The Celtic Tenors (Photo: Barry McCall)

Celtic Tenors are drying themselves off from the soaking Irish rains this summer to warm up on our shores for a brief East Coast tour. The group is known for their engaging mix of Irish traditional and pop standards, delivered with operatic flair!

I spoke with Celtic Tenor and Sligo native James Nelson about the upcoming leg of their tour. You’ll have to look far and wide to find a more interesting and kind man.

James writes a column for the "Sligo Weekender", and is part of an ongoing building project in Nairobi (Kenya) helping give AIDS orphans a second chance at life, as well as teaching them music&performing in concerts with the kids.

I spoke with him about the tour and the group’s plans for the summer and beyond. Here’s how it went.

We haven’t spoken since Feels Like Home came out. How has the album been going for you? 

Great! We have had a very busy year with it and a lot of the tours are based loosely around that album. Our German tour in October/November is even entitled "Feels like home". The reaction to the album everywhere we have to say has all been positive, which is great.

What can people expect on this leg of the tour? 

As always, anyone who comes to our shows can expect a real eclectic mix...we are 3 very different guys, and while we all have had classical vocal training, and all have performed in opera, oratorio and concerts worldwide before our Celtic Tenor years, we all have varied and broad musical tastes. But of course there will be the usual Celtic (Irish, Scottish and others) songs, Classical songs, some American, some 'pop', and ....others.... Of course there will also be at least one 'a capella' number in each half of the show. And the others will be accompanied by our fabulous young Musical Director Colm Rogan (only 22!).

What’s next for the group? 

Future plans for the group are our first Symphony tour of China in August/September of this year. We’re very excited about that. There is a German tour, more dates in the USA and Canada as always, a Dutch tour in April 2013... and of course a new album....somewhere along the way! I'm also hoping we can finish our long-awaited Christmas album which has been partially recorded.

Tour Dates:

09 Aug 12
Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, Maine
10 Aug 12
Cape Cod Meoldy Tent, Cohassett, MA
11 Aug 12
State Theater, New Brunswick, NJ
12 Aug 12
South Shore Music Circus, Hyannis Port, MA

Here's a promotional video for the Celtic Tenors: