BARRY KERR - 'BOY IN A BOAT'

Barry Kerr has a new video for his song "Illega"l from his latest album "Boy in a Boat". In review of the album back in May 2016, it's revealed the story behind the song which tells the tale of an undocumented Irish migrant who, having fled the Great Famine and found work as a bricklayer in midtown Manhattan, sets about building a new life for himself despite the heartbreak of knowing that he can never go home.

The lyrics subtly highlight the extreme differences between rich and poor, and the devastating effects that immigration can have. The spoken word narrative at the bridge encapsulates the song’s mixture of anger and despair and will surely strike a chord with anyone who keeps up with current affairs and who possesses even a grain of conscience.

The video was produced by Celtic Thunder's Drummer, Declan O Donohue with Top Dek Video.

You can purchase Barry’s new Album ‘BOY IN A BOAT’ from the Celtic Thunder Online Store HERE with worldwide shipping.

 MORE ABOUT BARRY KERR

Barry Kerr hails from County Armagh in Northern Ireland and currently lives in Belfast (when he is not on tour). Barry is recognized as one of Ireland’s most accomplished traditional musicians. As a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and painter he is extremely prolific in his creative output.

Having recorded his first solo album at the age of seventeen, he has gone on to tour the world as both a solo performer and in the company of artists such as Cara Dillon, Phil Coulter, Dan Tyminskii, Lumiere, Dervish, At First Light…the list goes on. His songs and compositions have been recorded by the likes of Karan Casey, Flook, Beoga, Brian Finnegan, Damian O’Kane and Kate Rusby.

As a painter he is fast becoming an important figure in contemporary Irish Art, exhibiting at home and abroad to high critical acclaim.

Barry recently released his second CD entitled “Boy In A Boat”. His new self-released album "Boy In A Boat" has been a long time coming. It’s been eight years since The World Looks Away, his first album as a singer and songwriter and, as he says, “I’ve seen a lot of the world in between, often from a tour bus window, and I’ve wound up back in the country, living on the shores of Lough Neagh, older and hopefully wiser, immersed in nature and with the space for quiet contemplation.” As frustrating as the delay must have been, it’s also allowed him to focus on making the music that truly moved him and the result is a record which captures the essence of his sound while retaining its accessibility.

It’s been a long time coming, but "Boy In A Boat" combines literate songwriting and top class musicianship with high production values and painstaking attention to detail. The result is an album of which Barry Kerr can be justifiably proud; one which more than holds its own with the big names of the contemporary Celtic Music scene.

Musicians on "Boy In A Boat" include: Dónal O’Connor (producer, piano); Donogh Hennessy (guitar); Pauline Scanlan (backing vocals); Conor McCreanor (bass); Eamon Murray (percussion)