The Chairman of the S4C Authority, Huw Jones has paid tribute to Dr Meredydd Evans following the announcement of his death today (Saturday 21 February).
The S4C Authority Chairman, Huw Jones, said:
“'Merêd' was probably the first Welsh language pop star. With his velvety voice, his catchy songs and good looks, he charmed a generation in the 40’s and 50’s as a member of 'Triawd y Coleg'. But he was much more than that. As a TV producer and then head of entertainment at BBC Wales, he felt passionately the need for popular programmes which would appeal across the nation, and he knew what was needed to make them happen.
"Later, as a tireless campaigner, he provided inspiration and leadership in the campaign which led to the setting up of S4C, and he was a firm but courteous critic of the subsequent efforts of Welsh broadcasters to reach their goals. With his ground-breaking work, alongside his wife Phyllis, in popularising Welsh folk-songs and as a respected academic philosopher and teacher, he was a unique, significant and much-loved figure in the cultural life of Wales.”
