Chicago book signing December 10

CHICAGO IL - Folk musician Mark Dvorak will perform and read from his new book, Bowling for Christmas and Other Tales from the Road, in a special appearance on Tuesday, December 10 at The Grafton Pub, 4530 N. Lincoln Avenue. The program begins at 9:30 pm with music from Waiting for Nellie, an acoustic trio made up of Old Town School of Folk Music members Mike Alberts, Sarah Ball and Louis Mitchell.

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"For a long time now, I've been a scribbler of words," said the singer about his new project. "Over the years, my wayward process of scribbling and editing, rereading and listening, has yielded this humble collection. I'm excited to be able to finally present some of my stories in printed form."

The twenty-one essays and three poems are varied in style and subject matter, and depict an intimate and reflective look back on a life spent as a traveling musician.

Dvorak writes about searching for the grave of Louisiana-born folk and blues singer Lead Belly, and takes readers backstage at the Philadelphia Folk Festival for a jam session with the late John Hartford.

He reminisces about a youthful cross-country motorcycle trip, and reflects on hearing the news of tenor Luciano Pavarotti's death while repairing his banjo. He reports on his tour of Finland and locates the tunnel in West Virginia where the legend of John Henry, the steel-drivin' man was born. The book culminates with the touching short story, "Bowling for Christmas."

"Mark is a natural storyteller," said Mike Alberts, who is hosting the evening as part of his One MIke Stand acoustic series at The Grafton Pub. "He really has a gift for descriptive writing. He takes you 'there.' We're really looking forward to hearing him sing and read a few of his stories."

To date, Dvorak has released sixteen albums of traditional and original music, including Waterbug's acclaimed Time Ain't Got Nothin' On Me. He has won awards for children's music, journalism, and was honored in 2008 with the Woodstock Folk Festival Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2013, he received the FARM Lantern Bearer Award from Folk Alliance International.

The Chicago Tribune has called him, "masterful," and the Fox Valley Folk Festival describes him as "a living archive of song and style." In 2012, WFMT Midnight Special host Rich Warren named Dvorak, "Chicago's official troubadour."

Admission to the evening is free. Books and CDs will be available for purchase and signing. Phone The Grafton at 773 271 9000 or visit www.thegrafton.com. For more information visit Mark Dvorak on the web at www.markdvorak.com.

Stay in touch • markdvorakinfo@gmail.com • PO Box 181 • Brookfield IL 60513 • 312 315 4273