Tributes after Song for Wales winner dies at 49
‘GIFTED, HARD-WORKING AND LOYAL’ MUSICIAN AND FATHER
TRIBUTES have been paid to a talented dad and musician who has died at the age of 49.
Barry Evans, from Chwilog near Pwllheli, passed away on Monday last week.
The father-of-three was a talented musician and won the Can i Gymru (Song for Wales) alongside his daughter Mirain in the 2014 competition.
Mirain paid tribute to her dad in a heartbreaking social media post, writing: “The first to help anyone but couldn’t help himself.
“We beg you to speak up, so much easier said than done, but no wife, husband, son, daughter or friend deserves this. We are here for everyone that’s in need!
“Keeping it short for now, as we’re still in shock!”
Mr Evans was also a former member of the popular Anglesey folk group Y Moniars.
In a touching tribute, Y Moniars frontman and Anglesey councillor Arfon Wyn described him as talented and extremely loyal. Speaking to the BBC, he said: “I’ve known Barry since he was about 18 years old when he came for a taster to Ysgol Hafod Lon school, where I was headmaster at the time.
“He had a talent for working with disabled children and it came very naturally to him, he was so good. He went on to work with Gwynedd social services where he truly found his forte.
“Of course, he also sang with the Moniars for a number of years and up until recently he would still perform alongside us if the gigs were relatively close to him.
“Barry was a hard worker but he also enjoyed his music, he also gave a lot of support to Richard, who is of course a blind member of Y Moniars.
“But despite all of his talents, we will remember Barry as an extremely loyal person.”
Mr Wyn added that the band were set to perform at Mr Evans’ 50th birthday celebrations within the next two weeks.
In a statement, Mr Evans’ family thanked his friends and well wishers for their messages of support which “meant so much”.
They also urged every individual to speak out, adding “there is no one problem that is too much and there is a solution to every one”.
A spokesman for North Wales Police confirmed that a body had been found at an address in Chwilog on Monday morning last week and that they were not treating the death as suspicious.