Geraint Griffiths is a Welsh singer songwriter and actor. He has worked mainly in the Welsh language

Welsh language

Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...

.

Early life and education

Born in Pontrhydyfen

Pontrhydyfen

Pontrhydyfen is a small village in the Afan Valley, in Neath Port Talbot county borough in Wales.-Location:It is situated in the Afan Valley at , at the confluence of the River Afan and the smaller Afon Pelenna, 1.8 miles north of the larger village of Cwmafan and not far from the towns of Port...

, in the Afan Valley, Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

, 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

Glan Afan Comprehensive School

Glan Afan Comprehensive School is a mixed comprehensive school, which has served the town of Port Talbot, Wales and its surrounding areas for over 110 years.-History:...

). In 1966 he left to study nursing at The Prince of Wales Orthopaedic Hospital at Rhydlafar near Cardiff. Then at the West Wales General Hospital at Glangwili in Carmarthen

Carmarthen

Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....

 and Saint George's Hospital in London.

Career

Griffiths started his recording career as a session musician with Welsh language 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 bands 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

Sain

Sain , in full – Recordiau Sain Cyf is a Welsh record label, which was in the Welsh folk revival....

 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

HANDEL

HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....

's Messiah - 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)

Films

• Y Cloc (1986) Endaf Emlyn
  Endaf Emlyn
  Endaf Emlyn is a Welsh musician, film and television director.Emlyn was born in Bangor, Wales. He began his television career as scriptwriter and presenter for HTV Wales, but had a simultaneous career as a musician...
  
  
• 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

• Official website
• Biography on the Sain Recording Company web site