John Gorka Concert Benefiting Urban Ministries of Durham

JOHN GORKA MAKES RARE AREA APPEARANCE:
CONCERT BENEFITS URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM

Friday, February 13, 7 PM--Parish Hall, St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Durham

"Listening to John Gorka sing his brand of folk music, one can get goose bumps all over. There are many reasons--fresh lyrics, a stunning, emotional baritone voice, his twisted humor--but to focus on one limits the experience." --Robert P. Gluck, The New York Times

Strings Attached Productions, of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, proudly presents singer/songwriter/troubadour John Gorka in a special concert benefiting Urban Ministries of Durham. This legendary singer/songwriter, famed for his smart, slightly cynical lyrics and distinctive baritone, performs a special concert benefiting Urban Ministries of Durham, Friday, February 13, at 7 PM, in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church in downtown Durham.

As one of the leaders of the new folk movement, this New Jersey native launched his career playing open mic nights at coffeehouses and bars along the Eastern Seaboard. After settling in Texas, Gorka won the Kerrville Folk Festival’s prestigious New Folk Award in 1984. Three years later he cut his debut album, I Know, for Red House Records. Recording and performing worldwide over the last two decades, Gorka remains among the most recognized voices in folk. His music is memorable and his words showcase sublime wit and character observations.

Writing in The Washington Post, music critic Richard Harrington observes that Gorka's songs, "...are notable for sharply etched character studies combining the humorous and the serious, as well as passionate social critiques." Visit http://snipurl.com/aziqw to view the four-minute official trailer for Gorka's new double DVD The Gypsy Life.

Although he tends to spend more than half the year on the road, Gorka's resisted the music cities and industry enclaves for the little town of Bethlehem, PA. The life of the traveling musician is not easy inspiring many songwriters to pen longing songs of weary road life but, ever the cynical optimist, Gorka sees bright sides to staying on the move. As he notes in The Gypsy Life, "People love you when they know you're leaving soon." And he'll indeed leave soon after his performance in Durham, Friday, February 13, at 7 PM. So don't miss this rare opportunity to experience John Gorka's lyrical poetry and memorable stories in this intimate, relaxed listening room environment. Strings Attached Concerts take place in the Parish Hall of St. Philip's Episcopal Church, 403 East Main Street (at Queen Street), in downtown Durham. Refreshments, including sweet and savory snacks and water, sodas, wine and beer from Triangle Brewing Company, will be available. Free, monitored on-site parking is provided.

Advance tickets are on sale now for $15 ($8 for children 6-12; children 5 and under are free and childcare available). Day of show tickets are $20, if available. Tickets may be purchased online at www.stphilipsdurham.org/stringsattached, by phone at 682-5708 or by mail. Checks should be made payable and sent to: Strings Attached Productions PO Box 218 Durham NC 27702. Tickets paid for in advance will be available at the “will call” table at 6:30 PM on the evening of the concert, Friday, February 13. Call 682-5708 for more information. This is a Strings Attached Production; all profits benefit Urban Ministries of Durham.

ABOUT URBAN MINISTRIES OF DURHAM…
The mission of Urban Ministries of Durham is to provide food, clothing, shelter, and counseling to neighbors in need. Every night, UMD provides emergency shelter for up to 150 persons without homes. Every day it serves 350-400 meals to hungry people. An additional 350-400 persons receive groceries for in-home preparation every month. And UMD’s clothing closet provides clothes to 180-220 each month. Through its vision as a faith-based service organization recognized for excellence in serving the emergency needs of poor people, Urban Ministries of Durham strives to create a welcoming, caring, and compassionate environment that affirms the dignity of its guests, donors, volunteers, and staff. For more information, visit www.umdurham.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, HIGH-RES IMAGES AND OTHER MATERIALS, VISIT…
High-Res Image of John Gorka and web-quality concert poster images: http://picasaweb.google.com/RebekahRadisch/ASAPGorka#
Urban Ministries of Durham: www.umdurham.org
John Gorka: www.johngorka.com or www.myspace.com/johngorka
Strings Attached/St. Philip's: www.stphilipsdurham.org

Jonah Kendall, Rector, Saint Philip's Episcopal Church
919-682-5708, jonahkendall@stphilipsdurham.org
Rebekah Radisch, Strings Attached, St. Philip's Episcopal Church
919-201-1183, StringsAttachedDurham@gmail.com

A Strings Attached Production (ASAP)

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