Tom Jones records track by Breton-Welsh singer songwriter
A Breton-Welsh singer songwriter is celebrating as music legend Tom Jones has recorded one of her songs on his latest album.
Katell Keineg’s track “One Hell of a Life” features on a newly released extended edition of Sir Tom’s latest album, Surrounded by Time (The Hourglass Edition).
Sharing her delight on Twitter, Keineg said: “TOM JONES RECORDED MY SONG!!! If you’re a songwriter, there’s no greater honour than to have one of the great voices sing your song, if you’re a Welsh songwriter…I literally took to my bed to recover from the shock. One Hell of A Life, out today. Thank you, Tom! Diolch o galon.”
TOM JONES RECORDED MY SONG!!!
If you're a songwriter, there's no greater honour than to have one of the great voices sing your song, if you're a Welsh songwriter…I literally took to my bed to recover from the shock. One Hell Of A Life, out today. Thank you Tom! Diolch o galon. https://t.co/sYVRHT5HA8— Katell Keineg (@KatellKeineg) December 3, 2021
In an interview with the i magazine, Jones describes curating the covers on the album as a way of documenting his current feelings.
He said: “I’ve been in the business a long time, but I’ve never done that before – got together songs that reflect my life” and through Keineg’s song, start “facing up to advancing age”.
He added: “You have to realise, how long do I have? You can’t push it away. I’m not going to live for ever.”
Katell Keineg was born in Brittany to Breton poet and playwright, Paol Keineg and her Welsh political activist mother, Judith Pritchard.
Raised between Brittany and the Rhymney Valley by parents who campaigned for independence in their respective countries, Katell studied law at the London School of Economics before moving between Cardiff, Dublin and New York writing and performing her songs at gigs and festivals.
Having released a number of albums and EPs singing in Welsh and English, she has performed at her friend, Jeff Buckley’s memorial concert and sung with Iggy Pop. She has also sung with and had her songs performed by Natalie Merchant.
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It’s not ‘Kastell’, it’s ‘Katell’.
Yup sorted 🙂
Geiriau hyfryd – diolch Katell a Tom
As Max Boyce might put it, ‘I was there’. I’d popped round to Katell’s to interview her for the forthcoming Cardiff Meltdown retrospective for Radio Cardiff, and she was a bit distracted by a friends message that Tom Jones had covered one of her songs. While she made a cup of tea I tracked down the song on my phone and played it to Katell as she reentered the room. Such serendipity! Along with feeling thrilled for Katell, the news thrilled me too. ‘One hell of a life’ has long been the song I want played at my funeral. I… Read more »
Tom Jones have let the valleys and Wales Down he has given lots of money to America and England but nothing to Wales 🏴 no charity in wales have not had a penny of him but lots of charities in England have and he called I’m self British not welsh
Wish we could all be as pure as you Gray.
Fantastic if this leads to wider ( if somewhat belated ) exposure for Katell. If you are new to her music check it out. You won’t be disappointed.