Been a fan of his music ever since a I saw a very out-of-place music video of his "Houses in the Fields" on Country Music Television, in the early '90s, and thought "wow, this sure doesn't belong on CMT but he's wonderful!"

But I became a fan of the man himself when I was catering the Kate Wolf Festival a few years ago. The festival director insisted on introducing me to JG (the Major Act for the day) because I was such a fan; this is something I find mortifying in the extreme because I never know what to say and neither do they. He seemed nice enough; commented on how pretty it was out where the festival was (on a farm about 60 miles from San Francisco), how good the vibe was, and how he wished he could come back for the rest of the weekend but he had a show to do in SF that night...OK, yeah yeah, all normal make-nice stuff anyone would say who was on the spot and talking to a nameless fan.

But, the next morning as I was taking bagels out to the backstage area at about 8am, who should say hello but John Gorka, who actually HAD come back the next day to enjoy the festival (and remembered me, bnut that's not the point)! I have never once seen a headline act go so far out of his way (120 miles) or get up so early just to hear other people perform.

Now I am a huge fan of the man himself AND a huge fan of his music.

Claire