Gwaith Samuel Roberts

Born in the modest village of Llanbrynmair in 1800, Samuel Roberts grew up in a family steeped in chapel tradition. His father served as a minister, and young Samuel soon followed, assisting at the local church before taking on his own preaching duties. The rugged landscape of mid‑Wales and the daily toil of farming shaped his early worldview, giving him a keen eye for both hardship and the quiet beauty of the countryside.

In 1857 Roberts embarked on a bold journey across the Atlantic, settling in the hills of East Tennessee. The promise of a new life soon collided with the harsh realities of frontier land deals, and the looming Civil War added further strain. Yet these challenges sparked a prolific outpouring of verse, as he turned his experiences into songs that lifted the spirits of Welsh farmers and offered a steady voice against oppression.

The recording brings together his most beloved short poems and vivid sketches of rural life, preserving the cadence of a man who bridged two continents. Listeners will hear the pulse of a 19th‑century Welsh heart, resonating through language that is at once simple, sincere, and deeply moving.