If you want to surf beyond the bayou, you might find these Links to be interesting destinations.
LEARN MORE ABOUT LES AT THESE SITES:
Check out Les' page on the popular music web site www.bandvillage.com by clicking here.
Got those
Mackinac Blues or have a hankering to
Pray for New
Orleans? The Red
Blues CD with those songs and more is available at Louisiana
Music Factory in New Orleans. Click the photo at right of Les playing at the Louisiana Music Factory, then type Les Kerr in the search bar on the LMF web site.
Read this thorough biography of Les Kerr written by Sara Lewis for the Mississippi Writers & Musicians Project.
THE VENUE MENU – PLACES TO SEE LES IN CONCERT:
The World Famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee is where Les has hosted Mardi Gras concerts since 1992 and performs periodically throughout the year.
The home of Les’ annual Christmas on the Bayou and other concerts, Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley Bar & Grill features blues and other music every night.
Every St. Patrick’s Day since 1996, Les Kerr & the Bayou Band have brought "Irish Bayou" to Jimmy Kellys, one of Nashville’s best restaurants.
Les performs at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Acuff-Rose Music Songwriter Theater in Downtown Nashville. He also participates in the Country Music Foundation’s Words and Music program, connecting students and professional songwriters.
From the loading dock to the lobby, Les has performed at events including Fest de Ville Nashville at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.
Les has performed at Borders Books in Memphis, Nashville, Brentwood, Tennessee and Metairie, Louisiana. Truly, words and music go together.
The historic Belcourt Theatre in Nashville was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1934-36. Les was part of 2003’s Jazz, Blues and Schmooze concert at the Belcourt.
Maple Leaf Bar - 8316 Oak St New Orleans, LA 70118-2044. Poet Everette Maddox first invited Les to perform his songs at the Maple Leaf in the 1980’s. Now, host Nancy Harris carries on the tradition of words and music at this great New Orleans institution. (No Maple Leaf web site – this classic haunt is known worldwide already!)
Hal and Mals in Jackson, Mississippi is a cool music venue and restaurant. Les has performed solo acoustic shows here in his first home town.
Les occasionally performs at the beautiful Lake Tiak O'Khata resort in Louisville, Mississippi, where his family roots run deep.
Scranton's Restaurant & Lounge - 623 Delmas Avenue Pascagoula, MS. Les began performing at this downtown Pascagoula spot in the 1980s and brought his Christmas on the Coast tour home in 2002.
The Historic Palace Theatre in Crossville, Tennessee is the site of "An Evening with Les Kerr — a One-Man Concert" on April 2, 2005.
READ ALL ABOUT IT: IN NASHVILLE TENNESSEE
This link goes straight to Nashville’s best columnist and Les’ better half, The Awesome Gail Kerr!
The Tennessean's entertainment coverage includes Les’ Nashville area shows.
The All the Rage always lists Les’ Nashville area shows.
The City Paper, a Nashville daily, has featured Les’ Mardi Gras shows, albums and performances.
One Paper highlights music and other events.
The Nashville Scene covers the variety of Nashville’s music, including Les’ Hillbilly Blues Caribbean Rock & Roll.
The Westview in Nashville’s Bellevue community has covered Les’ Mardi Gras concerts and other appearances.
Clarksville, Tennessee's The Leaf-Chronicle has written features about Les' Clarksville and Nashville area shows, as well as his books and CDs.
READ ALL ABOUT IT: IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
The Commercial Appeal has reviewed Les’ music and lists his Memphis area shows.
The Memphis Flyer, an edgy weekly newspaper, has included Les’ photo and lists his Memphis area shows in the "After Dark" section.
READ ALL ABOUT IT: IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
Offbeat - see Regional/National Publications.
The Lagniappe section of The Times Picayune includes concert listings.
New Orleans’ Gambit Weekly covers Crescent City entertainment with listings.
READ ALL ABOUT IT: IN MISSISSIPPI
Jackson’s Clarion-Ledger features entertainment news from throughout Mississippi and has covered Les’ music and lists his shows in the Capitol City.
Louisville, Mississippi’s Winston County Journal has featured Les’ music and area performances.
READ ALL ABOUT IT: IN MOBILE, ALABAMA
Entertainment writer Lawrence Specker has written about Les’ music and cookbook in the Mobile Register.
READ ALL ABOUT IT: REGIONAL & NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS
This New Orleans-based music magazine has reviewed Red Blues and Christmas on the Coast. If you want to keep up with Louisiana music, get a little OffBEAT.
Les’ performance schedule is listed in Dirty Linen's "Gig Guide" and this great folk music magazine offers music features and reviews.
Watch for occasional book reviews by Les in PASTE Magazine, a national publication that focuses on music, film and culture.
IN THE BROADCAST BOOTH: NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Listen for Les’ songs like Pool People and Tourist in a Rental Car on the great “Trop Rock” web radio station, www.sandbarradio.com.
National radio host Erskine Overnight has had Les as a guest several times to talk about food and music (check his top picks for 2002!). Listen online!
Songwriter Karen E. Reynolds hosts Writer's Block on WDVX in Knoxville, Tennessee. Click here to visit her Writer's Block website.
Dan Davidson is a radio announcer who has given Les and other songwriters an opportunity to join him and perform their music on his programs.
IN THE BROADCAST BOOTH: IN TENNESSEE & KENTUCKY
Boogie on the Bayou, featuring New Orleans and Louisiana-influenced music is hosted by Turtle on Sundays at 4:00 p.m. (Central/U.S.) on Radio Free Nashville. Listen Online!
Nashville’s WPLN FM offers a great "Happenings" feature on the air and online. Listen online!
Vanderbilt University’s eclectic WRVU FM has played Les’ music and he has appeared on its programs including Sounds of the Bayou and Artradio. John Mac’s That’s All Folk and Traci Todd’s George, The Bluegrass Show, are also well worth a listen. Listen online!
WMOT, MTSU's FM station offers "jazz, blues and news," as well as concert announcements.
WEVL FM, the Memphis volunteer-operated radio station, has featured Les’ music on its rockabilly program. Also, check out Dan Phillips’ "New Orleans: Under the Influence" on Fridays.
Andy "Jazzman" Smith knows his stuff and plays it every Sunday on WKMS FM in Murray, Kentucky. Listen online!
IN THE BROADCAST BOOTH: IN THE GULF COAST, NEW ORLEANS, & LOUISIANA
Les’ music has been featured on the great New Orleans radio station, WWOZ FM. Check out shows like Kathleen Lee’s Swing Sessions, Bob French’s French Cookin’ and Freddie Blue’s Blues Show. Listen online!
The Ragin' Cajun, a Larose, Louisiana station, features great Louisiana music of all genres. Listen online!
WWNO FM, New Orleans Public Radio station, has a great calendar of events for the Crescent City. Listen online!
92 WZEW FM in Mobile, Alabama plays everything from rock to blues to Les’ Hillbilly Blues Caribbean Rock & Roll!
MUSIC SITES & LISTINGS:
Up to the minute schedule information for Les and many other national and regional acts can be found at Musi-cal.
Check out the Gig Guide at Dirty Linen Magazine's web site for great listings.
Music Instruments, Guitar Lessons, & More, including links to Les and other artists, can be found at Independent Music Network.
ORGANIZATIONS & WORTHY CAUSES:
National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Mid South Chapter works tirelessly to help people with MS with classes, programs and fund-raising events to keep needed research going.
Helping to ensure that students and others remember the beginnings of American music, American Roots Music Education provides programs and resources about blues and other unique art forms.
Les has served on the Music City Blues Society's board of directors. This organization is Nashville’s premier blues association and promotes this great American music genre.
The Blues Foundation, based in Memphis, promotes the blues worldwide and hosts the annual W.C. Handy Awards.
The Tennessee Jazz & Blues Society promotes jazz and blues in the Nashville area with summer concerts and other events.
Community Resource Center is the "charity’s charity," helping out other organizations in need. Funds are raised at Oyster Easter and other events.
Visit Tropics Nation |
Visit Meet the Phlockers |
ARTISTS, POETS, & OTHER CREATIVE FRIENDS:
Photographer Scott Hammaker creates a variety of visuals with his camera. Visit him at Posters with Personality.
Tim O'Brien is a versatile author, journalist and world traveler. You'll enjoy a visit to his site.
The Arts Company is one of Nashville’s most eclectic locations and has featured Les’ performances and CDs over the years.
Beatlick poets Joe & Pamela Speer have appeared with Les and continually promote poetry throughout the country and on Nashville television.
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is a world class museum and one of Nashville’s real assets.
Buddy and Hopkins is a funny cartoon strip about blues musicians.
Donna Peters has painted some of the same subjects found in Les’ songs, such as the Round Island Lighthouse and the GM&O Railroad. See her art on this site.
JUST FOR FUN:
The Krewe of Elvis invites you to visit Chip Curley’s incredible Mardi Gras Web Site to learn about Mardi Gras celebrations all over the world (including Les Kerr’s!).
Learn about Les’ old hometown, Pascagoula, Mississippi.
Order Mardi Gras beads and other party supplies from Oriental Merchandise Co., Inc.
SONGWRITERS:
The first four songwriters listed are friends who have performed in Les’ Fresh From the Gulf Shows at the Bluebird Café in Nashville.
Tammy Vice is a wonderful songwriter and vocalist and who wrote and sang on the song "What the King Didn’t Know" on Les’ Christmas CD. She is also a member of the "Bayou Babe Holiday Chorale."
Ray Farnell is a longtime friend and great songwriter in Mobile, Alabama. Ray and Les met when they both worked in radio in the Port City.
Stephen Lee Veal is well-known along the Gulf Coast for his songwriting and recently released his first CD, Look’n South.
Kim Carson, a New Orleans-based songwriter, is a dynamic performer who travels the globe playing her songs.
BAYOU BAND MEMBERS:
Bryan Cumming has been in the Bayou Band since 1992. Now the leader of the group's "Bayou Horns Saxophone Section," Bryan is also a talented producer, songwriter and performer in his own right.
BAYOU BABES!
Mississippi native Tricia Walker is a well-known Nashville songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Alison Krauss and others. She has performed as part of Les’ Mardi Gras concerts and joined the "Bayou Babe Holiday Chorale" on Les’ Christmas CD.
No, they’re not related, but Allison Kerr and Les Kerr share some musical common ground and occasionally perform together. Allison is another member of the "Bayou Babes Holiday Chorale."
OTHER MUSICAL FRIENDS:
Delicious Blues Stew leader Shannon "Bayou" Williford and Les have known each other since kindergarten. Check out this fun, Louisiana-influenced band’s site.
Little Johnny Kantreed is a blues performer, songwriter and resonator guitar player based in the Nashville area.
Surface Tension is a Nashville-area party band led by "Dan the Man" Surface. Calling all Brown Eyed Girls!
Cowboy Dan Harrell is a great friend, inspiration and award-winning children's entertainer who will lift your spirit and have you "talking nice." YeeHaw!