Folk, blues singer Mark Dvorak coming to Wheaton's Acorn Coffeehouse

Chicago's "official troubadour" Mark Dvorak will perform folk, blues and original songs during an appearance next month in Wheaton.

The singer-songwriter will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9. at the Acorn Coffeehouse at the Burning Bush Gallery, 216 N. Main St.

Dvorak is working on his 18th recorded release, which he hopes to have out early next year.

"When I started out, I knew I was in it for the long haul," he said. "Thirty-five years later, I'm still out on the road, still writing, still recording and still learning. At this stage of the game, I feel like I'm doing my best work."

Dvorak will be performing songs from his upcoming release, "Let Love Go On," as well as a selection of traditional folk, blues and pop standards from the Great American Songbook at the Acorn Coffeehouse concert.

"I like to mix things up. I've always been attracted to a wide variety of music and I enjoy piecing together each evening's set in a new way. It's always been like that. The great folk and solo performers through the years have always presented a lot of variety; from Pete Seeger to Bob Dylan. They wrote and sang about everything," he said.

"When I was in high school I wanted to be Bob Dylan," Dvorak said. "And then I read a book about him and I didn't want to be him anymore. But I've learned a lot from Bob. His very first record was released in 1961 when he was only 20 years old. It included one of the first songs he wrote, 'Song For Woody,' a song to his hero Woody Guthrie. It's simply a stunning piece of work.

"I listened to it over and over and in the fourth verse Bob sings, 'Here's to Cisco and Sonny and Lead Belly too …' I already knew who Woody Guthrie was but I had only heard the names Cisco Houston, Sonny Terry and the great Lead Belly. It was as if Bob was holding a door open for me when I listened to that song saying, 'Come on in, walk through the door and find out who those people are and learn their songs. Begin the journey.'"

General admission to the concert is $10. Reservations are recommended at acorncoffeehouse.com or calling (630) 393-1247.

Dvorak has won awards for journalism and children's music and received the 2013 FARM Lantern Bearer Award from Folk Alliance International.

In 2008 he was honored with the Woodstock Folk Festival Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2012 WFMT-FM 98.7 Midnight Special host Rich Warren named him "Chicago's official troubadour."