05/02/2026
John Gorka Returns to Friday Night Folk, May 15, 7:30pm!
Friday Night Folk will conclude its 2025/2026 season with fan-favorite John Gorka. Gorka notes, “Life is not fair and love is not enough, but it is the only thing worth pursuing.” His songs, rich with depth, beauty and emotion, have gained international attention. Rolling Stone describes him as “the preeminent male singer songwriter of the new folk movement,” while the Boston Globe called out his “sophisticated intelligence and provocative originality.”
While studying Philosophy and History in the 1970s, Gorka met folk troubadours Stan Rogers, Eric Andersen, Tom Paxton and Claudia Schmidt. He was captivated. As his soulful baritone and compelling songwriting began turning heads, people who had inspired him--Suzanne Vega, Bill Morrissey, Nanci Griffith, Christine Lavin, Shawn Colvin--became his peers.
A score of artists have recorded and performed John Gorka songs, including Mary Chapin Carpenter, Mary Black and Maura O’Connell. Gorka has performed with Eliza Gilkyson, Lucy Kaplansky, Antje Duvekot, and Christine Lavin, whom you may remember from the Friday Night Folk stage.
When: Friday May 15, 2026, 7:30pm
Where: Unity Hall at All Souls UU, 19 Jay Street, New London CT 06320
Tickets: $25 advance, $30 at the door (students and active Military with ID $10). Reserve a seat at the advance price on Humanitix:
https://events.humanitix.com/john-gorka/tickets
or by calling All Souls at 860-443-0316 by May 14.
A livestream option will go live the night of the concert on
Youtube.com/.
fridaynightfolk.org
johngorka.com
