When I first became aware of Charlie Zahm, it was through his Celtic music. But obviously that was not enough to contain his musical talents and his rich baritone voice, which has been called "one of the finest voices in the world of Celtic music." His repertoire has expanded to include maritime music, early American and Civil War songs, hymns and just about any other song his audiences might request.

Always a deeply religious man, Zahm recently released a CD of his favorite hymns titled Precious Memories & Other Special Songs of Faith. Zahm says the CD is a tribute to his parents, Charles and Colette, "who have given me so many precious memories." Of course, that hymn is the opening track. As if to emphasize how important these memories are to him, Zahm closes with an instrumental version of the hymn. What a neat way to honor your parents!

The third track is a beautiful toe-tapping rendition of the 19th-century hymn "Nearer My God to Thee" by Sarah Flower Adams. My wife, raised in the tradition of solid Protestant hymns, particularly liked "Wind in the Willows" by Alan Bell, which was a new hymn for her.

Two highlights of the CD are Zahm's rendition of the ever-popular "How Great Thou Art" and the traditional African-American spiritual "Were You There?" Many singers will sing the former hymn with as much power as they can coax out of their voices; Charlie sings it with such gentleness and emotion that he mesmerizes the listener deep into the meaning of the words. "Were You There?" is another perfect vehicle for Zahm's baritone voice.

Among the hymns I was familiar with are the traditional Scottish piece "Morning Has Broken," Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" and "The Old Rugged Cross." I can't ever recall hearing better versions of these Christian standards; Zahm sings these hymns the way they were meant to be sung -- with love and feeling.

The CD was produced by Zahm and was recorded by Marc Moss at Target Recording Studios in Wilmington, Del., and Davis Gilchrist, who provided the orchestration, at his studios in Washington state. Moss did the hand-held percussion and John Southard played the keyboards. Zahm accompanied himself on the guitar.

Not only is Zahm "one of the most sought-after Celtic singers on the East Coast ... for concerts and festivals to television shows and Celtic-themed cruises," he is one of the few singers in the world to be invited to sing live with Scotland's Black Watch. His resume and his complete body of work are as impressive as any living musician.

For anyone who has not heard Charlie Zahm, I strongly urge you to visit his website and order one of his nearly two dozen CDs. I'm sure you'll become an instant fan of this wonderfully talented voice. Check his tour schedule and you'll see he performs several times a week all over the mid-Atlantic and New England states. Maybe one will fit into your schedule.

[ visit the artist's website ]