Morus Elfryn

Morus Elfryn
Elfryn in 1975
Background information
Born	1948 or 1949
Died	22 March 2022 (aged 73)
Genres	Welsh folk music
Occupation	Musician

Morus Elfryn (c. 1948 – 22 March 2022) was a Welsh musician, television production manager and carpenter. Described by Gruff Rhys as a "maverick singer", he recorded for the Welsh-language label Sain in the 1970s and later worked on S4C programmes including C'mon Midffîld!.

Career

Morus Elfryn was from Pontsiân, Ceredigion.[1][2] He was educated at Ysgol Dyffryn Teifi, where he attracted notice as a rugby player.[1][3] He then attended college in High Wycombe before returning to Wales.[3] As a teenager, Elfryn started performing music as part of the folk trio Y Cwiltiaid.[3] The group released three EPs on the Qualiton and Cambrian labels between 1967 and 1970.[1][3]

In the early 1970s, Elfryn was a member of the satirical band Y Dyniadon Ynfyd Hirfelyn Tesog.[1] After the group split following the death of leader Gruff Miles, Elfryn formed a duo, Morus Elfryn a Nerw, with fellow member Gareth "Nerw" Hughes Jones.[1][4] The duo released the EP, Heibio'r Af, on Sain in 1974.[1] Elfryn's only solo album, I Mehefin (Lle Bynnag y Mae), was released on Sain in 1975.[1] Tracks from I Mehefin were later included on Welsh Rare Beat (2005) and Welsh Rare Beat 2 (2007), compiled by Andy Votel, Dom Thomas and Gruff Rhys.[5] Gruff Rhys has described Elfryn as a "Celtic Gene Pitney" whose songs "always weave an atmospheric narrative reminiscent in subject matter to Scott Walker or Jacques Brel".[5]

Characterised by Dafydd Iwan as a private and family-oriented man,[3] Elfryn retired from live performances in 1985 and moved to working in television.[1] From the 1980s, he was a production manager with Ffilmiau'r Nant and worked on S4C programmes including the popular sitcom C'mon Midffîld! and Pengelli.[1][6] He was later involved in the soap opera Rownd a Rownd.[1] He was described as "Mr Fixer in the television world" by Dafydd Iwan.[3] In later years, Elfryn moved to Waunfawr near Caernarfon.[1] A carpenter by trade, he resumed his carpentry in retirement, making and selling furniture.[1] He reunited with Gareth "Nerw" Hughes Jones for a live performance in 2015, his first in 30 years.[2]

After a short illness, Elfryn died at Ysbyty Gwynedd on 22 March 2022, aged 73.[1][7] In 2023, Elfryn's son Dei auctioned a quilt of beer towels from C'mon Midffîld! in his father's memory, with proceeds going to a cancer charity.[8]

References

1. "Teyrngedau i Morus Elfryn, cerddor a rheolwr cynhyrchu "uchel iawn ei barch"". Golwg360 (in Welsh). 24 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
2. "Morus Elfryn yn dychwelyd i'r llwyfan… wedi 30 mlynedd". Golwg360 (in Welsh). 28 February 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
3. "Y cerddor a'r cynhyrchydd Morus Elfryn wedi marw'n 73 oed". S4C (in Welsh). Retrieved 1 March 2023.
4. "Musician killed in car crash". The North Wales Weekly News: 1. 3 October 1974. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
5. Welsh Rare Beat 2 - "Y 'Steddfod Seicadelig! (liner). Finders Keepers Records. 2007.
6. Rowlands, Jennifer (9 June 1989). "Footballers fail to meet their match". Caernarfon and Denbigh Herald: 17. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
7. "Morus Elfryn". Funeral Notices. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
8. "An opportunity to buy a piece of the history of C'mon Midfield's iconic programme". BBC Cymru Fyw. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.