James Fagan
Encyclopedia
James Fagan is a folk music
ian from Sydney
, Australia
. He in a singer and multi-instrumentalist specialising in the Irish bouzouki
.
Born in Australia in 1972, James was the first child of Sydney-based folk singers Bob and Margaret Fagan. They, James and his sister Kate formed The Fagans, and have toured the Australian folk scene since the early 1980s. James’s first instrument was piano. By his teens he was singing, playing guitar and clarinet. In 1994 he joined Alistair Hulett
's band The Hooligans which included Jimmy Gregory who introduced him to the guitar-shaped bouzouki
which is now his main instrument. Singing remains his first and foremost musical love.
He completed his medical training in 1995 and was on holiday in England when he met Nancy Kerr
. They formed the duo which has become the mainstay of their career. James is well respected in his own right on the UK music scene – his other projects include being a member of The Cara Dillon
Band and heavy metal
English Ceilidh band The Glorystrokes. He has also toured as part of Bellowhead
.
Fagan is best known for his work with Nancy Kerr whom he married in 2007, and with whom he won BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
'Best Duo' in both 2003 and 2011. Together they have released six albums: Starry Gazy Pie (1997), Scalene (with Sandra Kerr
) (1998), Steely Water (1999), Between The Dark and Light (2002), Strands of Gold (2006), and Twice Reflected Sun (2010). In 2008 Nancy and James were joined by concertina player Robert Harbron to form the trio "Kerr Fagan Harbron", recording and touring the album Station House.
)
1997: Starry Gazy Pie (with Nancy Kerr
)
1998: Scalene (with Sandra Kerr
)
1999: Steely Water (with Nancy Kerr
)
2002: Between The Dark and Light (with Nancy Kerr
)
2004: Turning Fine (with The Fagans)
2006: Strands of Gold (with Nancy Kerr
)
2008: Station House (with Nancy Kerr
and Robert Harbron)
2009: Milk and Honey Land (with The Fagans)
2010: Twice Reflected Sun (with Nancy Kerr
)
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
ian from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He in a singer and multi-instrumentalist specialising in the Irish bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
.
Born in Australia in 1972, James was the first child of Sydney-based folk singers Bob and Margaret Fagan. They, James and his sister Kate formed The Fagans, and have toured the Australian folk scene since the early 1980s. James’s first instrument was piano. By his teens he was singing, playing guitar and clarinet. In 1994 he joined Alistair Hulett
Alistair Hulett
Alistair Hulett, was a Scottish acoustic folk singer and revolutionary socialist, best known as the singer of the folk punk band, Roaring Jack.-Early life:...
's band The Hooligans which included Jimmy Gregory who introduced him to the guitar-shaped bouzouki
Irish bouzouki
The Irish bouzouki is a development of the octave mandolin adapted for Irish traditional and other folk music from the late 1960s onward.-Adoption for Celtic music:...
which is now his main instrument. Singing remains his first and foremost musical love.
He completed his medical training in 1995 and was on holiday in England when he met Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr is an English folk musician, specialising in the fiddle and singing. She is the daughter of London-born singer-songwriter Sandra Kerr and Northumbrian piper Ron Elliott....
. They formed the duo which has become the mainstay of their career. James is well respected in his own right on the UK music scene – his other projects include being a member of The Cara Dillon
Cara Dillon
Cara Dillon is an Irish folk singer. In 2001, she launched her career as a solo artist in the UK with the eponymous Cara Dillon album...
Band and heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
English Ceilidh band The Glorystrokes. He has also toured as part of Bellowhead
Bellowhead
Bellowhead are an English contemporary folk band originally brought together by John Spiers and Jon Boden. The eleven-piece band plays traditional dance tunes, folk songs and shanties, with arrangements drawing inspiration from a wide diversity of musical styles and influences...
.
Fagan is best known for his work with Nancy Kerr whom he married in 2007, and with whom he won BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards
The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British radio station BBC Radio 2....
'Best Duo' in both 2003 and 2011. Together they have released six albums: Starry Gazy Pie (1997), Scalene (with Sandra Kerr
Sandra Kerr
Sandra Kerr is an English folk singer.Sandra Kerr was born in Plaistow, Newham, London. She was a member of The Critics Group from 1963 to 1972.She sings and plays English concertina, guitar, appalachian dulcimer and autoharp....
) (1998), Steely Water (1999), Between The Dark and Light (2002), Strands of Gold (2006), and Twice Reflected Sun (2010). In 2008 Nancy and James were joined by concertina player Robert Harbron to form the trio "Kerr Fagan Harbron", recording and touring the album Station House.
Partial Discography
1996: Heat, Light and Sound (with Eliza CarthyEliza Carthy
Eliza Carthy is an English folk musician known for both singing and playing fiddle. She is the daughter of English folk musicians singer/guitarist Martin Carthy and singer Norma Waterson.-Life and career:...
)
1997: Starry Gazy Pie (with Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr is an English folk musician, specialising in the fiddle and singing. She is the daughter of London-born singer-songwriter Sandra Kerr and Northumbrian piper Ron Elliott....
)
1998: Scalene (with Sandra Kerr
Sandra Kerr
Sandra Kerr is an English folk singer.Sandra Kerr was born in Plaistow, Newham, London. She was a member of The Critics Group from 1963 to 1972.She sings and plays English concertina, guitar, appalachian dulcimer and autoharp....
)
1999: Steely Water (with Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr is an English folk musician, specialising in the fiddle and singing. She is the daughter of London-born singer-songwriter Sandra Kerr and Northumbrian piper Ron Elliott....
)
2002: Between The Dark and Light (with Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr is an English folk musician, specialising in the fiddle and singing. She is the daughter of London-born singer-songwriter Sandra Kerr and Northumbrian piper Ron Elliott....
)
2004: Turning Fine (with The Fagans)
2006: Strands of Gold (with Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr is an English folk musician, specialising in the fiddle and singing. She is the daughter of London-born singer-songwriter Sandra Kerr and Northumbrian piper Ron Elliott....
)
2008: Station House (with Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr is an English folk musician, specialising in the fiddle and singing. She is the daughter of London-born singer-songwriter Sandra Kerr and Northumbrian piper Ron Elliott....
and Robert Harbron)
2009: Milk and Honey Land (with The Fagans)
2010: Twice Reflected Sun (with Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr
Nancy Kerr is an English folk musician, specialising in the fiddle and singing. She is the daughter of London-born singer-songwriter Sandra Kerr and Northumbrian piper Ron Elliott....
)