Phyllis Kinney facts for kids

Phyllis Kinney was born on July 4, 1922, in America. She is a talented singer, researcher, and historian from Wales. She is known as a top expert on Welsh folk music. Phyllis studied music at the famous Juilliard School in New York. In the 1940s, she was a lead singer with the Carl Rosa Opera Company.

After meeting her husband, Meredydd Evans, Phyllis became very interested in the culture of Wales. Through her singing, writing, and research, she helped keep the traditional music of Wales alive and popular. Today, the important collections of Phyllis and Meredydd are kept at the Welsh Music Archive in the National Library of Wales.

Phyllis Kinney's Journey

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Phyllis Kinney was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on July 4, 1922. This date is also Independence Day in the United States! After finishing high school, Phyllis went to Michigan State College. There, she learned music from a Welsh teacher named Gomer Llewelyn Jones.

Mr. Jones moved to America in 1934 and helped Phyllis discover her love for Welsh music. Before meeting him, Phyllis said she "hardly heard of Wales." By 1942, she was already performing Welsh songs for audiences in Michigan, with Mr. Jones playing the piano. He believed her singing helped people understand the Welsh spirit. Phyllis graduated in 1943 and then received a special scholarship to study at the Juilliard School in New York City.

Meeting Meredydd Evans and Moving to Wales

In 1947, Phyllis Kinney became a main singer with the Carl Rosa Opera Company. She toured the United Kingdom with them. During a visit to Bangor, Wales, Phyllis met Meredydd Evans. Meredydd was a Welsh folk musician and part of a popular singing group called Triawd y Coleg.

Phyllis quickly learned to speak, read, and write Welsh. She also shared folk music from all over the world with Meredydd. They got married on April 10, 1948. Their daughter, Eluned, was born in 1949.

Working with the BBC and Returning to Wales

Like her husband, Phyllis started working for the BBC. They often sang duets together. The Western Mail newspaper said Phyllis sang in "perfect Welsh, which had a delightful American sound sometimes."

In June 1952, the family moved to America so Meredydd could study at Princeton University. In 1960, they moved back to Wales and made it their home. Phyllis and Meredydd worked together to create important collections of Welsh songs. These books became key guides for Welsh national music. In 1962, Phyllis sang opera parts on Meredydd's album, A Concert of Welsh Songs. She later described this album as "tradition dressed up to suit the audience."

Life in Cwmystwyth and Later Achievements

In the 1980s, Phyllis and Meredydd settled in Cwmystwyth. They were very involved in their community and taught Welsh to many of their neighbors who didn't speak the language. Their home became a popular place for people of all ages from Wales and around the world to visit. People loved their company and learned a lot from them.

Because their home was close to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, they spent their retirement studying the history of folk songs. Their research was often published in Canu Gwerin, a journal for the Welsh Folk Song Society.

Phyllis received an honorary music degree from the University of Wales in 1991. In 1997, she and her husband became honorary fellows of Bangor University. In April 2007, the University of Wales published a special book to celebrate Phyllis and Meredydd's contributions to Welsh traditional music, culture, and language.

In 2011, Phyllis published her book, Welsh Traditional Music. This book is a detailed history and study of Welsh instrumental and vocal music.

Meredydd Evans passed away in 2015 at the age of 95. He and Phyllis had planned to give their important collections to the National Library of Wales. These collections are now part of the Welsh Music Archive. In 2019, Phyllis Kinney and Meredydd Evans received the Welsh Music Prize Inspiration Award.

Phyllis Kinney celebrated her 100th birthday on July 4, 2022. To mark this special day, the National Library hosted an event called Phyllis Kinney: 100. Her daughter, Eluned, and harpist Elinor Bennett were part of the celebration.