Meredydd Evans
Meredydd Evans (9 December 1919 – 21 February 2015), known colloquially as Merêd, was a collector, editor, historian and performer of folk music of Wales. A major figure in Welsh media for over half a century, Evans has been described as influencing "almost every sphere of Welsh cultural life, from folk music and philosophy to broadcasting and language politics".
Evans first found prominence as a member of the popular singing group Triawd y Coleg, writing original material for the group as well as adapting existing songs into Welsh. A light tenor, his success as a performer on BBC Radio earned him the nickname "the Bangor Bing". Beginning in the 1950s, Evans made award-winning Welsh language recordings and published collections and research in collaboration with his American-born wife Phyllis Kinney, helping to preserve and promote Welsh music worldwide. Evans served as Head of Light Entertainment at BBC Wales between 1963 and 1973; in this role, he has been credited with discovering performers including Meic Stevens and Ryan Davies. He was a leading campaigner for Welsh language rights, taking part in acts of non-violent civil disobedience in later life. The archives of Evans and Kinney are now part of the Welsh Music Archive at the National Library of Wales.
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