And the former US Coast Guard has rigged his show to reflect the tall ships currently gracing the Island's waters.

The Virginia-based singer/songwriter said: "One of the things I've been doing recently is an instrumental album with some other musicians which has a very nautical theme.

"I know the tall ships are in here so I'll include a lot of nautical material.'' Bob -- with 30 years in the music business -- performs a range of folk music and writes his own songs as well.

And he plays banjo, accordion, guitar and Jew's harp to accompany his classic songs.

He said: "It's all really kind of traditionally-based, traditionally-orientated music. I'm not trying to be the next Bruce Springsteen.'' Among his own songs is one inspired by his days as a sonar operator on board a US Coast Guard cutter and communicating with whales through his sonar set.

Bob added: "I do some traditional sea shanties as well, like Ewen McColl's Shellback Song and Shenandoah.

"I also set poetry, like Rudyard Kipling, to music. I love songs which tell a good story. I'm a singer of traditional songs and I write the ones I can't find anywhere else.'' Bob's latest solo effort -- called Hove-to and Drifting -- also has the tang of salt air about it.

He said: "I've done four solo albums and then a collection in Finland of sea shanties of the Baltic.'' Bob has travelled the world with his music, appearing at a host of prestige festivals in the US, UK and Europe over the years.

And, even back in his home port of Norfolk, he manages to combine his love of music and his business, running a music shop with a folk club attached.

He said: "We've had big names like the Battlefield Band and Dougie MacLean -- some of them regularly slept on the couch at home.'' Bob Zentz will be performing for the Bermuda Folk Club at the Old Colony Club on Trott Road in Hamilton tonight. Doors open at 8.30 p.m. and tickets are available at the door.