Six of Fifty-Two

The Tommy Jenkins video has had some great comments. He’s had to postpone a few gigs lately through ill health but is up and running again for his summer engagements and has a new album out soon. Here’s a link to a video about Tom Paine, an American patriot. He wrote the political pamphlet Common Sense. It is credited as playing a crucial role in convincing colonists to take up arms against Britain.

“Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washingtonwould have been raised in vain.”

John Adams

Click here for the video:     Tom Paine's Bones

There’s another link below to a sea song, Codi Angor(Raising The Anchor) where Tommy mixes Codi Angor in Welsh with the English, Leave her Johnny Leave Her.

Click her for the video:           Codi Angor

This week,Hut Number 9, Island Farmin Bridgend takes centre stage. Enthusiastic volunteers curate the World War Two German prisoner of war camp, organising Open Days at regular intervals. On 10^thMarch 1945 70 German POW’s attempted to escape digging a tunnel out of their wartime imprisonment. It became know as The Great Escape in Wales

  

The sun has been shining all week we did a video shoot down Oxwich on Gower. What a beautiful place, first visit to the beach this season. We had a small road trip around Gower taking in the sights and smells of the wild horses of Cefn Bryn. What a wonderful day but we should have taken a few sandwiches! Man cannot survive on ice cream alone! 

The mantra is as Warren Zevon said, Enjoy Every Sandwich! 

Oh there’s another one, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.

Five of Fifty Two

This week Tommy Jenkins allows us an insight into the musical life story of one of Wales’ most unique folk singers. His work in the folk scene in South Wales is unparalleled as a solo artist and in various bands including Cromlech. I have an album of theirs in my collection, Igam Ogamon the Sainrecord label.

A self-taught Welsh speaker, he gives us an in depth view into his career. I wanted to edit the video down to ten minutes so that more viewers in this digital age would watch. It’s well known that the short attention span of the You Tube generations want an experience that is quick and short. Tommy comes in at nearly thirty minutes, I urge you sit, relax and listen to Tommy’s story.

Tommy has released several albums over the years including Songs of Swansea and Gower. By the end of April he is hopefully releasing a new album,

I’m off tonight to watch coracle fishing on the River Towy in Carmarthen, a 9.30 p.m. start. We will be filming them soon and putting together a documentary on the history and folklore of the unique fishing craft through the ages.

Next week Mother Bear are off to film in a recording studio in Gorslas, Carmarthenhshire and capture the unique sound of Ron Savory and Liz Crippin before they set out an extensive tour of post-Brexit Europe. 

Here’s a link to a performance at the Laugharne Festival in 2017.

https://youtu.be/-bZqoXzlOuI

Here’s a few we hope to bring to you soon:

·     Kidwelly Castle

·      ­Boss Brewing, Cardiff

·     Pembrokeshire Beach Food

·     Rhondda Heritage Centre

·     Surfers against Sewage

·     Tin Churches of Pembrokeshire

It’s a wonderful hobby travelling around Wales getting to know people from different walks of life and Americymru gives us the focus to continue.