Tagged: bryn yemm
Bryn Yemm in India
AmeriCymru: Hi Bryn and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. When did you first start singing and when did you realise that this was to be your future?
Bryn: As an adopted little boy in Abergavenny Wales the family who took me in were a Salvation Army family and I spent all my formative years being raised in the Sunday School, Sunday morning and afternoon. So the bands and songsters awoke in me a chance to sing. I tried also to learn the cornet, but due to lack of practice I soon lost interest. I was very young and wanted to be down at the river or up the many beautiful mountains which surrounded my home town of Abergavenny. A t that time singing for a living was a million miles away..
AmeriCymru: You were born in Brynmawr but currently reside in Abergavenny. How did you come to live in Abergavenny and what musical background did you enjoy there?
Bryn: I was born in Brynmawr , S.Wales and as I mentioned I was adopted by Ivor and Marie Yemm who lived in Abergavenny, which was about ten miles away and that's where I ended up. We have maintained our home in Wales until the present but due to some minimal success had homes in Cyprus, earlier years, and the in Florida USA. My musical background was influenced by the Salvation Army Bands.
AmeriCymru: When did you release your first album and how many have you recorded over the years?
Bryn: By determination and Faith (Mark9 vs 23) I had my first single (Black is the night) on Columbia records in the late 60s and my springboard to turning professional came about by me writing a song to celebrate the Queens Jubilee in 1977. Since then I have recorded many albums, around 15 plus singles and other popular tracks for special events.
AmeriCymru: You met The Beatles in 1963. Care to tell us a little more about this experience?
Bryn: Meeting and hanging out with the Fab Four.(The Beatles) I built up a solid name for myself in S.Wales and the Beatles came to appear at our local Theatre.The local mayor invited me to the event and I spent most of the day in the dressing room with all four. Plus met and chatted with the bands Manager Brian Epstein who invited me to to visit him in London. As I had no money I didn't take up the offer.
AmeriCymru: In the course of your long career is there any one song or album that you are particularly proud of, or that stands out for you in some way?
Bryn: Over the course of my career , after the success of the Jubilee party I was asked by FW Woolworths UK if I had an album, so I jumped in without delay to present one. With special help from my lifetime friend Kingsley Ward Of Rockfield studios ,Wales we produced "Hello Bryn Yemm" to this day it's one of my favorites, maybe because it was the first album, but over 15 years more followed ,along with TWO lovely DVD's...MY Tribute from Wales the Land of Song and to my utter delight.. "FOOTSTEPS filmed in ISRAEL....and the other favorite "I'll Fly Away" an album that features my wife Ann, daughter Tracy and a dear friend ( deceased) Christina Marlow...one of the UKs top singers ...the girls did all the backing singing and the songs are wonderful. I love it and it holds many great memories.
AmeriCymru: You visited the States in 2003. Care to tell us a little more about that visit? Any plans to return?
Bryn: MY first visit to the USA was an invitation by top Welsh businessman John James. John and his Father George owned four Casinos in the UK. John invited us to sing at his Daughters wedding in Fort Lauderdale. Of course we loved the experience , and it fuelled our enthusiasm to spend more time in the States. As things progressed IN 2003 the company in Israel I worked for decided to bring a Cruiseship from Haifa to Cape Canaveral , being the Entertainment Director for them I was invited to join the venture and be Cruise Director and Entertainments manager. After a year we bought a home in Cape Canaveral and loved it. We have now been in the states for twenty years , but never gave up our home there in Wales were our heart is.
AmeriCymru: What are you working on at the moment? Any new recordings in the works?
Bryn: Thanks to the pandemic, I found myself stranded in Wales, when all work closed down for all of us in America and the U.K. It's been a hard time, but as always I found plenty to do like writing a new book which will be my second and also trying hard to get a new U tube channel together with my friends at Ameri-Cymru in Portland Oregon. I am planning a new album when we gather the funds to do it maybe in Charleston Carolina, with my friend Michael Howard's Big Band....hope so.
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?
Bryn: I am very Grateful to Ameri-Cymru for their help and encouragement especially lovely Gaabriel at their studio. The Ddraig Goch..(the Welsh Dragon ) depicts three things NO four! The earth, The Sea, The Sky and the speech of the Cymru.. IT leads the Welsh people in an unending war for the perpetuation of our language......Join us in lifting up Wales and inform the world of the great heritage of our country here and across America...DIolch yn Fawr...God bless Wales...and God Bless America.
Bryn Yemm with Mother Theresa
With over 10 albums of contemporary classic songs, together with performances throughout the world, Bryn is deservedly placed in the list of truly great entertainers. The Guinness Book of Hit Albums testifies this; acknowledging that Bryn was the only UK artist to have 2 chart entries in top 100 albums during 1986.
Today his albums offer a more reflective mood and once again he has identified exceptional musicians to collaborate on a truly inspirational album; a gift he demonstrated with “Gateway to Song” with the Morriston Orpheus Choir, “How Great Thou Art” with the Treorchy Male Voice Choir”, “Across the Bridge” with the Kidz R Us choir and the award winning “Let There Be Peace” with the Richard William Singers. Faith, Hope & Salvation – Bryn Yemm meets Salvation Brass – is an extraordinary collection of amazing songs, songs to inspire, songs to raise the spirit and songs to sing along with.
Salvation Brass are outstanding musicians, drawn from Salvation Army bands from across the UK. They contribute distinctive arrangements to each song under the guidance of the musical director Dean Jones. The Morrison Songsters realise the magnificence of the melody, then highlight and emphasise the essence of these songs. This album contains songs/hymns that are classics from Salvation Army Bands repertoire.
No matter where in the world I perform, I am proud to proclaim “I am from Wales – the land of song”; this is reflected by the inclusion of “Calon Lan” and “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah” (“Bread of Heaven” as sang by Welsh rugby fans worldwide).
Bryn enthuses “I am particularly excited and proud of my version of “McArthur Park”, with the brass band it thunders along”.
A lyric from “McArthur Park” says “I’ll never have that recipe again”; we hope that Bryn Yemm will continue to find the recipe for further collaborations with exceptional musicians and albums to inspire all ages.
BRYN YEMM
sensational new album - released 1 December 2017
ACROSS THE BRIDGE
an album of songs to inspire & lift your spirit
to reflect upon treasured memories of loved one
“ Across the Bridge”
the latest album release from
international best selling artist
Bryn Yemm
“Listen to ‘Safe N Sound’ it expresses all our wishes for a dear one who has passed”.
“I have gathered one of the most talented teams in South Wales to perform on and produce this album. It was recorded at Nick Brine’s Leeders Vale Studios – Nick is a young dynamic producer who already worked with Oasis, Thunder and Chapel Row after learning his craft at Rockfield Studios. Nick was assisted with ‘mixing and mastering’ by talented sound engineer Jon Constantine”.
“Adding an extra dimension to the vocals are the amazing Katy Dann and the Kidz R Us choir; they truly enrich this album”.
“I have recorded an album of songs to inspire, to lift your spirit, to reflect upon treasured memories of loved one”.
Orlando, FL. (January XX, 2016): A consortium of Welsh marketing and promotion experts have joined forces under the Bay International Group banner to promote Welsh art, talent, culture and products in the USA. Led by Bryn Yemm and Stuart Rowlands, the new entity’s Corporate Headquarters is based in Orlando, Florida with satellite offices in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire and Los Angeles, California.
“We have thought for a long time that Welsh industries, especially the arts, have been underserved in the United States,” says Managing Partner Bryn Yemm. “At Bay International Group we have the marketing and promotional knowledge and contacts to open those ‘all important’ doors in the USA that can mean the difference between success and failure.”
Bryn Yemm, has made his reputation as an international entertainer and marketer. Yemm was born in Brynmawr (Breconshire), Wales and now spends his time between Orlando and Abergavenny. A successful performer and producer with his own record label Bay Records and Bay Promotions, he is featured in the Guinness Book of Hit Albums UK, and was the subject of a BBC TV documentary featuring his life and work. Yemm specializes in promoting, presenting, hosting, performing and representing corporate interests. Corporate clients have included FW Woolworths, Littlewoods, Variety Club International and Mano Maritime.
Left Front - Bryn Yemm with the Rt. Hon Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of the Welsh Assembly and the ladies of Bridgend Tenovus choir.
US Sales for Bay International Group will be headed by Karen Griffin. Griffin was formerly President of Soleil Builders, Inc a successful construction company in Tampa, FL. She is a graduate of the University of Florida.
Jonathan Constantine heads IT for Bay International Group. Based in South Wales, Jonathan was educated in Guildford, Surrey and is an accomplished IT and recording systems engineer. He will be working with Bay International Group clients offering full IT services for individual companies.
Given the huge opportunities for the creative sector in the USA, the Bay Group team are looking to use their experience to help Welsh firms of all sizes who seriously want to expand their international presence in this exciting and dynamic market.
For further information: www.bayinternationalgroup.com
Contact: Bryn Yemm:
UK Office: +44 1873 561 574
US Office: +1 321 613 2806
