Born: Wroughton - Swindon (UK), 16 September 1948.
Died: Amsterdam, 13 September 2020.
John Kerr was a synthesist who created melodic symphonic music. At the age of seven he began studying music. Pianoforte, church organ and later double-bass. At the age of eighteen he decided, however, to put his music to one side and concentrate on a career in Graphic Design and was accepted to study at Bath Academy of Art on a degree course. Having successfully completed his studies, he worked in London for various Advertising Agencies and Publishing Houses as a Graphic Designer. He also lectured for five years at the famous Camberwell School of Art in London. Since October 1978, he lived in The Netherlands, in Amsterdam. He bought his first synthesizer in 1980 and began composing music while still working - full-time - in the advertising world.
His compositions can be described as symphonic synthesizer music. John Kerr was inspired by the work of Pink Floyd, Kitaro and Vangelis, but still developed his own style. His first album was the private pressed album "Cathedral" in 1983, later re-released by Dureco.
He was very successful in Germany. His CD "Norland" was proclaimed the best CD of the year by the WDR radio show ¨Swingungen¨ in 1992, and he himself the best artist of 1992. His live performance at the New Age Music Festival in Gouden Handen in 's-Heerenberg in 1996 was one of his career highlights. This performance was documented on the CD "Amid the Angels". Also in 1996, John Kerr suffered a massive heart attack. He needed to be resuscitated several times, but recovered. He used his experience from that period on the album "Life on Earth".
John Kerr also started his own record companies TBN Records, XS Records, label, TBN Records and John Kerr Productions.