Les Kerr

Songwriter Les Kerr was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and lived in New Orleans and Pascagoula, Mississippi before moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 1987.  No Depression magazine called Les a “tireless troubadour” and declared his music “both jovial and cerebral all at the same time.”

Upon the release of his twelfth album in 2025, Child of Highway Ninety, Gold Mine: The Music Collector’s Magazine called Les, “a road warrior who culls satisfaction from song.” 

No stranger to the New Orleans music scene, over the last forty years he has performed periodically at the Maple Leaf Bar, Carrollton Station and at special concert events including opening a show for Marcia Ball on the main stage at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Café when the club was located on Decatur Street. He was also a frequent guest on WWOZ Radio’s “Swing Sessions” program hosted by Kathleen Lee. 

Carrying his Louisiana heritage to Nashville, Les has headlined concerts at Music City’s acclaimed Bluebird Café since 1990, including hosting the club’s annual Mardi Gras concerts since 1992. In 2026, he has performed at the Folk Alliance International’s Annual Conference and the Maple Leaf Bar in New Orleans, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame as part of the Southeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference and he performed for the eighth time at Nashville’s nationally known “Let Freedom Sing!” Independence Day Celebration. In August, 2026, Les was asked to recount recording his Christmas album, Christmas on the Coast, with The Jordanaires, who famously accompanied Elvis Presley for many years, during “Elvis Week” in Memphis, Tennessee on the Earle Farrell 4Memphis Show. One of the standout songs on the album was a Zydeco-influenced version of Jingle Bells, for which Les wrote new lyrics and re-titled, “Jingle Bells (Christmas in New Orleans),” featuring The Jordanaires.

Known for his solo folk and Americana-influenced music performances with his acoustic guitar, Les also writes songs that grab the attention of other performers. His songs have been recorded and performed by bluegrass groups, world music artists, Americana and performers and even the Count Basie Orchestra. His music has been included on NPR’s “All Songs Considered,” CMT.com and radio stations throughout the U.S., as well as on Sirius XM, Radio A1A, Americana Country and other satellite stations. 

Learn more about Les at www.leskerr.com