Iris Williams

Who is Iris Williams?

Iris Williams OBE is a Welsh singer. Williams reached the peak of her popularity during the 1980s.

Williams was born in Pontypridd, South Wales. Brought up in a children's home, she won a scholarship to the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. In 1979, she had her biggest UK hit, "He Was Beautiful", a song based on the already well-known theme from The Deer Hunter with lyrics by Cleo Laine. In Wales, however, she had already had major success, particularly with "Pererin Wyf" a Welsh-language version of "Amazing Grace". As a result of hitting the national charts, she was given her own BBC series. She also won the Welsh talent contest, Cân i Gymru in 1974 with the song 'I gael Cymru'n Gymru Rydd'.

In the early 1980s Williams took ownership of a public house near Ascot in Berkshire named 'The Pheasant Plucker', so named by her “extrovert” second husband – combining running it with appearances on the club circuit, before relocating to New York in the early 1990s.

In 1991, she performed in cabaret at the prestigious Oak Room in the Algonquin Hotel, New York City. Other engagements in the United States included five concerts with Bob Hope and an appearance with Rosemary Clooney. Iris also carried out several charity performances for President Gerald Ford. She has performed several times at the Royal Variety Performance, and was one of the stars of the gala concert to celebrate the opening of the National Assembly of Wales in 1999.