Joe Goodkin, Homeric Bard

Homer,Epic,Reception,Odyssey,Iliad,Music

Joe Goodkin is a Chicago-based singer/songwriter with a BA in Classics from UW-Madison. He has performed his original song retellings of Homer's Odyssey and Iliad (The Blues of Achilles) over 500 times in all 50 US States, Canada, Greece, Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland, and The Netherlands. He has released 14 albums of original music, including a collection called Consolations and Desolations produced by founding Wilco drummer Ken Coomer. His forthcoming 15th album, Winedark Life, draws on his experiences as a modern bard singing Odysseus' story and he is currently developing music to accompany a new adaptation of Philoctetes in partnership with Classics and Theater faculty at Carleton College (MN).

Joe performs Homer at universities, high schools, and for general audiences in front of classes and as part of public humanities events and lectures. He leads discussions around oral tradition, myth, and reception. Come by, say hi, and get more information about hosting Joe at your institution.