[1] The son of John Welsh, by his wife, a daughter of Thomas Linley the elder, he was born at Wells, Somerset.
He became a chorister in Wells Cathedral, where his singing notice; Richard Brinsley Sheridan heard of him, and induced Linley to engage him for oratorio performances at the Haymarket Theatre, London, in 1796.
He produced two farces at the Lyceum Theatre, and an opera, Kamskatka, at Covent Garden, and ultimately settled down to his main work, as a teacher of singing.
He had great success with his pupils, among whom were Charles Edward Horn, Catherine Stephens, Jane Shirreff, and Mary Anne Wilson, who became his wife, and sang in many important concerts.
In addition to dramatic pieces, he wrote some sonatas for piano (1819), songs, part-songs, glees and duets, and a ‘Vocal Instructor,’ London [1825].