From the poorest of Welsh working class backgrounds, with little education, a man is thrust to face a life working in the hot furnaces of the Swansea Valley.

Fate intervenes when his tenor voice is discovered and an exciting chapter in his life suddenly begins…

The Pontardawe Heritage And Visitors Centre is hosting an unusual exhibition from August 5th until September 25th (10am-1pm).

From Steel to Stage is a unique opportunity to explore the career of David John Jones - also known as Dai Tenor - that started in the local steelworks and ended up on the opera and concert stage.

Opera productions, revues, tours, concerts, recitals, offers to understudy the world famous Gigli at Milan’s La Scala; regular broadcasting and sensational praise for his magnificent tenor voice were to dominate his life for over four decades before musical fashions changed.

In the early 1950s the pop music industry was emerging and the classical performer had fewer options to develop.

When the work offers ran out Dai served the community as a park keeper with diligence and care.

This display is more than just a straightforward biography; it is a social documentary of the era in which he lived.

Beginning with the journey from the Pontardawe Steelworks and going on to highly acclaimed performances on the stage and on radio, it was a remarkable achievement by any comparison, and even more so for a working-class man who had received only limited educational opportunities.