Tom Jones!

A man went to the doctor with a strange complaint.

"Well it's like this Doc, when I drive to work in the morning through the country lanes I start to sing 'The green green grass of home'.

If I see a cat then it's 'What's new, pussy cat?'. It's so embaracing, even when I'm asleep and dreaming, I still keep singing. Last night, it was 'Delilah', and my wife was not amused!"

"Yes, it would apear that you have the early symptoms of Tom Jones syndrome."

"Well I've never heard of that, is it common?" asked the man.

"It's not unusual," replied the doctor.

Tom Jones

Tom Jones, the powerful singer from Whales is a very nice person, a good father and a devoted husband to his first and only wife. That's a lot to say about a person who has spent so long traveling the world singing and having women throw their underwear at Tom Jones and I'm sure that underwear isn't the only thing they have offered him. Tom Jones is also a man whose music has been used in more movies than any other artist in history. Tom Jones's songs seem to fit into so many different situations. Tom Jones is also one of the most lasting performers of all time. After all these years Tom Jones is still traveling the world and playing to sell-out crowds of adoring fans.

Tom Jones the Meeting

I met Tom Jones through his percussionist, a delightful Puerto Rican man that I carouse with in Las Vegas. After I was introduced to Tom Jones that first time, I made a point to visit his dressing room whenever we were working in Las Vegas at the same time. Tom was always glad to see me and seemed to enjoy our conversations. "Have a drink, mate". On one of these visits I knocked on his dressing room door and heard his voice call out, "Who is it?" I said. "It's Kip Addotta" and I heard the voice of his manager a Mr. Green say, "Don't let him in, Tom, he's a bad cat". I heard Tom Jones say, "I like him! Let him in". I was admitted and had a pleasant visit never letting on that I had heard what Mr. Green had to say. After all, when your in show business all sorts of rumors float around about you and most of them are not true. Tom Jones understands that and judges people by the way Tom Jones sees them. He's a great guy!

Tom Jones son's birthday

During one of my visits Tom Jones introduced me to his son who just happened to be celebrating his twenty first birthday. After introductions were made all around Tom invited his son and I to follow him. Tom Jones led us out back to the stage's loading bay and there sat a beautiful brand new, gleaming, black Mercedes four door sedan, the most expensive one you could buy. Tom Jones said, "Happy birthday son!" Tom Jones's son's mouth dropped. "Is this really for me?" Tom replied, "Yes it is son, I love you mate!" I couldn't help but think that I wished Tom Jones were "My" dad.

Tom Jones robust voice

Tom Jones became one of the most popular vocalists to emerge from the British Invasion. Since the mid-'60s, Jones has sung nearly every form of popular music -- pop, rock, show tunes, country, dance, and techno, he's sung it all. Tom Jones's actual style -- a full-throated, robust baritone that had little regard for nuance and subtlety -- never changed, Tom Jones just sang over different backing tracks. On stage, Jones played up his sexual appeal; it didn't matter whether Tom Jones was in an unbuttoned shirt or a tuxedo, Tom Jones always radiated a raw sexuality, which earned Tom Jones a large following of devoted female fans who frequently threw underwear on stage. Jones' following never diminished over the decades; Tom Jones was able to exploit trends, earning new fans while retaining his core following.

Tom Jones back to Wales

Born Thomas John Woodward, Tom Jones began singing professionally in 1963, performing as Tommy Scott with the Senators, a Welsh beat group. In 1964, Tom Jones recorded a handful of solo tracks with record producer Joe Meek and shopped them to various record companies to little success. Later in the year, Decca producer Peter Sullivan discovered Tommy Scott performing in a club and directed Tom Jones to manager Phil Solomon. It was a short-lived partnership and the singer soon moved back to Wales, where Tom Jones continued to sing in local clubs. At one of the shows, Tom Jones gained the attention of former Viscounts singer Gordon Mills, who had become an artist manager. Mills signed Scott, renamed Tom Jones Tom Jones and helped Tom Jones record his first single for Decca, "Chills and Fever," which was released in late 1964. "Chills and Fever" didn't chart but "It's Not Unusual," released in early 1965, became a number one hit in the U.K. and a Top Ten hit in the U.S. The heavily orchestrated, over-the-top pop arrangements perfectly meshed with Jones' swinging, sexy image, guaranteeing Tom Jones press coverage, which translated into a series of hits, including "Once Upon a Time," "Little Lonely One," and "With These Hands." During 1965, Mills also secured a number of film themes for Jones to record, including the Top Ten hit "What's New Pussycat?" (June 1965) and "Thunderball" (December 1965).

Tom Jones popularity slips

Jones' popularity began to slip somewhat by the middle of 1966, causing Mills to redesign the singer's image into a more respectable, mature tuxedoed crooner. Jones also began to sing material that appealed to a broad audience, like the country songs "Green, Green Grass of Home" and "Detroit City." The strategy worked, as Tom Jones returned to the top of the charts in the U.K. and began hitting the Top 40 again in the U.S. For the remainder of the '60s, Tom Jones scored a consistent string of hits in both Britain and America. At the end of the decade, Jones relocated to America, where Tom Jones hosted the television variety program, This Is Tom Jones. Running between 1969 and 1971, the show was a success and laid the groundwork for the singer's move to Las Vegas in the early '70s. Once Tom Jones moved to Vegas, Jones began recording less, choosing to concentrate on his lucrative club performances. After Gordon Mills died in the late '70s, Jones' son, Mark Woodward, became the singer's manager. The change in management prompted Jones to begin recording again. This time, Tom Jones concentrated on the country market, releasing a series of slick Nashville-styled country-pop albums in the early '80s that earned Tom Jones a handful of hits.

Tom Jones at the Glastonbury Festival in England

Jones' next image makeover came in 1988, when Tom Jones sang Prince's "Kiss" with the electronic dance outfit, the Art of Noise. The single became a Top Ten hit in the U.K. and reached the American Top 40, which led to a successful concert tour and a part in a recording of Dylan Thomas' voice play, Under Milk Wood. The singer then returned to the club circuit, where Tom Jones stayed for several years. In 1993, Jones performed at the Glastonbury Festival in England, where Tom Jones won an enthusiastic response from the young crowd. Soon, Tom Jones was on the comeback trail again, releasing the alternative dance-pop album The Lead and How to Swing It in the fall of 1994; the record was a moderate hit, gaining some play in dance clubs.

Tom Jones Hits

1 It's Not Unusual

2 She's a Lady

3 What's New Pussycat?

4 Delilah

5 I (Who Have Nothing)

6 Daughter of Darkness

7 Till

8 Without Love

9 I'll Never Fall in Love Again

10 Green, Green Grass of Home

11 Sex Bomb

12 Black Betty