AN ANNUAL Welsh-language music awards ceremony will return to Aberystwyth for the fifth time next month.

Y Selar - The Cellar - music awards are the annual celebration and showcasing of the best in Welsh-language rock and pop, and will again take place at Aberystwyth University Students’ Union.

The weekend will kick off on Friday, 16 February, with an exclusive gig from this year’s winner of the Special Contribution Award, Heather Jones.

Heather has been performing on the stages of Wales since the early 1960s, initially a member of a group, Y Cyfeillion, which formed in Cathays School in 1964, before making her solo début in 1966.

This year will mark exactly 50 years since the release of her first solo material, the EP Caneuon Heather Jones which was released on the Welsh Teldisc record label in 1968.

At the end of the ’60s she was a member of Y Bara Menyn, a group consisting of two of Wales’ other most notable musicians, Meic Stevens, and her husband-to-be, Geraint Jarman.

Geraint was the winner of Y Selar’s Special Contribution Award last year.

In 1972, Heather won the Wales Song of the Year with a song composed by Geraint, Pan Ddaw’r Dydd. Over the decades since, Heather has continued to perform regularly and has released numerous records.

Y Selar magazine editor-in-chief Owain Schiavone said: “The whole point of this award is to pay tribute to an individual whom has made a notable contribution to the Welsh-language contemporary music scene over a long period of time, and without a doubt Heather falls comfortably into that category.

“She has made a huge contribution not only musically, but from a perspective of female musicians in Wales in an industry which has often been dominated by men.”

Heather said: “Though I’m slightly shocked, I’m very proud that Y Selar feel I’m worthy of this award. I’m very much looking forward to the gig in Aberystwyth and look forward to singing many of the old favourites in my set.”

See this week’s south papers for the full feature, available in shops and as a digital edition now