Black granite

Before him, a sea of thousands, American veterans and families alike, lost in the memories his sweet voice sketched for them in the grey mist. Behind him, a wall of black granite reflected their tears, it mirror-like stone etched with the 60,000 name of those killed in Vietnam.

"It takes your breath away," McDermott recalled later from his hotel room, struggling to find the words. "t was an emotional moment. It was a great honour to be asked."

He sang the traditional ballads and his signature, Danny Boy, that have made him a word-of-mouth- favourite around the world, with almost two million recordings sold since he began singing professionally just six years ago.

His is an incredible success story filled with serendipitous meetings, fortuitous timing and well-placed friends. The oft-told story of his start begins with Sun founder Doug Creighton, who often asked his very talented employee and friend to perform at corporate events. It was at one such party that mogul Conrad Black heard his golden tenor and when they bumped into each other at the opening of SkyDome in 1989, Black asked if McDermott would sing at his upcoming Hollinger Inc. dinner at the Toronto Club.

"I rented a tux for the occasion and I walked in the door and I checked my coat and in the lounge area was a guy who looked like Ronald Reagan. So I went up to him and said, ëYouíre a dead ringer for Reaganí and it was, of course. And we just chatted. He was a nice man, just a nice man, and then Mulroney arrived."

He knew he had to have his photo taken with both leader or his five "Doubting Thomasina" sisters would never believe him. "It was really just an extraordinary night and it was because of it that later I had the idea to go and talk to Conrad when I wanted to do the album."

Initially, the album was just to be a recording of family favourites as a gift to his parents on their 50^th anniversary. He approached Black and got the seed money he needed- and the start to his new career.

The result was Danny Boy, a collection of 12 ballads, that after a series of rebuffs from various record companies, was picked up by EMI Canada and went on to become one of the most successful debut releases by an adult artist in Canada. A slightly different version sold half a million copies in the U.S. His success allowed him to quit his day job and begin his professional career- at the age of 38.

He found his agent with equal happenstance. He was on his way to the 1991 Floating Film Festival cruise when he met Bill Ballard at the Toronto airport. After a few drinks in the lounge, Ballard had become his manager.

"And the rest is history," he laughs. Despite virtually no radio airplay and no music videos, McDermott has won loyal fans around the globe. He has a new PBS special in the works and his last, The Irish Tenors with Anthony Kearns and Ronan Tynan, was so successful that it launched a North American tour and an internationally top-selling CD. His busy touring schedule next year will have him back in Toronto for one date, Jan. 23, and then on to Monaco for a week, Switzerland and the and swing through North America.

"I had no idea this is where I was going to be. Iím just really happy where I am. I love to perform. I love doing shows. But because of the success weíve had, the loyalty of the audience, I have areas I can focus on- seniors and veterans- and I can do something and actually make a difference."

And so in the U.S., he has done benefits for homeless veterans and a new shelter in Washington has been named McDermott House in his honour. Wherever he tours, he always stops and performs at local retirement homes. "They canít get to the shows and it makes them feel a little more alive."

For himself, heís come a long way for a man who only began singing professionally six years ago. "Iíve met two presidents and three prime ministers. Not bad for a guy from Willowdale," he chuckles.

After singing at the 1995 Democratic national convention, he also added the Kennedys to his wide-list of friends. With his mom, he spent a weekend at their Hyannisport compound.

"It was just great. It was like walking through a book- everything you saw, youíve seen in so many pictures of them- the yacht, the football field. I even sat in the room where Jack would sit and read. You stop yourself and say, ëGeez, this is kind of neat. How did I end up here?í But you get over that very quickly. ëOkay, youíre here. Enjoy it and try and remember everything."

Credits his parents

Heís been fortunate to have many famous people in his corner, but McDermott traces his good fortune back to his parents. With his mom on piano and his fatherís rich voice leading the way, his brothers and sisters grew up singing the ballads of their dual Irish and Scottish heritage. The highest personal price he has paid for his success so far, he says, was being on the road when his father died in 1995.

So he has postponed next weekís performances, and tonight he will return home and take up his shift by his motherís hospital bed.

He will tell her about meeting Bill Clinton and how he made sure he said nothing about his past and only wished him well on his future. He will tell her about meeting Miss America and how they performed a duet and made plans to work together for homeless veterans. He will tell her about singing at The Wall and the veterans that he met, so grateful and so moved, and the tears that rolled down his own cheeks as he saw their faces and sang their memories.

He will share everything of these incredible last few days. Then, with her hand in his, he will sing her favourite, the song his father always sang, The Last Rose of Summer.

And though he has performed for presidents, prime ministers and Kennedys, she will be the most important audience he has ever had.