FOUR Carmarthenshire performers will go head to head with the likes of Sir Tom Jones and Dame Shirley Bassey to be crowned Wales's Greatest Living Voice.
Penboyr's Cate Le Bon, Garnant's John Cale, Burry Port's John Owen-Jones and Brynaman's Fflur Wyn are joined by 28 other nominees on the prestigious list, compiled by a panel of experts for the BBC competition.
Cale is best known for co-founding the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed but has also enjoyed considerable success as a soloist and as a composer in a career which has spanned half a century.
Le Bon has built a career as a solo artist, as well as collaborations with the Manic Street Preachers, among others.
Soprano Wyn has made a big name for herself in the world of opera, and while she cannot compete with 73-year-old Cale in terms of experience, her voice has been gaining rave reviews since she was competing in Eisteddfods as a child.
Owen-Jones is an award winning and record-breaking West End and Broadway performer best known for his performances as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera.
However all four face stiff competition from a huge variety of acclaimed singers, including Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins and Charlotte Church, as well as Stereophonics lead singer Kelly Jones and former Catatonia star Cerys Matthews.
The winner will be decided by a public vote, with the result announced on June 12 by Carmarthen singer and BBC Radio Wales presenter Wynne Evans.
The shortlist was composed by a panel of experts selected from across the Welsh musical spectrum. From vocal coach Chris Johnson to BBC Radio One and BBC Radio Cymru Presenter Huw Stephens and Executive Director of Welsh National Opera David Pountney, each brought a different taste, background and perspective to the table, which explains the enormous variety of styles included in the talented shortlist.
Paul Forde, Deputy Editor at Radio Wales paid tribute to Wales's musical heritage when announcing the shortlist.
Mr Forde said: "The breadth of singing talent from Wales is astonishing and the judges had a hard time whittling it down to just 30 voices for the shortlist.
"The most pleasing thing for me is the range of musical genres covered on the list. The big names you would expect are all in there but there are also some surprising choices on the list."
Voting will close on Monday. If you would like to see the full shortlist and place your vote, visit bbc.co.uk/radiowales.
Final 30 nominees
Steve Balsamo is a singer/ songwriter from Swansea. He is known for playing the lead role in Jesus Christ Superstar.
Michael Barratt is a rock and pop singer from Cardiff. He is better known as Shakin' Stevens, one of the UK's biggest selling artists of the 80s.
Dame Shirley Bassey is from Tiger Bay in Cardiff. She is known internationally as a contemporary pop artist, recognised for her performances on multiple James Bond films.
Cate Le Bon is a singer/ songwriter from Penboyr in Carmarthenshire. She is known for her work as an individual artist but also as a collaborator with many other Welsh musicians, including The Gentle Good and Manic Street Preachers.
Kenneth Bowen is a Welsh singer from Llanelli. He is most notable as the musical director of the London Welsh Chorale from 1983 to 2008.
James Dean Bradfield is a rock singer from Pontypool in Wales. He is known as the lead singer of Welsh band, Manic Street Preachers.
Stuart Burrows is a tenor singer from Cilfynydd. He is known for his work with the Welsh National Opera.
John Cale is a composer, musician and singer/ songwriter from Garnant in Carmarthenshire. He was the founding member of 60s rock band, The Velvet Underground.
Charlotte Church is a singer and actress from Llandaff in Cardiff. She was known as a multiple-platinum selling classical singer as a child, who then transitioned into an indie, pop and rock artist as a teenager.
Duffy is a contemporary soul singer from Bangor in Gwynedd. Her debut album, Rockferry was certified 7-times platinum worldwide.
Dave Edmunds is a singer/ songwriter, guitarist and record producer from Cardiff. Aside from having a variety of major solo hits, he has also produced records for Johnny Cash, Motorhead and Squeeze.
Rebecca Evans is a singer from Penarth in South Wales. She is known for her soprano operatic style.
Katherine Jenkins is a classical crossover singer and songwriter from Neath. She is known for her distinctive mezzo-soprano voice.
Aled Jones MBE is a singer and television personality from Bangor in Gwynedd. He began his career as a child on the Christmas song Walking In The Air in 1985, since he has established himself as a popular classical singer.
Dame Gwyneth Jones is a classical singer from Pontnewynydd. She is known for her dramatic soprano.
Gwyn Hughes Jones is a singer from Llanbedrgoch in Anglesey. He is known for his tenor voice in the Welsh National Opera.
John Owen Jones is a singer and musical theatre actor from Burry Port in South Wales. He is best known for his performances are Phantom Of The Opera, Alain Boublil and Les Miserables.
Kelly Jones is a singer/ songwriter and guitarist from Cwmaman. He is known as the lead singer of pop-rock band, Stereophonics.
Sir Tom Jones is an international pop star from Pontypridd. He has sold over 100 million records over a 50 year career.
David Kempster is a singer from Chirk in North Wales. He is known for his baritone voice in the Welsh National Opera.
Cerys Matthews is a singer/ songwriter, author and broadcaster from Cardiff. She is known as the lead singer of rock band, Catatonia.
Dennis O'Neil is a singer from Pontarddulais. He is an operatic tenor and popular recording artist.
Janet Price is a soprano singer from Pontypool. She is particularly associated with the 19th century Italian bel canto repertory.
Gruff Rhys is a singer/ songwriter, author and director from Bethesda. He is known for his solo work but also as lead singer of rock band, Super Furry Animals.
Martin Rossiter is a rock singer from South Wales. He is known as lead singer of indie-rock band, Gene.
Georgia Ruth is a singer/ songwriter from Aberystwyth. She has previously collaborated with Manic Street Preachers and her album Week Of Pines won the Welsh Music Prize award in 2013.
Alison Statton is a singer from Cardiff. She was the lead singer of the band Young Marble Giants.
Bryn Terfel CBE is a classical singer from Pant Glas. He is known for his baritone-bass voice and his performances as an opera and concert singer.
Bonnie Tyler is a country rock singer from Skewen. Two of her singles, Total Eclipse Of The Heart and Holding Out For A Hero are among the best-selling songs of all time.
Fflur Wyn is a soprano singer. She is known for her work with the Welsh National Opera
http://balsamo-deighton.blogspot.nl/
Penboyr's Cate Le Bon, Garnant's John Cale, Burry Port's John Owen-Jones and Brynaman's Fflur Wyn are joined by 28 other nominees on the prestigious list, compiled by a panel of experts for the BBC competition.
Cale is best known for co-founding the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed but has also enjoyed considerable success as a soloist and as a composer in a career which has spanned half a century.
Le Bon has built a career as a solo artist, as well as collaborations with the Manic Street Preachers, among others.
Soprano Wyn has made a big name for herself in the world of opera, and while she cannot compete with 73-year-old Cale in terms of experience, her voice has been gaining rave reviews since she was competing in Eisteddfods as a child.
Owen-Jones is an award winning and record-breaking West End and Broadway performer best known for his performances as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera.
However all four face stiff competition from a huge variety of acclaimed singers, including Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins and Charlotte Church, as well as Stereophonics lead singer Kelly Jones and former Catatonia star Cerys Matthews.
The winner will be decided by a public vote, with the result announced on June 12 by Carmarthen singer and BBC Radio Wales presenter Wynne Evans.
The shortlist was composed by a panel of experts selected from across the Welsh musical spectrum. From vocal coach Chris Johnson to BBC Radio One and BBC Radio Cymru Presenter Huw Stephens and Executive Director of Welsh National Opera David Pountney, each brought a different taste, background and perspective to the table, which explains the enormous variety of styles included in the talented shortlist.
Paul Forde, Deputy Editor at Radio Wales paid tribute to Wales's musical heritage when announcing the shortlist.
Mr Forde said: "The breadth of singing talent from Wales is astonishing and the judges had a hard time whittling it down to just 30 voices for the shortlist.
"The most pleasing thing for me is the range of musical genres covered on the list. The big names you would expect are all in there but there are also some surprising choices on the list."
Voting will close on Monday. If you would like to see the full shortlist and place your vote, visit bbc.co.uk/radiowales.
Final 30 nominees
Steve Balsamo is a singer/ songwriter from Swansea. He is known for playing the lead role in Jesus Christ Superstar.
Michael Barratt is a rock and pop singer from Cardiff. He is better known as Shakin' Stevens, one of the UK's biggest selling artists of the 80s.
Dame Shirley Bassey is from Tiger Bay in Cardiff. She is known internationally as a contemporary pop artist, recognised for her performances on multiple James Bond films.
Cate Le Bon is a singer/ songwriter from Penboyr in Carmarthenshire. She is known for her work as an individual artist but also as a collaborator with many other Welsh musicians, including The Gentle Good and Manic Street Preachers.
Kenneth Bowen is a Welsh singer from Llanelli. He is most notable as the musical director of the London Welsh Chorale from 1983 to 2008.
James Dean Bradfield is a rock singer from Pontypool in Wales. He is known as the lead singer of Welsh band, Manic Street Preachers.
Stuart Burrows is a tenor singer from Cilfynydd. He is known for his work with the Welsh National Opera.
John Cale is a composer, musician and singer/ songwriter from Garnant in Carmarthenshire. He was the founding member of 60s rock band, The Velvet Underground.
Charlotte Church is a singer and actress from Llandaff in Cardiff. She was known as a multiple-platinum selling classical singer as a child, who then transitioned into an indie, pop and rock artist as a teenager.
Duffy is a contemporary soul singer from Bangor in Gwynedd. Her debut album, Rockferry was certified 7-times platinum worldwide.
Dave Edmunds is a singer/ songwriter, guitarist and record producer from Cardiff. Aside from having a variety of major solo hits, he has also produced records for Johnny Cash, Motorhead and Squeeze.
Rebecca Evans is a singer from Penarth in South Wales. She is known for her soprano operatic style.
Katherine Jenkins is a classical crossover singer and songwriter from Neath. She is known for her distinctive mezzo-soprano voice.
Aled Jones MBE is a singer and television personality from Bangor in Gwynedd. He began his career as a child on the Christmas song Walking In The Air in 1985, since he has established himself as a popular classical singer.
Dame Gwyneth Jones is a classical singer from Pontnewynydd. She is known for her dramatic soprano.
Gwyn Hughes Jones is a singer from Llanbedrgoch in Anglesey. He is known for his tenor voice in the Welsh National Opera.
John Owen Jones is a singer and musical theatre actor from Burry Port in South Wales. He is best known for his performances are Phantom Of The Opera, Alain Boublil and Les Miserables.
Kelly Jones is a singer/ songwriter and guitarist from Cwmaman. He is known as the lead singer of pop-rock band, Stereophonics.
Sir Tom Jones is an international pop star from Pontypridd. He has sold over 100 million records over a 50 year career.
David Kempster is a singer from Chirk in North Wales. He is known for his baritone voice in the Welsh National Opera.
Cerys Matthews is a singer/ songwriter, author and broadcaster from Cardiff. She is known as the lead singer of rock band, Catatonia.
Dennis O'Neil is a singer from Pontarddulais. He is an operatic tenor and popular recording artist.
Janet Price is a soprano singer from Pontypool. She is particularly associated with the 19th century Italian bel canto repertory.
Gruff Rhys is a singer/ songwriter, author and director from Bethesda. He is known for his solo work but also as lead singer of rock band, Super Furry Animals.
Martin Rossiter is a rock singer from South Wales. He is known as lead singer of indie-rock band, Gene.
Georgia Ruth is a singer/ songwriter from Aberystwyth. She has previously collaborated with Manic Street Preachers and her album Week Of Pines won the Welsh Music Prize award in 2013.
Alison Statton is a singer from Cardiff. She was the lead singer of the band Young Marble Giants.
Bryn Terfel CBE is a classical singer from Pant Glas. He is known for his baritone-bass voice and his performances as an opera and concert singer.
Bonnie Tyler is a country rock singer from Skewen. Two of her singles, Total Eclipse Of The Heart and Holding Out For A Hero are among the best-selling songs of all time.
Fflur Wyn is a soprano singer. She is known for her work with the Welsh National Opera
http://balsamo-deighton.blogspot.nl/
