Blues rock guitarist Mark Kerr of Louisiana inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Louisiana-based musician Mark Kerr's induction into the Blues Hall of Fame is a remarkable achievement. After only 15 months as an independent artist, his silky smooth guitar skills, dogged determination, and, above all, true love of the blues have wowed fans and critics alike. But Kerr's place in "Cooperstown" is no mere accident. Playing professionally for almost 30 years, his sound shows off the best of modern blues, mixing rock and funk with hints of jazz fusion in the lead guitar.

Such style is embodied in his album One Drink Away From The Blues, which mixes original tunes with a cover of BB King's The Thrill is Gone that has left critics amazed. "With a mouth-watering tone that could even make Santana weak kneed, Kerr's earnestly passionate and technically stellar guitar runs dominate much of the record," says Muse Magazine, while Living Blues Magazine calls him a "Texas roadhouse rocker" whose songs give him "a chance to showcase the breadth of his considerable skills." No surprise Mark is also the Ambassador to the Blues for the state of Louisiana.

Kerr's 13th March induction into the Blues Hall of Fame pays homage to these skills, which he has honed over many years out on the road like the other blues greats before him. First picking up the guitar at age 12, he was playing professionally three years later, and passed up a jazz scholarship to start touring and seeing the world. "I really had no interest to keep going to school, I had had enough of that for a while," he says. "I was so hungry to get into a road band and was ready to start chasing the dream."
Model blues man for the 21st century
And chase the dream, he did. Playing with greats such as Percy Sledge and Curtis Mayfield's Impressions, Kerr combined studio work with touring, while always perfecting his mastery of modern blues that lies at the heart of his one-of-a-kind sound. Not surprising as his influences range from Larry Carlton to Ted Nugent, Freddie King to Jimi Hendrix. Muse Magazine says: "Unlike those who've taken another turn and have gone the wrong way, Kerr's open and visible celebration of his influences adds a new flavour to a very familiar genre."

This ability to take the blues genre to a new level is central to why Kerr deserves his induction into the Blues Hall of Fame. Through hard work and persistence, as well as old fashioned blood and sweat, Mark Kerr is the model blues man for the 21st century.

Contact Details:

Mark Kerr, 6942 Howell St, Greenwood, LA, 71033, www.markkerrltd.com, bluesboy747@yahoo.com, 318-938-8963.