Steve Eaves

Steve Eaves (born 1952) is a Welsh poet, songwriter and singer, working in the Welsh language. He has lived for most of his life in the Bangor area of North Wales. He has been a performing musician for over 45 years. During the late 1960s and early 1970s he worked as a labourer and musician, with frequent forays to Chester, Crewe and other locations to perform at folk clubs and underground venues of the period. He also performed at the now legendary Les Cousins folk club in Soho, sharing the floor spot with legendary blues singer Jo Ann Kelly. He also performed with various 'underground' luminaries of the time such as Al Stewart, Tea and Symphony, and the Sutherland Brothers.

During the early 1970s, he became a student of Welsh and French at the University of Lampeter and gained literacy skills in Welsh. He came to prominence in the early 1980s, with the publication of two volumes of poetry - mainly written in free verse - Noethni in 1983 and Jazz yn y nos three years later. In the same period, he began to apply his poetry to music, performing as a singer and guitarist, initially with his Triawd (Trio), which evolved into his current backing group, Rhai Pobl (Some People). The influence of the Blues is very significant in both his poetic and musical style.Jazz, folk and rock are also cited as musical influences. His band has always included some of the most talented musicians on the Welsh language music scene, and currently includes Eaves' long-time collaborator, multi-instrumentalist Elwyn Williams, drummer Gwyn 'Maffia' Jones, double bassist Pete Walton and eminent folk musician Stephen Rees, as well as Eaves' daughter, Manon Steffan Ros. The late poet Iwan Llwyd was the band's bassist for some twenty years. Allusions to Christianity, Taoism and left-wing political activism are frequent in his lyrics, the latter a reflection of his earlier involvement in the radical Welsh language movement Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg and the Welsh Socialist Republican Movement. His acclaimed 2007 album Moelyci, recorded over a six-year period, largely deals with his reaction to the death of his wife, Siân. To date, he has released ten albums and two volumes of poetry.

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