She was supposed to be a professional dancer, wowing the audience with her fluid and song-like movements, with her grace and style.

 But, it didn't quite work out that way for Kathleen Hamm.

 Many years after she left the dance academy in Ontario, she wows audiences with her gracious, silk-like voice, instead.

 Given her family tree, it seems a natural progression.

 "My background training is in ballet," she said. "I've always been in dance. But there had always been music in the house I grew up in. There was always live music in the house. And, my mother sang professionally for a short time, years ago. She sang with a group."

 Well, she's not quite a professional, but it's not for lack of talent.

 And to display that talent, Ms Hamm has released her first studio album, "Autumn Love."

 The album is a tribute to the music Ms Hamm remembers.

 "They're old standards in a jazz style," she said. "We didn't plan it this way. We picked out the songs we thought we'd like the most, picked our favourites out."

 But they're standards with a small twist.

 Recorded in Western Shore by Joey Carver, the album was supposed to replicate those classics she adored.

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 "We were planning on other instruments and harmonies and things, but the simplicity of it is what caught my ear," she said.

 So, she decided, with her husband Brad, to stick with vocals and the guitar, which he played.

 The decision to make an album had been in the works for about a year before it finally happened.

 "It was on her bucket list," Mr. Hamm explained.

 After singing with the Country Studio Singers for some time, Ms Hamm began requesting some solos with the choir.

 "It started one song at a time," she said. "Once I learned a few of my favourite songs, I thought it may be nice to have it on a CD to put it away and for our kids to have. We decided to look into it."

 But it almost didn't happen.

 About two years ago, with their 25th anniversary approaching, the couple had simultaneously, unknown to each other, began researching what it takes to cut a studio album.

 Then tragedy struck.

 Mr. Hamm needed emergency brain surgery.

 "As he was being wheeled into surgery, I told him what I was up to," she said. "You know, just in case. At that time he confessed he had been looking into booking a studio.

 "The surgery went well and everything was okay, but that delayed the process."

 After Mr. Hamm had sufficiently recovered, the two got serious about making the album.

 "I put myself to the challenge and learned the songs," she said. "And he put himself to the challenge and learned the songs and we went for it. It was difficult for him because he plays completely by ear."

 The couple had 500 albums made.

 They're long gone and there's a waiting list for more.

 "I was so surprised by the reaction," Ms Hamm said. "I had no idea."

 When all is said and done, Ms Hamm is happy with the results.

 But she admits she had a lot of help to make things work out.

 "It was a family affair," she said. "My son did the graphic design work, my daughter did the photography for the album and Brad played the guitar."

 Fitting, for such a close-knit family.

 "I had my kids in mind when we did this," Ms Hamm said, explaining the origin of the album name. "Our daughter was born in the fall, as was Brad and our son was born on Valentine's Day. We were thinking all kinds of things. Autumn love. Their birthdays in the fall and our son's on Valentine's Day."

 What the future brings for the Hamm family is anyone's guess, but Ms Hamm says she definitely suspects another album is in it.

posted on 08/31/10