Kerr came to prominence in the early 1990s via a musical partnership with fellow fiddle player Eliza Carthy. The duo produced two albums – Eliza Carthy & Nancy Kerr (1993)[5] and Shape of Scrape (1995)[6] – before ceasing to work together. A retrospective collection of their work (plus three previously unreleased tracks) – On Reflection – was released in 2002[7].[6]
Kerr and her mother released an album together – Neat and Complete – in 1996.[8]
Since 1995 Kerr has mostly worked in a duo with Australian bouzouki player and singer James Fagan,[9] whom she married in 2007. The duo won the Horizon Award at the inaugural BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2000, and Best Duo at the same awards in both 2003 and 2011[10] Between 1997 and 2008 they released six albums on the Fellside label – "Starry Gazy Pie" (1997), "Scalene" (with Sandra Kerr) (1998), "Steely Water" (1999), "Between The Dark and Light" (2002), "Strands of Gold" (2006) and "Station House" (with Robert Harbron) (2008).[11] 2010 saw the production their first completely original collection of songs – "Twice Reflected Sun", released 9 August 2010 on Navigator Records (NAV0041). First track of the album, Queen of Waters, was nominated for the Best Original Song category at the BBC Folk Awards in 2011.
In 2008 the duo joined forces with concertina player Robert Harbron to form the trio Kerr Fagan Harbron, recording and touring the album Station House (Fellside CD 211).
Kerr has also worked with folk/pop group Epona, Australian folk family band The Fagans and the Tim van Eyken band, amongst others.
In 2010 she joined James Fagan, Richard Arrowsmith and Jess Arrowsmith to form "Melrose Quartet" in her new home city of Sheffield. They released a live EP in 2011 called "Live at Cheltenham" and a studio album "Fifty Verses" in 2013.
2013 saw Kerr make up part of Fay Hield's "The Full English" band to promote the on-line publication of the folk collections of the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library in Cecil Sharp House. The collective won "Best Group" at the 2014 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and their CD "The Full English" won "Best Album" at the same ceremony.
In 2014 Kerr was one of the key songwriters in "The Elizabethan Session", a concert, CD and film[12] commissioned by Folk By The Oak and The English Folk Dance and Song Society creating new music about the Elizabethan era.
2014 saw Kerr release her first CD of original songs under her own name. Sweet Visitor was released on her own label Little Dish Records on 21 July 2014. A UK tour with "The Sweet Visitor Band" (James Fagan, Rowan Rheingans, Tom Wright and Tim Yates) started on 18 November 2014. James Fagan now shares his role in the band with Greg Russell.
Nancy Kerr won "Folk Singer of the Year" at the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
2015 saw the launch of "Simpson Cutting Kerr", a trio with Kerr, Martin Simpson and Andy Cutting. Their debut CD "Murmurs" was released on Topic Records on 8 June 2015.
In November 2015, Kerr was one of four songwriters commissioned by Folk By The Oak and The English Folk Dance and Song Society to write and tour a production called "Sweet Liberties" looking at the history of British parliament and democracy. Their CD "Sweet Liberties" was released in 2016.[13]
2016 saw the production of Kerr's second album of original songs with The Sweet Visitor Band on Little Dish Records. The album, entitled "Instar", was produced by Tom Wright and was released on 16 September 2016.
Now Is The Time
Nancy Kerr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now is the breath of life sent in turn to weather a gathering rime
Be bold and kind, farewell my old discontent
Just as the heavens consent to burn and turn cold days to fine
Now is the time, now is the blessed moment
Now is the breath of life sent in turn to weather a gathering rime
Be bold and kind, farewell my old discontent
City of souls flung by the breath of old lovers
Where death′s cold dancer's heart was ne′er so very unkind
Farewell we sing dressed in the leavings of others
For guests shall plenty bring and turn cold days to fine
Now is the time, now is the blessed moment
Now is the breath of life sent in turn to weather a gathering rime
Be bold and kind, farewell my old discontent
Just as the heavens consent to burn and turn cold days to fine
"Happy and poor" is that more foolishness talking?
Will walking pieces half preserve your hearth in flame?
Scant seed in store brings feathered visitors flocking
To sing shall comfort bring for souls are made the same
Now is the time, now is the blessed moment
Now is the breath of life sent in turn to weather a gathering rime
Be bold and kind, farewell my old discontent
Just as the heavens consent to burn and turn cold days to fine
Sinners arise and turn your eyes to the waters
For Nature's mortal pool shall bathe all fools in brine
Be not denied when all sure-footedness falters
For Earth's uncertainties have turned our fields to wine
Now is the time, now is the blessed moment
City of souls flung by the breath of old lovers
Now is the breath of life sent in turn to weather a gathering rime
Where death′s cold dancer′s heart was ne'er so very unkind
Be bold and kind, farewell my old discontent
Farewell we sing dressed in the leavings of others
Just as the heavens consent to burn and turn cold days to fine
For guests shall plenty bring and turn cold days to fine
Now is the time, now is the blessed moment
City of souls flung by the breath of old lovers
Now is the breath of life sent in turn to weather a gathering rime
Where death′s cold dancer's heart was ne′er so very unkind
Be bold and kind, farewell my old discontent
Farewell we sing dressed in the leavings of others
Just as the heavens consent to burn and turn cold days to fine
For guests shall plenty bring and turn cold days to fine
The lyrics of Nancy Kerr's song "Now Is The Time" carry a message of hope and renewal. The first stanza encourages listeners to be brave and leave behind old discontent. The second stanza uses imagery of a "City of souls flung by the breath of old lovers" to convey that death is inevitable, but we can live full lives in the meantime by embracing change and welcoming new experiences. The third stanza speaks to those who may feel lost or uncertain, urging them to look to nature as a source of comfort and to embrace the uncertainties of life with the knowledge that they can lead to unexpected blessings.
Throughout the song, the refrain "Now is the time, now is the blessed moment" reinforces the idea that we should seize the present and embrace the opportunities it holds. The use of natural metaphors - breath, rime, and brine - reinforces the idea that everything is interconnected in a cycle of life and death. Overall, the song is a reminder to cherish what we have, let go of what no longer serves us, and embrace the unknown with open arms.
Line by Line Meaning
Now is the time, now is the blessed moment
The present moment is an auspicious time for change and growth
Now is the breath of life sent in turn to weather a gathering rime
The fleeting and precious quality of life reminds us to embrace it with fullness and courage
Be bold and kind, farewell my old discontent
Moving forward with courage and empathy for oneself and others requires a willingness to let go of past grievances
Just as the heavens consent to burn and turn cold days to fine
The unpredictable nature of life includes both difficulties and moments of beauty
City of souls flung by the breath of old lovers
We are all connected to one another and influenced by those who came before us
Where death's cold dancer's heart was ne'er so very unkind
The inevitability of death does not diminish the warmth and love of life
Farewell we sing dressed in the leavings of others
We honor those who came before us by using what they have left behind to create something new
For guests shall plenty bring and turn cold days to fine
We can find joy and abundance when we welcome new experiences and possibilities into our lives
"Happy and poor" is that more foolishness talking?
Questioning the validity of societal values and beliefs that prioritize wealth over well-being
Will walking pieces half preserve your hearth in flame?
The pursuit of material success is not a substitute for emotional and spiritual fulfillment
Scant seed in store brings feathered visitors flocking
Even limited resources have the potential to attract abundance and beauty
To sing shall comfort bring for souls are made the same
Expressing ourselves through creative outlets can provide solace and connection with others
Sinners arise and turn your eyes to the waters
We can find renewal and redemption in the natural world
For Nature's mortal pool shall bathe all fools in brine
The cycle of life and death is a reminder of our mortality and the inevitability of change
Be not denied when all sure-footedness falters
Navigating uncertainty requires resilience and adaptation
For Earth's uncertainties have turned our fields to wine
Challenges can bring unexpected blessings and opportunities for growth
Writer(s): Nancy Kerr
Contributed by Asher W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@stibblebar
Love it ! Love it ! Love it !
@Judy49067
I can't stop listening to this. Her voice is unique. Beautiful, such a beautiful song.
@isusekdragi123ify
Nancy yes we want more Sweet Visitor, Sweet Liberties, Melrose quartet, Fagan/Kerr, and other associations.We want all now.
@sashamikulec7816
Directly from heaven....
@rogerfindlay6836
I can't get enough of this. Superb in every way. R.
@paacer
Beautiful, what a multi talented lady is Nancy .
@MrJohnAndrewhall
Perfect song for a new year's eve.
@wendycampbell3801
What a marvelous song! :)
@peelsmyth.7909
Awsome!
@aeh5040
Great counterpoint!