Writing in the Margins
Encyclopedia
Writing in the Margins is the tenth studio album by folk
singer-songwriter
John Gorka
. It was released on July 11, 2006 by Red House Records
and debuted at number one on the Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart. One departure from previous recordings is the inclusion of a couple of cover songs that blend nicely with Gorka's own compositions. Gorka received some encouragement from Nanci Griffith
to record Townes Van Zandt
's "Snow Don't Fall", and pays tribute to a personal hero by covering Stan Rogers
' "Lockkeeper". Gorka also shares writing credit with his wife, Laurie Allman, on several tracks.
Many of Gorka's past collaborators also return to perform here. Nanci Griffith, Lucy Kaplansky
, and Alice Peacock
each lend their voices to various tracks. Meanwhile distinctive fretless bass player Michael Manring
and multi-instrumentalist
John Jennings
also contribute their skills.
The album made a number of "best of 2006" lists and was nominated as a "Contemporary Release of the Year" by the North American Folk Music & Dance Alliance (an award that was given to the Wailin' Jennys for the album, Firecracker).
The song "The Road to Good Intentions" was named by the Indie Acoustic Music Project to the list of "Songs of Note: 25 of the Best Songs from 2006".
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
John Gorka
John Gorka
John Gorka is a contemporary American folk musician. In 1991, Rolling Stone magazine called him "the preeminent male singer-songwriter of what has been dubbed the New Folk Movement."-Biography:...
. It was released on July 11, 2006 by Red House Records
Red House Records
Red House Records is an American independent record label specializing in folk music and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.The label was originally created in 1981 by Greg Brown as a method to distribute his own music, and is named for a farmhouse in Iowa where he was living...
and debuted at number one on the Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart. One departure from previous recordings is the inclusion of a couple of cover songs that blend nicely with Gorka's own compositions. Gorka received some encouragement from Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
to record Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
's "Snow Don't Fall", and pays tribute to a personal hero by covering Stan Rogers
Stan Rogers
Stanley Allison "Stan" Rogers was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter.Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finely crafted, traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing...
' "Lockkeeper". Gorka also shares writing credit with his wife, Laurie Allman, on several tracks.
Many of Gorka's past collaborators also return to perform here. Nanci Griffith, Lucy Kaplansky
Lucy Kaplansky
Lucy Kaplansky is an American folk musician based in New York City. Kaplansky also has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Yeshiva University.-Biography:...
, and Alice Peacock
Alice Peacock
Alice Peacock is an American folk singer and has recorded three independent albums. A native of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, she is based in Chicago, Illinois, where she sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at U.S...
each lend their voices to various tracks. Meanwhile distinctive fretless bass player Michael Manring
Michael Manring
Michael Manring is an American electric bassist from the San Francisco Bay Area, .-Biography:...
and multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
John Jennings
John Jennings (musician)
John Jennings is an American musician: a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, and music producer.Among his producer work are 8 albums by Mary Chapin Carpenter, as well as releases by Beausoleil, John Gorka, and Janis Ian...
also contribute their skills.
The album made a number of "best of 2006" lists and was nominated as a "Contemporary Release of the Year" by the North American Folk Music & Dance Alliance (an award that was given to the Wailin' Jennys for the album, Firecracker).
The song "The Road to Good Intentions" was named by the Indie Acoustic Music Project to the list of "Songs of Note: 25 of the Best Songs from 2006".
Track listing
- "Chance of Rain" (Allman, Gorka) – (3:59)
- "Broken Place" (Allman, Gorka) – (3:21)
- "Satellites" (Gorka) – (2:24)
- "Writing in the Margins" (Gorka) – (4:12)
- "Snow Don't Fall" (Van ZandtTownes Van ZandtJohn Townes Van Zandt , best known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American Texas Country-folk music singer-songwriter, performer, and poet...
) – (3:00) - "Bluer State" (Allman, Gorka) – (3:17)
- "Arms Length" (Gorka) – (3:34)
- "The Lockkeeper" (RogersStan RogersStanley Allison "Stan" Rogers was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter.Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finely crafted, traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing...
) – (5:09) - "I Miss Everyone" (Allman, Gorka) – (4:13)
- "When You Sing" (Gorka) – (4:24)
- "Road of Good Intentions" (Gorka) – (3:49)
- "Unblindfold the Referee" (Gorka) – (2:25)
External links
- John Gorka, official web site
- Writing in the Margins page from Red House RecordsRed House RecordsRed House Records is an American independent record label specializing in folk music and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.The label was originally created in 1981 by Greg Brown as a method to distribute his own music, and is named for a farmhouse in Iowa where he was living...
- Live from Folk Alley: John Gorka and David Francey, 39th Kent State Folk Festival November 11, 2005 (features Michael ManringMichael ManringMichael Manring is an American electric bassist from the San Francisco Bay Area, .-Biography:...
on bass and interview) - Live Fridays from XPN: John Gorka in Concert, from NPR's World CafeWorld CafeWorld Cafe is a two-hour long, nationally syndicated music radio program that originates from WXPN, a non-commercial station licensed to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The program began in 1991 and was originally distributed by Public Radio...
, October 13, 2006 (features Michael ManringMichael ManringMichael Manring is an American electric bassist from the San Francisco Bay Area, .-Biography:...
on bass and interview with Helen Leicht)