For the better part of 40 years, it seemed like there wasn't a song Rod Stewart couldn't turn to gold.The veteran singer with the voice as smooth as sandpaper spun No. 1 singles the way a chainsmoker lights up.

You're In My Heart, Maggie May, Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?, Tonight's The Night, and Reason To Believe led to 100 million albums sold worldwide.

But it likely won't be that hard-rocking Rod the Mod we'll be seeing at Monday night's Corel Centre show, rather, it will be an older, more soulful singer.

An operation last year to remove a node from his throat forced Stewart to take a break from singing and find his voice again. Literally and figuratively.

While his vocal chords were unaffected, Stewart's recovery included learning how to sing again.

"It was scary and it could have been very nasty," he said after the operation. "When you have a scare like that, it puts things into perspective."

It was during his vocal therapy Stewart renewed acquaintances with an old friend -- R&B.

"It's not as strong right now, but it will be because I keep on singing and singing and singing."

The 56-year-old rock icon is getting mellow, at least in concert.

If his August show in Toronto is any indication, expect a subdued and definitely unplugged Stewart on Monday night. That show included a string quintet.

His latest album, Human, marks his return to white soul, with former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash and Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler strumming along.

"I think there's a warmth to my voice that hasn't been recorded before," he said about Human. "There's no real out-and-out rock 'n' roll. They're all mid-tempo numbers so it's a very warm record. Like a hot water bottle."

Soul revival

Producer Rob Dickins has been an important part of Stewart's soul revival. "He's brought me so many great songs, like Tom Waits' Downtown Train. He's got great ears and I've got a great nose, which is a fabulous combination for making records. The songs have got to have some sort of soul, something I can get my teeth into," he says. "This is probably one of the more soulful albums I've done, because it leans towards R&B -- though in a very modern way."

Adding to his revival, Stewart's release of A Little Misunderstood: The Sixties Sessions, a collection of his earliest and most soulful recordings before joining Small Faces with guitarist Ron Wood.