Gary Hanak IF HoF

Gary "MoFilker" Hanak is of the opinion that the best and most concise observation of his musical career was written by Jeff Bohnhoff, who described him as sort of a midwest secret.  In reality, Gary has been playing music of some sort since the age of five, when he started on accordion.  Toward the end of high school, he began playing guitar, and in college started trying to figure out how the left hand of the piano was supposed to work.  He also began singing, and at some point got good enough to be paid, though never outrageously.

In 1983, he tried being a professional musician.  In 1984, he returned to the professional engineering world because he discovered he really liked eating regularly.

Gary has been attending Archon since Archon 5.  Around Archon 11 or so he discovered that there was music at Archon.  By Archon 13, he had found it (Henry VIII was a rather unique hotel), and by Archon 16 was sort of the Filk chair at Archon.   For the last couple decades he has tried to keep Filk alive at Archon, and, with some very devoted and highly involved helpers, Filk has begun to blossom.  Finally.

Gary has two CDs out there.  One is "Weekend Filker", where his nominated song "Grandfather" can be found, and the other is "Delusions of Adequacy".  He has plans for a couple more, but things move slowly in that direction. (Note: his CDs are available at his website, www.mofilker.com - Ed.)

When attending cons, MoFilker can usually be identified by the cart he hauls around holding his guitars, keyboard, accordion, ukelele, and other assorted paraphernalia.  In the real world, he is half of the duo "Not Wired Right".  When not at cons (that is, usually), and not playing music in his duo, he works as an engineer/scientist at a large defense contractor in St. Louis.  He has a BS in electronics and an MS in computer science.

Gary has been Filk GoH at Name That Con 12 (Conzilla), M.O.O.N.con 1, and at Duckon 20. He was to be Filk GoH at Daranicon in Kansas City, but the con didn't happen (not his fault, far as he knows...). He first attended OVFF three years ago, with the approval of his patient and much-loved wife. Next year, he is going to be the Interfilk Guest at Consonace 2015.