, such as the inclusion of his song “Where No Monument Stands” in Every War Has Two Losers.