The Kelly Center Presents John Gorka with Russ Rentler

John Gorka

From New Jersey, John Gorka is a world-renowned singer-songwriter who got his start in the late 1970’s at a neighborhood coffeehouse in eastern Pennsylvania. Although his academic coursework at Moravian College lay in Philosophy and History, music began to offer paramount enticements. Soon he found himself living in the coffeehouse basement and acting as resident MC and sound man, encountering legendary folk troubadours like Canadian singer-songwriter Stan Rogers, Eric Andersen, Tom Paxton and Claudia Schmidt.

Folk meccas like Texas’ Kerrville Folk Festival (where he won the New Folk Award in 1984) and Boston followed, and his stunningly soulful baritone voice and original songwriting began turning heads. Those who had at one time inspired him – Suzanne Vega, Bill Morrissey, Nanci Griffith, Christine Lavin, Shawn Colvin – had become his peers. In 1987, the young Minnesota-based Red House Records caught wind of John’s talents and released his first album, I Know, to popular and critical acclaim. John hit the ground running and, when an offer came from Windham Hill’s Will Ackerman in 1989, he signed with that label’s imprint, High Street Records.

His release The Company You Keep held fast to his tradition of fine songwriting, yet moved forward down new avenues. Its fourteen songs displays John’s creative use of lyrics and attention to detail. Ani DiFranco, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lucy Kaplansky and Patty Larkin contributed stellar guitar work and vocals to this fan favorite.

Photo credit Robert Hakalski.

To hear and learn more about John visit https://www.johngorka.com/ 

Russ Rentler

At his first night at Moravian College, he met John Gorka where they were both playing at an open mic. They soon formed The RAZZY DAZZY SPASM BAND, with Doug Anderson and were joined the following year by Rich Shindell on lead guitar. Russ was the mandolin player, John played incredible 5 string banjo and Doug Andersen provided the solid rock rhythm on his custom made Froggy Bottom guitars. Tim Germer later joined as bass player. Throughout all four years of college, they played around the Lehigh Valley centering around Godfrey Daniel's and the southside of Bethlehem, PA.

Russ went to medical school and received a Ph.D. During his medical training, Russ continued to pursue his passion of acoustic music and picked up hammer and mountain dulcimer, fiddle, dobro, autoharp and bouzouki. He also started building his own hammered dulcimers and uses his own instruments on stage.

To hear and learn more about Russ visit https://www.russrentler.com/ 

Advance Discount General Admission Tickets $30.
Advance Discount VIP Reserved Table Seating $40.
At the door $40. Advance Discount sales close 5PM day of show. 

The Kelly Center does not have a physical box office for advance ticket purchases. You may purchase tickets at a discount on line in advance. Otherwise tickets are full price at the door if any tickets remain.

BYOB is welcome for an additional $5 donation per drinker. Disposable cups and ice provided. No Food is served at the Kelly Center. You can bring in outside food. There is a vending machine with snacks , cold drinks, and coffee pods for a Keurig.  

Doors open at 7:00 pm. 7:30 show.  

Free Parking in Oakmont Municipal lot behind Kelly Center off Darby Road. Additional FREE parking is available courtesy of our friends at Grace Chapel on the corner of Eagle and Darby Roads.

The Kelly Center is operated by Kelly Music for Life, Inc., a non-profit 501c3 pure public charity that supports Music Education, the Arts, and other community initiatives. For more information visit https://kellycenter.org