He may be best known for being part of the Irish Tenors but Ronan Tynan’s resume ranges from platinum recording artist and motivational speaker to educator and Paralympics gold medalist.

Lakeshore Community Concerts presents the man billed as America’s Irish tenor April 8 at Munster High School Auditorium.

“Anyone who follows me knows I’m fairly eclectic and versatile in what I do,” said Tynan via phone from his Boston home.

“There will be quite a good selection of Irish songs but there will be some Broadway stuff. There will be some contemporary and there’ll be some surprises that the audience won’t expect. Every time I sing I make it like I’m singing the song for the first time. It never gets old. It’s always a new audience.”

Tynan’s repertoire is described as including “selections from the operatic, oratorio, concert and pop music genres.”

“It’s very important that singers don’t put themselves in a box. You have to be known as a singer who can sing almost anything,” said Tynan, a visiting professor at the University of Kentucky.

Tynan, who published his autobiography “Halfway Home: My Life ’til Now” in 2002, will be joined by accompanist William “Bill” Lewis for the Munster performance.

“I’ve worked with my pianist for almost 18 years so we’re a team. We’re like brothers. We get on super well. That’s everything when you have somebody who knows you. You can’t buy that,” said Tynan who had his first singing lesson in 1992 at age 32 when he was a medical doctor in residency.

Tynan, who was the subject of Shay Healy’s documentary film “Doctor Courageous,” originally joined the Irish Tenors in 1998 and has performed with fellow members Finbar Wright and Anthony Kearns throughout the world. The trio has been seen in several PBS specials including the popular “Ellis Island.”

“We’ve brought wonderful Irish music to basically the world,” said Tynan.

“What we’re doing is giving new life to old songs. It’s great fun and people enjoy it. That in itself is, to me, a great feeling and gives people their own nostalgia. It allows them to interpret the songs the way they want to interpret them and brings back memories for them.”

Tynan’s memorable moments have included performing for the late Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and Pope Benedict XVI at the Concert of Hope in 2008 in New York and singing “Last Full Measure of Devotion” at former President George H.W. Bush’s funeral in December.

“President Bush and I had a great friendship. I was singing for a great friend,” said Tynan, who sang “Amazing Grace” and “Ave Maria” at the 2004 funeral of former President Ronald Reagan and has performed for former President George W. Bush and former President Bill Clinton.

Tynan, a bilateral amputee who won 18 gold medals and set 14 world records from 1981-1984 while participating in the Paralympic Games, also offers motivational programs such as “Hitting the High Notes: Living Life to the Fullest.”

“One of the biggest factors is the importance of family and people who believe in you and give you the incredible sense that you can achieve anything,” said Tynan, who competed in track and field and as an equestrian and has become known for performing “God Bless America” at Yankee Stadium in New York.

“When you find that others have believed in you, it brings out the finest from you.”

Source : https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/lifestyles/ct-ptb-ent-ronan-tynan-0405-story.html