“It may sound like a wild boast, but just before the Beatles played here, I was probably a lot bigger in the town than they were,” reveals Bryn, who looks and sounds like someone who has spent most of their life in the world of showbiz.
The man who is affectionately known as the most famous unknown singer in Britain has sold over a million records since the 1960s and has earned himself a prestigious place in the Guinness Book of Records as the only UK artist to have three albums in the charts in the space of one year.
Not bad work for an Abergavenny lad who was given away at a Brynmawr bus-stop when he was just nine months old.
And yet Bryn, who was once famously dubbed the “Welsh Bruce Forsyth” might have been a household name on par with the likes of that other other larger than life and gruff voiced raconteur, Tom Jones, if only the Abergavenny songbird had accepted the Beatles manager Brian Epstein’s invite to visit him in London 50 years ago.
Bryn explained, “At the time the Beatles played the Town Hall, I was more a fan of the Hollies, who thanks to promoter Eddie Tattersall, also played Abergavenny.
“I mean I had heard the Beatles’ debut album ‘Please Please Me’, and although I liked it it hadn’t blown me away.”
Bryn added, “I was invited to the Town Hall to meet the boys by the Mayor of the time, Jack Thurston, who knew me as a local entertainer who performed regularly in the area.
“I arrived at the Town Hall quite early and got to hang out with Paul, George and Ringo. I remember getting on really well with all of them especially Ringo, because we were all the same sort of age and enjoyed the same sort of banter.
“I recall that when John Lennon finally arrived after being flown by helicopter from London to Pen-y-Pound, the other three greeted him with some sarcastic comments about being late because he had been filming an episode of Jukebox Jury, but he gave as good as he got and even then you could already see the close-knitted gang mentality which they became renowned for.”
After the gig Bryn accompanied the Beatles to the Angel Hotel and said, “Later that evening I was introduced to Brian Epstein by Jack Thurston who said to the Beatles manager, ‘This is Bryn, a local pop star and good lad’.
“After chatting with Epstein for a while and with Jack constantly in the background singing my praises, Brian eventually said to me, ‘Why don’t you come and visit us in London and perhaps we can do something together.”
A rueful Bryn explained, “At that time I didn’t have the money to go, besides which, back then, to a simple boy from Tudor Street, London might as well have been another country. However, if I had known then what the Beatles achieved under Epstein’s management, I would have perhaps made more of an effort to have packed up my bags and gone.”
Yet since that fabled night Bryn remained more determined than ever that his star would shine and shine it did. Yemm’s success as a singer has earned him a worldwide following, and because of his musical accomplishments he has also been honoured with an enviable entry in the Beatles Encyclopedia - the most comprehensive book on the scouse mop tops ever produced.
Bryn mused, “It’s funny in retrospect to think what those four young guys from Liverpool went on to achieve, but when we were all hanging out together in Abergavenny it never occurred to me I was in the company of a bunch of guys who would change the world. To me they were just a group of fun lads to be around and have a laugh with.”
Among those who also fondly remembered the 1963 visit was Christine Williams from Govilon, said, “It was a great night and I can’t remember who autographed the ticket but it was definitely one of the Beatles and although I can’t be sure it looks like it’s signed ‘Boyos’.”