Written way back in the late 18th century, Amazing Grace is one of the most significant songs of all time.
It’s one of the most recognizable pieces of music on Earth, covered and performed by countless artists and influential figures over the years.
You’ve probably heard various versions of Amazing Grace and might even have your very own favorite, but this performance of the song by Celtic Thunder could go down in history as perhaps the greatest of all time.
Famed for its powerful voices and theatrical-style performances, Celtic Thunder is a group of extraordinary Irish and Scottish singers.
Since forming back in 2007, the group has become immensely popular, performing all over the world, releasing a dozen different albums, and blowing our minds time and time again.
And as part of their Celtic Thunder Christmas release, the group decided to perform this incredible version of Amazing Grace in front of a very lucky audience.
If you’ve never heard Celtic Thunder sing before, you’re in for a real treat!
Right from the opening moments, we can hear and feel just how powerful these men’s singing voices are.
Amazing Grace isn’t the easiest song to sing; you need a lot of energy and emotion in your vocals to pull it off, but the world class team of Keith Harkin, Ryan Kelly, Emmet Cahill, George Donaldson, Colm Keegan, and Neil Byrne manage to pull it off to perfection here.
Interestingly, despite being such a religious song, Amazing Grace was written by a man who had no interest in spirituality for most of his life!
The hymn’s writer, John Newton, was an English poet who entered the Royal Navy and later got involved in the Atlantic slave trade.
In 1748, his ship was caught in a terrible storm off the coast of Ireland, and, in a moment of desperation, he called out to God for help. The storm later calmed down and Newton survived, discovering his Christian faith and going on to become a clergyman.
Newton wrote the words for Amazing Grace in 1772, taking inspiration from his own experiences, but he could never have imagined the legacy that he would leave with those powerful lyrics, delivered here with such emotion and power by the talented singers of Celtic Thunder.
Each of the men gets their moment in the spotlight throughout their performance, including Donaldson, the oldest member of the group, who sadly passed away in 2014, and Damian McGinty, the youngest.
They all have such amazing voices, working so well during the solo moments and blending together beautifully when the whole group sings together as one.
It’s a performance quite unlike any other, well-deserving of the huge round of applause it receives right at the end.
Over half a million people have enjoyed the clip on YouTube too, where Celtic Thunder regularly upload their latest songs and live performances for all of us to enjoy.
Watch and enjoy the video for yourself in the player below.
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