Arfon Williams was born in LLanrwst North Wales and attended Ysgol Glan Clwyd St Asaph,Ysgol Cymraeg from 1972 to 1977. He joined the army in 1977 and served with the Ist Battalion Welsh Guards. In 1985 he joined the Merseyside Police. He has served with the CID and will be retiring in July 2012 . Arfon has written and recorded two albums :- "I Still Dream" which is distributed by ACM Records ,New York and "Time Should Wear A Hat" which is available through all major digital distributors. One of his songs "Solitude" was donated to the Welsh Guards charity album.(Welsh Guards Reunited). AmeriCymru spoke to Arfon about his career and his future plans.

AmeriCymru: When did you first start song writing? What inspired you?

Arfon: I started playing the guitar after purchasing one off a fellow soldier in 1980.Although I am not the best guitarist I managed to play enough chords to start writing songs.I was bought up on the Welsh folk songs of he 70's.Dafydd Iwan ,Tepot Piws etc After the army Paul McCartney tunes inspired me as I could see how songs were being structured.

AmeriCymru: You have played in several bands over the years. Care to tell us a little more about them?

Arfon: By chance colleagues in the Police needed a lead singer for their soul band around xmas 1994,They had heard i could sing a bit as i would often get up on a stool at our rugby club at Hoylake and give them a rendition of Faith by George Michael.The band was a soul band and my first gig on stage was at a caravan site in Rhyl on New Years eve.It felt brilliant!!

AmeriCymru: You have written and recorded two albums. What is the story behind them and where can our readers go to hear/purchase them?

Arfon: The first 'I Still Dream' is mostly love songs ,broken hearts and quite dark although they may appear to be up beat.This is for sale at itunes and most digital sales sites.readers can google 'I Still Dream by Harry Williams .This is signed to ACM records New York..

AmeriCymru: One of your songs "Solitude" was donated to the Welsh Guards charity album.(Welsh Guards Reunited) Can you tell us more about the song and the album?

Arfon: The second album 'Time Should Wear a Hat ' is also sold via the internet.This Album is less dark and features jazz/swing style tunes.'Central Park New York ' seems to be a popular download but 'Solitude' does well for hits also. Solitude was written about Amy Winehouse and her then boyfriend.They had not seen each other for a while and I wondered what either would be thinking whilst waiting in a hotel room alone waiting for the other to arrive.It was very sad that Amy Winehouse left us so young.

AmeriCymru: Your song "In This Town " is featured in the 2007 film "Happy Holidays" by New Jersey film producer James C Ferguson. How did it feel to hear your work played on the 'big screen'?

Arfon: It was the oddest thing hearing 30 seconds of one of my songs in a scene on a film.The tale of how it got there is quite amazing. wrote the song whilst walking up the hill from Dolwyddelan to Blaenau Festiniog in the summer. I wanted to write an upbeat tune and got to thinking about being back in North Wales.and past memories...." When I'm in this town .I think about you .....la la " By the time I walked back to my sisters home I had written it in my head..I told her I needed a pen and quickly wrote down the words....I recorded it in the same week,I sent it off as I have done many of my songs in answer to a request for songs via the 'Bandit Magazine.Within two weeks of writing the song I was emailed asking if it could be used in the film...2 weeks!!...I'd been sending songs off for years..It just happened like that and i was thrilled!

AmeriCymru: One of your songs entitled Baby I Love you is being re mixed by German record company ."Soundofnow" . Any word on a release date?

Arfon: The release date for the first mix is the 12 of January 2012...In the name of 'Erick Maconda' this is the name we have chosen for the act.The mix is by the 'Future polar bears.Two further mixes with full vocals will be released later in the year.

AmeriCymru: What's next for Arfon Williams?

Arfon: I retire from the Police in June and plan to sing full time and do some more writing

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the members and readers of AmeriCymru?

Arfon: Hi All Have a great xmas break and a happy new year.

Arfon: Please feel free to e mail me anytime...about any of the songs and good luck with everyones endevours in 2012....Diolch yn fawr am gwrando.Nadolig Llawen and Blwyddyn Newydd da i chi i gyd.

Arfon

Interview by Ceri Shaw Google+ Email