“I always start up with an up beat song,“ said John Gorka, who performed in the Performing Arts center located at the Valencia East Campus this past Wednesday. He started his performance by playing his acoustic guitar while the audience applauds him on.

Gorka, who started as an opener for visiting acts in performing his own songs, has come a long way as a musician whose unique voice, lyric’s and style are what have attracted many of his fans and have made him well known in the folk music industry.

“I have been a fan for about 15 years,” said Steve Drummond who owns every Gorka album. He enjoys listening to his music because of the “quality of his voice,” said Drummond.

During Gorka’s act, he performed various songs like “I Think of You”, “The Gypsy Life,” and “People My Age.” He even took requests from the audience toward the end of his performance, which the audience very much appreciated.

“I can relate personal memories to his songs,” said Kris Stenger who was waiting to get his CD signed, along with many others, by Gorka.

People, movies and his personal life inspire the songs Gorka has written. Many people in the audience can relate to his songs because they all have a meaning to them and most of which are based on real life.

“I have been very privileged,” said Gorka who is an inspiration to many aspiring musician’s because having lived in a club basement and working as a soundman, he has not only toured throughout the US, but also to various countries like: Scotland, Italy and Germany. This shows how it doesn’t matter where you start out, but where you will end up.

“He has his own style, like old school,” said Steve Berke who is a student at Valencia and is majoring in recording engineering. It shows how young aspiring musicians like Berke himself admire and are influenced by Gorka’s music and his style of playing.