Welsh singer shares live Advent performance series
Stephen Price
Welsh singer songwriter, Al Lewis, has shared a series of live advent performances across his social media accounts – featuring duets with some of Wales’ most cherished performers.
Beginning on 1 December, the first day of Advent, Lewis shared a stirring rendition of Ar Hyd y Nos (All through the Night), duetting with singer-songwriter Eve Goodman.
View this post on Instagram
With each advent performance, Lewis shares some of the background to each song, in this case writing: “Ar Hyd y Nos” (English: All Through the Night) is a Welsh song sung to a tune that was first recorded in Edward Jones’ Musical and Poetical Relics of the Welsh Bards (1784).
“The most commonly sung Welsh lyrics were written by John Ceiriog Hughes (1832-1887), and have been translated into several languages, including English (most famously by Harold Boulton (1859–1935)and Breton.
“One of the earliest English versions, to different Welsh lyrics by one John Jones, was by Thomas Oliphant in 1862.”
Mared and Alys Williams
Al’s second performance was a take on ‘2000 Miles’ by the Pretenders, while on day 3 he was joined by Mared for a beautiful version of ‘Noson Oer Nadolig’.
Following this, he was joined on day four by acclaimed harpist and performer, Catrin Finch.
Day 11 saw Lewis joined by Carwyn Ellis for a take on ‘Cerdyn Nadolig’, while day 10 features another standout duet, performing ‘Un Seren’ with Alys Williams – one of the most popular entrants from BBC’s The Voice.
View this post on Instagram
Bronwen Lewis
In true Bronwen Lewis style, the two Lewis singers performed a very special Welsh version of ‘Driving Home for Christmas’ on Day 12 of Advent.
View this post on Instagram
While another stellar performance came on day 14, with a moving version of Haleliwia performed with Casi Wyn.
View this post on Instagram
As Lewis writes: “These Welsh words for the Leonard Cohen classic Hallelujah were written by Tony Llywelyn from Nefyn. It was then recorded and made famous by the Welsh folktronica band @brigyn.”
Al Lewis
Pwllheli-born Al Lewis first gained fame after his song came second in the Cân i Gymru contest in 2007.
He participated in Cân i Gymru in 2007, the 38th edition of the competition. He came second in the competition with the song Llosgi (Burning), jointly composed by Lewis and Arwel Lloyd Owen.
In 2007, Lewis released his first Welsh language EP entitled Byw Mewn Breuddwyd. Lewis appeared at the Wakestock Festival, alongside Mark Ronson, and at the inaugural Sŵn Festival in Cardiff.
In June 2009, Lewis released his first Welsh language album, Sawl Ffordd Allan, reaching number one in the C2 Radio Cymru Welsh language chart, and the Skin & Bones EP, in collaboration with fellow Welsh singer and songwriter Sarah Howells of Paper Aeroplanes.
Lewis’ album, In the Wake, was released in October 2010.
In early 2013, Lewis released his second English language album, which again featured backing vocals from Sarah Howells. The album also features a rerecorded version of Llosgi. The album was produced by Charlie Peacock. The album was recorded at his home studio in Nashville.
In December 2013 Lewis released a Christmas single, A Child’s Christmas in Wales, in homage to Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas.
By his links in Nashville, Lewis met Mississippi-born singer-songwriter Alva Leigh and they formed the band Lewis and Leigh. As of October 2014 Lewis and Leigh have released a four-track EP, Night Drives. The EP features three original songs and a cover of Wilco’s Say You Miss Me.
His most recent Advent performance, on Day 15, was a beautiful duet with Mari Mathias.
The two singers performed the Christmas classic, Dawel Nos (Silent Night).
View this post on Instagram
Find out more about Al Lewis here.
Follow his incredible Advent countdown, and listen to the other performances on Facebook and Instagram.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
