Out of the Valley is a 1994 album by contemporary folk singer-songwriter John Gorka. This is Gorka's fifth album and unlike the previous four recorded in various places in the northeastern United States, Out of the Valley was recorded at Imagine Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. This is also the first of several Gorka albums to employ the talents of guitarist/producer John Jennings.
Guest vocalists include country music superstars Kathy Mattea and Mary Chapin Carpenter among others. Guest instrumentalists include guitarist Leo Kottke, Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks, and bluegrass virtuosos Jerry Douglas and Tim O'Brien. A notable absence is the voice of Lucy Kaplansky whose background vocals have been a feature of all other Gorka albums.
This is perhaps Gorka's most commercial album and is his only work to have ranked on one of Billboard's charts. It peaked at # 26 on the "Heatseekers" chart. Reactions to the increased level of commercial production in Gorka's folk music were varied. Allmusic states: "...many of the dense musical
arrangements do a disservice to his powerful voice."
Musicians:
- Bass – – Michael Manring
- Lead guitar – Leo Kottke
- Acoustic guitar & vocal – John Gorka
- Backing vocal – Kathy Mattea
Carnival Knowledge
According to Sing Out! "Carnival Knowledge" is a tragic story of a circus clown whose grease paint provides his only escape from the depths of low self-esteem." Remixes of "Mystery to Me" and "Good Noise" were also included, as was an in-studio recording of "Campaign Trail". A final mix of "Campaign Trail" was not released until 1996 on Gorka's Between Five and Seven.
External links
- Out of the Valley page at the Official John Gorka web site (lyrics, audio samples)