Every Step of the Way by Mark Dvorak

Mark Dvorak came to our library last week as our Friday at the Ford performer. He played his guitars and banjo and sang a mixture of his own compositions and well-known folk songs. He entertained everyone with his stories, and we all joined in without his asking when he started "Goodnight, Irene." I particularly liked his rendition of Lead Belly's "Bourgeois Blues." He sold a half dozen or more CDs after the concert. All this week I heard compliments about the concert. People want us to bring him back.

I bought his new CD Every Step of the Way and listened to it several times. Dvorak pays tribute to many musical influences in its dozen songs. In the liner notes he says that he imagines Johnny Cash singing his title song and claims that he had Billie Holiday in mind writing "Don't Make the Blues Make You Bad." My favorite "One Couldn't Run, One Couldn't See" tells about Blind Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. "Not War" would be a natural song for Pete Seeger or Peter, Paul & Mary to take up. He concludes with "Smile," which is based on a melody by Charlie Chaplin. The instrumental "Walking in the Air" is quite nice, too.

Mark has a website if you want to find his next concert or book him for your library, church, or coffeehouse.

Excuse me. I now have an urge to listen to my Steve Goodman albums.