Geraint Griffiths (born 1949) is a Welsh singer-songwriter and actor. He works mainly in the

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic languages, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales by about 18% of the population, by some in England, and in (the Welsh c ...

Early life and education

Born in Pontrhydyfen, Griffiths attended Pontrhydyfen Primary school and then moved across to Ysgol Gymraeg Pontrhydyfen when it opened. In 1960 he attended Glan Afan Grammar Technical School in Port Talbot (later Glan Afan Comprehensive School). In 1966 he left to study nursing at The

Prince of Wales Orthopaedic Hospital, Rhydlafar The Prince of Wales Orthopaedic Hospital () was a specialist orthopaedic hospital in Rhydlafar Rhydlafar is a small settlement in Wales located on the outskirts of Cardiff, around 5 miles west of the city centre and 5 miles south-east of Ll ...

, and later at West Wales General Hospital,

Carmarthen Carmarthen (, ; , 'Merlin's fort' or possibly 'Sea-town fort') is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community (Wales), community in Wales, lying on the River Towy north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. At the 2021 United Kingdom cen ...

, and at Saint George's Hospital, London.

Career

Griffiths started his recording career as a session musician with

bands Hergest and Edward H Dafis. In 1976 he returned to Wales to join the short lived band Injaroc, leaving one album ''Halen Y Ddaear''. In 1978 he formed the Welsh language rock band Eliffant. The band recorded two albums on the Sain label and a single on the band's own label, "Llef". In 1985 he started his professional career with his own six part television series on S4C, ''Nol Ar Y Stryd'' (Back On The Street). He released several albums of his compositions on the Sain label as a solo artist.

Recordings

* ''M.O.M.'' (1979) with the band Eliffant. * ''Gwin Y Gwan'' (1980) with the band Eliffant. * ''Madras'' (1984) * ''Rebel'' (1986) * ''Ararat'' (1988) * ''Blynyddoedd Sain 1977-1988'' (1997) Compilation. * ''Eliffant'' (2001) Compilation. * ''Cadw'r Ffydd'' (2003) Compilation. He recorded the Welsh language rock version of

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

's ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

'' -''Teilwng Yw'r Oen'' in 1984. He founded his own record label, Diwedd Y Gwt, in 1992. He has released several albums on this label. * ''Donegal'' (1992) * ''Hewl'' (1999) * ''Glastir'' (2001) * ''Miya-Jima'' (2005) * ''Clwb Dydd Sadwrn'' (2007) * ''Havana'' (2007) * ''Brooklyn'' (2017)

Films

* ''Y Cloc'' (1986) Endaf Emlyn * ''Ffair Roc'' (1986) Richard Powelko * ''Fel Dail Ar Bren'' (1987) David Lyn * ''Derfydd Aur'' (1989) Paul Turner * ''Nel'' (1990) Richard Lewis * ''Sant Mewn Storm'' (1994) * ''The Proposition'' (1996) Strathford Hamilton * ''Dirgelwch Yr Ogof'' (2002) Endaf Emlyn

External links

BBC Music.
Official website
accessed 30 September 2014.
Biography on the Sain Recording Company website
accessed 30 September 2014.

Bibliography

*Geraint Davies & John Davies, ''HEWL: STORI GERAINT GRIFFITHS'', Gomer; , 2005 {{DEFAULTSORT:Griffiths, Geraint 1949 births Date of birth missing (living people) Living people Welsh-language singers People from Neath Port Talbot People educated at Port Talbot County Boys' Grammar School Welsh male songwriters Welsh male singers Welsh male film actors Welsh male television actors British male songwriters