Sir Thomas Jones Woodward (born Thomas John Woodward; 7 June 1940) is a Welsh singer. His career began with a string of top 10 hits in the 1960s and he has since toured regularly, with appearances in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
from 1967 to 2011. His voice has been described by
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
as a "full-throated, robust
baritone
A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...
".
Jones's performing range has included pop,
R&B,
show tunes,
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
, dance,
soul
The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
, and
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
. In 2008, the ''New York Times'' called him a "musical shapeshifter
ho couldslide from soulful rasp to pop croon, with a voice as husky as it was pretty".
He has sold over 100 million records, with 36
Top 40
In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...
hits in the UK and 19 in the US, including "
It's Not Unusual", "
What's New Pussycat?", the
theme song for the
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...
film ''
Thunderball'' (1965), "
Green, Green Grass of Home", "
Delilah", "
She's a Lady", "
Sex Bomb", and a cover of
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
's "
Kiss
A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
".
Jones has also occasionally dabbled in acting, first making his debut in the lead role of the television film ''
Pleasure Cove'' (1979). He also appeared as himself in
Tim Burton
Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...
's film ''
Mars Attacks!'' (1996).
In 1970, he received a
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy nomination for hosting the television series ''
This Is Tom Jones''. In 2012, he played his first dramatic acting role in an episode of ''
Playhouse Presents
''Playhouse Presents'' is an anthology series of self-contained TV plays, made by British broadcaster Sky Arts. The series started airing on 12 April 2012, on Sky Arts. Each episode is written by a different writer and stars a different cast. The ...
''. He received a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for
Best New Artist in 1966, an
MTV Video Music Award in 1989, and two
Brit Awards: Best British Male in 2000 and Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2003. He was made an
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(OBE) in 1998 and was
knighted by
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
in 2006 for services to music. He experienced a resurgence in popularity in the 2010s due to his role as a coach on the talent show ''
The Voice UK'' (2012–2015, 2017–present).
Early life
Thomas John Woodward
was born at 57 Kingsland Terrace in
Treforest in Wales on 7 June 1940, the son of Freda Jones (1914–2003) and coal miner Thomas Woodward (1910–1981).
He is primarily of English descent; his maternal grandfather was Welsh, his maternal grandmother was born in Wales to English parents from
Somerset
Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...
and
Wiltshire
Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...
, his English paternal grandfather was from
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...
, and his English paternal grandmother was from Wiltshire. He attended Wood Road Infants School, Wood Road Junior School, and Pontypridd Central
Secondary Modern School
A secondary modern school () is a type of secondary school that existed throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 1944 until the 1970s under the Tripartite System. Secondary modern schools accommodated the majority (70–75%) of pupil ...
. He began singing at an early age; he would regularly sing at family gatherings, weddings, and in his school choir. He did not like school or sports, but gained confidence through his singing talent.
At the age of 12, he was diagnosed with
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...
. Many years later, he said, "I spent two years in bed recovering. It was the worst time of my life." During this time, he could do little else but listen to music and draw.
Career
Rise to fame
Jones's voice has been described as a "full-throated, robust
baritone
A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...
".
According to Jones himself, his young voice was a
tenor
A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
voice. He said: "What you lose on the top end, you gain on the bottom end. I used to be able to hit a top C when I was young now it's a B flat." He became the frontman in 1963 for Tommy Scott and the Senators, a Welsh
beat group. They soon gained a local following and reputation in
South Wales
South Wales ( ) is a Regions of Wales, loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the Historic counties of Wales, historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire ( ...
. In 1964, the group recorded several solo tracks with producer
Joe Meek, who took them to various record labels, but they had little success. Later that year,
Decca producer Peter Sullivan saw Tommy Scott and the Senators performing in a club and directed them to manager
Phil Solomon, but the partnership was short-lived.
The group continued playing gigs around South Wales.
Gordon Mills met Jones, became his manager, and introduced him to London, where Mills worked in music. Mills renamed him "Tom Jones", to exploit the popularity of the Academy Award-winning
1963 film.
Eventually, Mills got Jones a recording contract with
Decca. His first single, "Chills and Fever", was released in late 1964. It did not chart, but the follow-up, "
It's Not Unusual", became an international
hit after offshore
pirate radio station
Radio Caroline promoted it. The following year was the most prominent of Jones's career, making him one of the most popular vocalists of the
British Invasion
The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when Rock music, rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of Culture of the United Kingdom, British culture became popular in the United States with sign ...
. In early 1965, "It's Not Unusual" reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom and the top ten in the United States. During 1965, Mills secured a number of film themes for Jones to record, including the
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...
film ''
Thunderball'',
and ''
What's New Pussycat?'' (written by
Burt Bacharach and
Hal David).
Jones was sceptical about the latter song when first approached about it. He said when it was offered to him, he felt it was "sort of a backhanded compliment: 'I've got to have you, but this is the song.
Jones said it took convincing from Bacharach to perform "What's New Pussycat?":
Jones was awarded the
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1960 (except in 1967) "for a new artist who releases, during the Eligibility Year, the first recording which establishes the public identity of that art ...
in 1966.
During a filming break at Paramount Studios (1965) in Hollywood, Jones met
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
for the first time; he recalls Presley singing, "With These Hands" as he walked towards him from the film set. The two men became good friends.
In 1966, Jones's popularity began to slip somewhat, causing Mills to reshape the singer's image into that of a
crooner. Jones also began to sing broader material. Jones soon topped UK charts and reached the top 40 in US charts. Over the next few years he scored a string of hits on both sides of the Atlantic, including "
I'll Never Fall in Love Again", "I'm Coming Home", and "
Delilah", each of which reached No. 2 in the UK chart.
1967 to 1987
In 1967, Jones performed in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
for the first time, at the
Flamingo.
His performances and style of dress became part of his stage act, and increasingly featured his open, half-unbuttoned shirts and tight trousers. He soon chose to record less and focus on club performances. Jones played in Las Vegas at least one week each year until 2011.

Jones had an internationally successful television variety show titled ''
This Is Tom Jones'' from 1969 to 1971. The
Associated Television-produced show was worth a reported to Jones over three years. It was broadcast by
ITV in the UK and by the
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast Television broadcaster, television and radio Radio network, network that serves as the flagship property of the Disney Entertainment division ...
in the US. As a result of the show, Jones was nominated in 1970 for
a "best actor" Golden Globe. From 1980 to 1981, he had a second television variety show, ''
Tom Jones'', which was produced in
Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
, Canada, and lasted 24 episodes. Both television shows were the subject of litigation with the original licence holder
C/F International. , C/F International was a secured judgment creditor of
Classic World Productions and its principal, Darryl Payne, for approximately , and was the principal secured creditor at the time of the subsequent bankruptcy filing by the company. C/F International's action against Classic World Productions and owner Darryl Payne was based on unpaid
royalty payment
A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset or ...
s from ''This Is Tom Jones'' and related recordings. ''This Is Tom Jones'' is sold on DVD by
Time Life rather than by Classic World Productions or C/F International.
C/F International's rights to later Tom Jones material were also disputed. In March 2007, Tom Jones and Tom Jones Enterprises sued C/F International to stop the company from licensing sound recordings made from the 1981 ''Tom Jones'' series. It was contended that any rights that C/F International had to license the ''Tom Jones'' show did not include the right to make and license separate recordings of the performances on the show, and that any rights that C/F International had in the ''Tom Jones'' show no longer existed because of numerous breaches of contract. Examples of contentious CDs are ''Live on the Tom Jones Show'', released in 2006, and ''Greatest Hits Live'', originally issued by C/F International in 1981 and later licensed to and issued by Prism Leisure Corporation as ''30 Greatest Hits – Live in Concert''.
On 26 April 1970,
CBS released the
Raquel Welch television special ''
Raquel!'' directed by
David Winters, in it Jones is among guests.

In the 1970s, Jones toured with the female singing groups
Quiet Elegance and
the Blossoms as his backing groups. He had a number of hit singles, including "
She's a Lady", "
Till", and "
The Young New Mexican Puppeteer", but in the mid-1970s his popularity declined. He did, however, have a big hit in 1976 with "
Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow", which went to No. 1 on the US country chart, No. 15 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 40 on the UK Singles Chart.
In 1972, he co-starred with
Jennifer O'Neill in David Winters's television special ''
The Special London Bridge Special''. Jones explained that he accepted to do the special because it allowed him to continue doing television without having the confinement of a series.
In 1976, Jones was set to make his film debut in the film ''Yockowald'', in which he was to play a
CIA assassin. The film was shelved after the production ran out of money three weeks into filming.
In 1979, Jones made his acting debut in ''
Pleasure Cove'', an
ABC television film which was a pilot for a potential television series but was not picked up. In the film, he played a suave conman named Raymond Gordon staying at the holiday island resort of the title. His co-stars in the film included
Constance Forslund,
Tanya Roberts and
David Hasselhoff.
In 1984, he guest-starred in an episode of the television series ''
Fantasy Island'' as an accountant who fantasises about living life as
Dick Turpin.
In the early 1980s, Jones started to record country music. From 1980 to 1986, he had nine songs in the US country top 40, yet failed to crack the top 100 in the UK or the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
Jones's manager Gordon Mills died of cancer on 29 July 1986, and Jones's son Mark became his manager.
In 1987, Tom Jones re-entered the singles chart with "
A Boy from Nowhere", which went to No. 2 in the UK. The following year, he covered
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
's "
Kiss
A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
" with
Art of Noise
Art of Noise (also the Art of Noise) were a British avant-garde synth-rock group formed in early 1983 by engineer/producer Gary Langan and programmer J. J. Jeczalik, along with keyboardist/arranger Anne Dudley, producer Trevor Horn, and ...
. The song reached No. 5 in the UK and No. 31 in the US. The video for "Kiss" was played frequently on MTV and
VH1, and won the
MTV Video Music Award for Breakthrough Video.
1990s resurgence
Jones received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
in 1989, located at 6608
Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, in front of
Frederick's of Hollywood. He collaborated with
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...
on his album ''Carrying A Torch'', released in 1991 on
Dover Records, featuring Jones's cover of
Morrison's title track. Partly recorded at Townhouse Studios in London, Morrison wrote and produced four songs for the album.
In 1992, he made his first appearance at the UK's
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (commonly referred to as simply Glastonbury Festival, known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts held near Pilton, Somerset, England, in most su ...
, and in 1993 he appeared as himself in episodes of two popular US sitcoms, ''
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' ("
The ") and ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' ("
Marge Gets a Job").
Jones signed with
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...
in 1993 and released the album ''
The Lead and How to Swing It'' the following year. The first single, "If I Only Knew", went to No. 11 in the UK.
Jones performed the song at the
1994 MTV Europe Music Awards, for which he also served as host. In 1997 Jones recorded a cover of
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist, composer, conductor and orchestrator. He is known for his non-rhotic Southern American English, Southern-accented singing style, early America ...
song "
You Can Leave Your Hat On" for the soundtrack of ''
The Full Monty''.
In 1996, Jones appeared as himself in
Tim Burton
Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...
's ensemble science-fiction comedy film ''
Mars Attacks!''. A scene in the film features him performing on stage when aliens attack and he manages to escape with a gun.
In 1999, Jones released the album ''
Reload'', a collection of cover duets with artists such as
the Cardigans,
Natalie Imbruglia,
Cerys Matthews,
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...
,
Mousse T,
Portishead,
Stereophonics
Stereophonics are a Welsh pop and rock music, Welsh rock band formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in the Cynon Valley. The band consists of Kelly Jones (lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards), Richard Jones (Stereophonics), Richard Jones (n ...
and
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, launching a solo career in 1996. His debut studio album, ''Life thru a Lens'', was re ...
. The album went to No. 1 in the UK and sold over 4 million copies worldwide. Five singles from ''Reload'' charted in the UK top 40.
The single "
Sex Bomb" was released in early 2000 and became the album's biggest single, reaching No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart.
Into the 21st century
US President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
invited Jones to perform on New Year's Eve at the 2000 millennium celebrations in Washington, D.C. In 2000, Jones garnered a number of honours for his work, including a
BRIT Award for Best British Male.
/ref> He was also hired as the new voice of Australia's National Rugby League, singing in an advertisement to market the 2000 season.
In 2002, Jones released the album '' Mr. Jones'', which was produced by Haitian-American rapper Wyclef Jean
Nel Ust Wyclef Jean ( ; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, singer, and record producer. Born in Haiti, Jean emigrated to the Northeastern United States, United States as a child. He gained fame as a founding member of the Fugees, a Ne ...
. The album and the first single, "Tom Jones International", were top 40 hits in the UK.
Jones received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2003. The following year he performed " You Can Leave Your Hat On" with the Pussycat Dolls and Carmen Electra on the seventh annual '' Vh1 Divas'' concert. The only male guest part of that year's lineup; which included Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B singer and actress. She has been referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godmother of Soul". LaBelle began ...
, Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins Will ...
, and Debbie Harry among many others; his cover of "Kiss
A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
" was included in an 80s finale medley. Later that year, he teamed up with pianist Jools Holland and released ''Tom Jones & Jools Holland'', a roots rock 'n' roll album. It peaked at No. 5 in the UK.
On 28 May 2005, in celebration of his upcoming 65th birthday, Jones returned to his homeland to perform a concert in Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd, before an audience of about 20,000. This was his first performance in Pontypridd since 1964. That same year, the BBC reported that Jones was Wales's wealthiest entertainer, having amassed a fortune of £175,000,000. Jones collaborated with Australian pop singer John Farnham
John Peter Farnham (born 1 July 1949) is a British-born Australian singer. Farnham was a teen pop idol from 1967 until the mid-1970s, billed as Johnny Farnham. He has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer.McFarlane (1999). Enc ...
in 2005 and released the live album '' John Farnham & Tom Jones – Together in Concert''. The following year, Jones worked with Chicane and released the dance track " Stoned in Love", which went to No. 7 in the UK Singles Chart.
Jones, who had been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(OBE) in 1999, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
in 2006 at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
for his services to music. After receiving a knighthood, Jones stated: "When you first come into show business and get a hit record, it is the start of something. As time goes by it just gets better. This is the best thing I have had. It's a wonderful feeling, a heady feeling."
2007–2009
On 1 July 2007, Jones was among the artists who performed at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...
at the Concert for Diana, joined on stage by guitarist Joe Perry of Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
and soul singer Joss Stone. In addition to performing some of his own songs, the group covered the Arctic Monkeys
Arctic Monkeys are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 2002. They comprise lead singer Alex Turner, drummer Matt Helders, guitarist Jamie Cook and bassist Nick O'Malley. The co-founder and original bassist Andy Nicholson ...
song " I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor". A boxing fan, Jones has performed national anthems before a number of boxing matches. He sang " God Save the Queen", the national anthem of the United Kingdom, before the Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton fight in 2007; he sang "", the Welsh national anthem, at the Bernard Hopkins-Joe Calzaghe fight between fellow Welshman Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins in 2008; and he sang "God Save the Queen" before the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight in 2009.
In 2008, he released ''24 Hours'' on S-Curve Records, his first album of new material to be issued in the United States for over 15 years. Jones, who was still performing over 200 dates a year as he approached his seventieth birthday, set out on a world tour to promote the album. "The fire is still in me. Not to be an oldie, but a goodie. I want to be a contender", Jones said. Also in 2008, Jones was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. On 16 November 2008, he was invited to perform on BBC's ''Strictly Come Dancing
''Strictly Come Dancing'' (commonly referred to as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly Ballroom dance, ballroom and Latin dance, Latin dance. Each couple is ...
''; he performed the debut single from ''24 Hours'', "If He Should Ever Leave You", which was named the ninth-best song of 2008 by Spinner. One of the songs from ''24 Hours'', "Give a Little Love", would later be featured in the first trailer for the 2010 comedy film, '' Little Fockers''.
In March 2009, Jones went to the top of the UK Music Charts for the third time in his career with a cover of " Islands in the Stream", sung with Ruth Jones
Ruth Alexandra Elisabeth Jones (born 22 September 1966) is a Welsh actress, comedian, writer and producer. She co-wrote and co-starred in the critically acclaimed BBC sitcom ''Gavin & Stacey'' (2007–2010, 2019, 2024), for which she won the B ...
, Rob Brydon
Robert Brydon Jones (; born 3 May 1965) is a Welsh actor, comedian, impressionist, presenter, singer and writer. He gained prominence for his roles in film, television and radio. He was appointed Order of the British Empire, Member of the Order ...
and Robin Gibb, who co-wrote the original with his brothers Barry and Maurice. The record, which was inspired by the song's having featured in the BBC's hit sitcom '' Gavin & Stacey'', was released in aid of Comic Relief
Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make t ...
and reached No. 1 in March 2009. This was his first UK chart topper since "Green, Green Grass of Home" in 1967, setting a new record of 42 years between two UK number ones; this record would be surpassed by Kate Bush
Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer. Bush began writing songs at age 11. She was signed to EMI Records after David Gilmour of Pink Floyd helped produce a demo tape. In 1978, at the ...
when " Running Up That Hill" topped the charts in 2022, a 44-year gap between number ones.
2010–2020
Jones's album '' Praise & Blame'' was released on 26 July 2010. The album, consisting primarily of gospel and blues songs, included covers of songs by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
, John Lee Hooker and Billy Joe Shaver, and featured guest musicians such as Booker T.
On 7 June 2010, which was Jones's seventieth birthday, the single "Burning Hell", a cover of the John Lee Hooker song from the ''Praise & Blame'' album, was released. In July 2010, it was reported that David Sharpe, vice-president of Island Records
Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in 1959, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another ...
(to whom Jones had moved, from EMI, for £1.5m in October 2009), had told his colleagues over email to "pull back this project immediately or get my money back" and asked whether the spiritually themed record had been a "sick joke". Jones later strongly criticised Sharpe and said that he was furious about the leaked email.
In July 2010 Jones appeared on the penultimate episode of '' Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' and performed "Burning Hell". In August 2010, ''Praise & Blame'' debuted at No. 2 on the UK album chart. By 2010 Jones had sold a total of over 100 million records.
On 11 September 2010 Jones performed for an audience of 50,000 at the '' Help for Heroes'' charity concert at Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium (; usually known as Twickenham, and for sponsorship purposes known as the Allianz Stadium Twickenham) is a rugby union stadium in Twickenham, London, England. It is owned by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), the English rugby u ...
performing " Strange Things Are Happening Every Day" and his hit " Green, Green Grass of Home". On 22 September, Jones appeared on the ''Late Show with David Letterman
''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...
'' at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York.
In May 2011 Jones appeared as a guest vocalist on the debut album '' Let Them Talk'' by Hugh Laurie. On 15 May 2011, he appeared alongside Laurie in the UK ITV series ''Perspectives'', singing music from the album in New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
. On 25 May 2011, he appeared on '' American Idol
''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' after a medley of his hits performed by the American Idol "Top 13".
Jones released a single on 19 March 2012, produced by former White Stripes frontman Jack White
John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975) is an American musician who achieved international fame as the guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo the White Stripes. As the White Stripes disbanded, he sought success with his solo career, subse ...
, called ''Evil''. The single was first made available through independent record shops in 7" vinyl format on 5 March. An exclusive three-coloured vinyl was also sold at only one shop – Spillers Records in Cardiff
Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...
. The shop, which Jones visited as a boy, was founded in 1894 and is listed in ''Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
'' as the world's oldest record shop.
Jones experienced a resurgence in notability in the 2010s due to his coaching role on the BBC talent show '' The Voice UK'' from 2012 (with the exception of 2016). In March 2012 he became a coach on the show and was joined by will.i.am, Jessie J and Danny O'Donoghue. He mentored Leanne Mitchell to win the first series. Jones returned to coach in 2013, 2014 and 2015. In August 2015, it was announced that Jones's contract with the show would not be renewed and that he would be replaced by Boy George. Jones criticised BBC executives for "sub-standard behaviour", having not consulted with him and informing him only 24 hours before the official announcement.
In May 2012 Jones released the album ''Spirit in the Room'' on Island Records
Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in Jamaica by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in 1959, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, another ...
/Universal Music
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum ...
. The track listing included covers of songs by Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
, Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...
, Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian songwriter, singer, poet, and novelist. Themes commonly explored throughout his work include faith and mortality, isolation and depression, betrayal and redemption, soc ...
and Richard and Linda Thompson
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and ...
, Blind Willie Johnson
Willie Johnson (January 25, 1897 – September 18, 1945), commonly known as Blind Willie Johnson, was an American gospel blues singer and guitarist. His landmark recordings completed between 1927 and 1930, thirty songs in all, display a combinat ...
, Tom Waits
Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on society's underworld and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He began in the American folk music, fo ...
and the Low Anthem. Also in May, he starred in a one-off television drama titled "King of the Teds" which aired on Sky Arts as part of a series of standalone teleplays for ''Playhouse Presents
''Playhouse Presents'' is an anthology series of self-contained TV plays, made by British broadcaster Sky Arts. The series started airing on 12 April 2012, on Sky Arts. Each episode is written by a different writer and stars a different cast. The ...
''. On 4 June Jones performed at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
, singing "Delilah" and " Mama Told Me Not to Come". On 18 August Jones performed a fifty-minute set at the V Festival
V Festival, often referred to as V Fest or simply V, was an annual music festival held in the United Kingdom during the third weekend in August. The event was held at two parks simultaneously which shared the same bill; artists performed at one ...
's Weston Park site in Staffordshire
Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...
. On 9 September 2012, Jones headlined at BBC Radio 2's Live in Hyde Park festival.
In May 2014 Jones opened for Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey ( ; born 22 May 1959), known :wikt:mononym, mononymously as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 198 ...
at a special show in the United States. On 27 September 2014, Jones performed at the Australian Football League
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition ...
's pre-game entertainment for the 2014 Grand Final along with Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran ( ; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
.
In September 2015 Jones announced the long-awaited release of his album '' Long Lost Suitcase'', on 9 October, through Virgin/EMI. The album was the last in a trilogy, following ''Praise & Blame'' (2010) and ''Spirit in the Room'' (2012). The track titles are included in chapters of Jones' autobiography ''Over the Top and Back'' which was released at the same time. The album was produced by Ethan Johns and included songs by Gillian Welch, the Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
, Hank Williams
Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...
and the Milk Carton Kids.
In November 2015 Jones appeared, alongside Rob Brydon
Robert Brydon Jones (; born 3 May 1965) is a Welsh actor, comedian, impressionist, presenter, singer and writer. He gained prominence for his roles in film, television and radio. He was appointed Order of the British Empire, Member of the Order ...
, in a special 90-minute show, from the SSE Arena, Wembley, for BBC's Children in Need
''BBC Children in Need'' is the BBC's UK Charitable organization, charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged children and young people across the country. Established in 1980, the organisation has raised over £1 billion by 2023 through its ...
. In December 2015 he appeared on the BBC's '' Jools' Annual Hootenanny'', on duetting with Paul Weller
John William Weller (born 25 May 1958), better known as Paul Weller, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame in the late 1970s as the guitarist and principal singer and songwriter of the rock band the Jam, alongside ...
.
In 2017 Jones returned to ''The Voice'' as a coach for series 6. In 2018 he embarked on a live summer tour, which was planned to run from 1 May to 11 August. In July, however, many shows were cancelled due to sickness or bad weather.
In 2020 Jones again appeared on the BBC's ''Jools' Annual Hootenanny'', broadcast on New Year's Eve, on which he duetted with Jools Holland and with Celeste.
2021–present
In January 2021 Jones announced '' Surrounded by Time'', his fourth covers album to be produced by Ethan Johns, alongside the release of a new single, his rendition of Todd Snider's "Talking Reality Television Blues". In March he appeared on '' Later... with Jools Holland'' where he sang "I'm Growing Old" from that album. The album was released on 23 April.
On 17 and 18 June 2022 Jones appeared at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff alongside Stereophonics
Stereophonics are a Welsh pop and rock music, Welsh rock band formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in the Cynon Valley. The band consists of Kelly Jones (lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards), Richard Jones (Stereophonics), Richard Jones (n ...
, whose Saturday concert was broadcast live on BBC Two
BBC Two is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matte ...
.
On 3 September 2022, Jones performed "I Won't Crumble With You If You Fall", taken from his ''Surrounded by Time'' album, on ''The Voice UK''. After the performance, Jones explained the meaning behind the song: "My wife, she was dying of lung cancer ..I was always able to fix stuff, I was always able to do things, if she needed me for anything I was always there, but she said 'you can't crumble with me, don't fall with me now, you've done everything you can, you must carry on and do what you do' ..When I heard it I thought, 'My God it's like this was written for this situation'. It's a lovely song." Within 24 hours, the song had peaked on the UK iTunes chart at number 1. The song debuted at number 3 on the UK Official Singles Downloads Chart on 9 September 2022.
Personal life
Jones was married to his school girlfriend, Melinda Rose "Linda" Trenchard, from 2 March 1957 until her death from cancer on 10 April 2016. They were married at the age of 16 when she became pregnant; their son, Mark, was born shortly after the wedding. To support his young family, Jones worked in construction and at a glove factory before finding success as a singer. He stayed married to Trenchard despite his many well-publicised infidelities. After his wife's death, Jones sold the family's Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
mansion and its contents (apart from treasured photos) and moved into an apartment in London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, which was his wife's dying wish.
Jones has stated that he had sex with up to 250 groupies a year at his peak of fame. He had affairs with famous American women such as singer Mary Wilson, presenter Charlotte Laws, and former Miss World Marjorie Wallace (engaged at the time to American race car driver Peter Revson). Actress Cassandra Peterson (better known as her character Elvira, Mistress of the Dark) revealed in 2008 that she lost her virginity to Jones, calling the experience "painful and horrible" and stating that she required stitches afterwards. One of his affairs resulted in a son. While on tour in the United States in October 1987, he had a brief relationship with model Katherine Berkery, who later discovered she was pregnant. After a legal battle that included DNA testing, a U.S. court ruled in 1989 that Jones was the boy's father. He denied the court's findings until 2008, when he admitted they were true but expressed no interest in meeting his son, singer Jonathan Berkery.
Following the UK's 1974 election of a Labour government, Jones became a tax exile to avoid a 98% income tax
An income tax is a tax imposed on individuals or entities (taxpayers) in respect of the income or profits earned by them (commonly called taxable income). Income tax generally is computed as the product of a tax rate times the taxable income. Tax ...
. In 1976, he purchased the mansion at 363 Copa De Oro Road in the East Gate Bel Air area of Los Angeles from Dean Martin
Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor, and comedian. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Cool", he is regarded as one of the most popular entertainers of ...
for $500,000. He sold it to Nicolas Cage in 1998 for a reported $6.4 million.
Jones met his idol Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
in 1965 at the Paramount
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS.
**Paramount Picture ...
film stage, when Elvis was filming '' Paradise, Hawaiian Style''. They became good friends, spending more time together in Las Vegas singing and carousing until the early hours at Presley's private suite. The friendship endured until Presley's death in 1977. One year after the death of Jones' wife, rumours began that he had started dating Presley's wife Priscilla. In 2021, he said they had known each other since the 1960s and simply enjoyed spending time together. People had thought they were dating because they had been seen together dining and at Jeff Franklin's house.
In 2015, Jones' autobiography ''Over the Top and Back'' was published by Michael Joseph. Reviewing the book in the ''Daily Express
The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first ...
'', Clair Woodward said, "In the tradition of so many autobiographies these days, Tom Jones's doesn't tell you what you really want to hear. ..What you are left with is a riotously enjoyable story of Jones 'The Voice' which nicely doubles as the story of British pop and light entertainment from the Sixties onwards." In 2021, Jones revealed that he uses inversion therapy to stay in good health.
Artistry and influence
Jones' singing style developed out of the sound of American soul music
Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in African-American culture, African-American African-American neighborhood, communities throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps ...
. His early influences included blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
, R&B, and rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
singers such as Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
, Solomon Burke, Jackie Wilson, Brook Benton, Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
(his idol and later close friend), and Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis m ...
.[Appleford, Stev]
"Tom Jones on Meeting Elvis, Recording With Bacharach, 'Panty Magnet' Phase"
. ''Rolling Stone''. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
Space
Space is a three-dimensional continuum containing positions and directions. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions. Modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless ...
and Cerys Matthews released " The Ballad of Tom Jones", a song about a fighting couple who are calmed down by listening to Jones's music on the radio. The song reached No. 4 in the UK in 1998.
A musical, ''Tom: A Story of Tom Jones'', based on his life and recordings, produced by Theatr na nÓg, opened at the Wales Millennium Centre in March 2016. Another jukebox musical, '' What's New Pussycat?'' based on Henry Fielding
Henry Fielding (22 April 1707 – 8 October 1754) was an English writer and magistrate known for the use of humour and satire in his works. His 1749 comic novel ''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'' was a seminal work in the genre. Along wi ...
's 1749 novel ''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', often known simply as ''Tom Jones'', is a comic novel by English playwright and novelist Henry Fielding. It is a ''Bildungsroman'' and a picaresque novel. It was first published on 28 February 1749 in ...
'' (set in the 1960s) which uses Jones' music opened at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in October 2021 to critical acclaim. It is written by Joe DiPietro, directed by Luke Sheppard, and choreographed by Arlene Phillips.
Similar to Presley with his impersonators, Jones has his own imitators around the world.
In the 2006 film '' Flushed Away'', the main character, Roddy, is mistaken for Jones by another character while Roddy performs " She's a Lady". Jones' song, " What's New Pussycat?", is played during the ending credits.
In the video game '' Team Fortress 2'', the Scout character is a collector of Tom Jones merchandise, and Jones is depicted being murdered by the Soldier character in the tie-in comics. The Spy character later uses his shape-shifting ability to convince the Scout that Jones is his father. Jones is also depicted using the phrase "What's new pussycat?" several times.
Discography
Studio albums
*'' Along Came Jones'' (1965, UK)
*'' It's Not Unusual'' (1965, US)
*'' What's New Pussycat?'' (1965, US)
*'' A-tom-ic Jones'' (1966, UK & US versions different)
*'' From the Heart'' (1966, UK)
*'' Green, Green Grass of Home'' (1967, UK & US versions different)
*'' Funny Familiar Forgotten Feelings'' (1967, US)
*'' 13 Smash Hits'' (1967, UK)
*''The Tom Jones Fever Zone'' (1968, US)
*'' Delilah'' (1968, UK)
*'' Help Yourself'' (1968)
*'' This Is Tom Jones'' (1969)
*'' Tom'' (1970)
*'' I Who Have Nothing'' (1970)
*'' She's a Lady'' (1971)
*'' Tom Jones Close Up'' (1972)
*'' The Body and Soul of Tom Jones'' (1973)
*'' Somethin' 'Bout You Baby I Like'' (1974)
*''Memories Don't Leave Like People Do'' (1975)
*'' Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow'' (1977)
*'' What a Night'' (1977)
*''Do You Take This Man'' (1979)
*''Rescue Me'' (1979)
*'' Darlin''' (1981)
*'' Tom Jones Country'' (1982)
*'' Don't Let Our Dreams Die Young'' (1983)
*'' Love Is on the Radio'' (1984)
*'' Tender Loving Care'' (1985)
*''At This Moment
"At This Moment" is a song written by Billy Vera and recorded live by Vera and his band under the name Billy Vera & the Beaters in 1981, during a string of performances at the Roxy Theatre (West Hollywood), Roxy in West Hollywood, California, We ...
'' (titled ''Move Closer'' in the US) (1989)
*''Carrying a Torch'' (1991)
*'' The Lead and How to Swing It'' (1994)
*'' Reload'' (1999)
*'' Mr. Jones'' (2002)
*''Tom Jones & Jools Holland'' (2004)
*''24 Hours'' (2008)
*'' Praise & Blame'' (2010)
*'' Spirit in the Room'' (2012)
*'' Long Lost Suitcase'' (2015)
*'' Surrounded by Time'' (2021)
Live albums
*''Tom Jones Live! At the Talk of the Town'' (1967)
*'' Tom Jones Live in Las Vegas'' (1969)
*'' Tom Jones Live at Caesar's Palace'' (1971)
*'' John Farnham & Tom Jones – Together in Concert'' (2005)
*''Tom Jones'' (promotional '' The Mail on Sunday'' CD) (2010)
Box sets
*''The Definitive Tom Jones'' (2003)
*''The Complete Decca Studio Albums Collection'' (2020)
Compositions
Jones wrote or co-wrote the following songs: "And I Tell the Sea", "Looking Out My Window", "Feel the Rain" from the 2002 '' Mr. Jones'' album, "Jezebel", "The Letter", "Younger Days", "Tom Jones International", "Holiday", "The Road", "24 Hours", "Seasons", "We Got Love", "Seen That Face", "Give a Little Love", "If He Should Ever Leave You", "Whatever it Takes", and "Traveling Shoes" from the 2012 album '' Spirit in the Room''.
Filmography
Accolades
Amadeus Austrian Music Awards
!Ref.
, -
, 2001
, '' Reload''
, Best International Pop/Rock Male
,
,
Brit Awards
!Ref.
, -
, 1977
Events January
* January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
* January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
, Himself
, British Male Solo Artist
,
,
, -
, 1989
1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...
, "Kiss
A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
" (with Art of Noise
Art of Noise (also the Art of Noise) were a British avant-garde synth-rock group formed in early 1983 by engineer/producer Gary Langan and programmer J. J. Jeczalik, along with keyboardist/arranger Anne Dudley, producer Trevor Horn, and ...
)
, rowspan="2", British Single of the Year
,
,
, -
, 1995
, "If I Only Knew"
,
,
, -
, 2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
, rowspan="2", Himself
, British Male Solo Artist
,
,
, -
, 2003
2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater.
In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War.
Demographic ...
, Outstanding Contribution to Music
,
,
, -
, 2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, '' The Full Monty Performance''
, Live Performance of 30 Years
,
,
Danish Music Awards
, -
, 1995
, Himself
, Best International Male
,
,
NME Awards
!Ref.
, -
, 1968
, rowspan="2", Himself
, rowspan="2", Best Male Singer – UK
,
, rowspan="2",
, -
, 1969
,
Silver Clef Awards
!Ref.
, -
, 2001
, rowspan="2", Himself
, Silver Clef Award
,
, rowspan="2",
, -
, 2014
, Outstanding Achievement Award
,
*1966: Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for Best New Artist
*1966: Grammy Award ''nomination'' for Contemporary Rock & Roll Male Vocal Performance for "What's New Pussycat?"
*1966: Grammy Award ''nomination'' for Contemporary Rock & Roll Single for "It's Not Unusual"
*1970: Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for ''This Is Tom Jones''
*1970: Ivor Novello Award
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Welsh entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and Musical composition, composing. They have been presented annually in London by the The Ivors Academy, Ivors Academy, formerly called the Britis ...
for International Artist of the Year
*1989: MTV Video Music Award – Breakthrough Video for "Kiss"
*1989: Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
*1999: appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(OBE)
*2006: Knighthood for "services to music"
*2017: Bambi Award in the category "legend"
See also
* List of Welsh musicians
References
Further reading
* Bert Schwartz: ''Tom Jones'' (Grosset & Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap is a New York City-based publishing house founded in 1898.
The company was purchased by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1982 and today is part of Penguin Random House through its subsidiary Penguin Group.
In recent years, through the P ...
, New York City, 1969) 76-103307
* Peter Jones: ''Tom Jones: Biography of a Great Star'' ( Avon Publishing, 1970 (1st edition), 1971)
* Colin MacFarlane: ''Tom Jones: The Boy from Nowhere'' ( W. H. Allen & Co., London, 1988 St Martins Press, New York)
* Stafford Hildred & David Gritten: ''Tom Jones: A Biography'' (Isis Large Print Books, April 1991)
* Roger St. Pierre: ''Tom Jones: Quote Unquote'' (Parragon Book Service Ltd, Great Britain, 1996)
* Stafford Hildred & David Gritten: ''Tom Jones: A Biography'' (revised edition '98) (Sidgwick & Jackson
Sidgwick & Jackson was an imprint of book publishing company Pan Macmillan. Formerly it was an independent publisher; as such, it was founded in Britain in 1908. Its early authors include poet Rupert Brooke and novelist E.M. Forster. In m ...
, 1998 an imprint of Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers (occasionally known as the Macmillan Group; formally Macmillan Publishers Ltd in the United Kingdom and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC in the United States) is a British publishing company traditionally considered to be on ...
Ltd)
* Chris Roberts: ''Tom Jones'' (1st edition) (Virgin Books
Virgin Books is a British book publisher 90% owned by the publishing group Random House, and 10% owned by Virgin Group, the company originally set up by Richard Branson as a record company.
History
Virgin established its book publishing ...
, 1999 an imprint of Virgin Publishing Limited)
* Lucy Ellis, Bryony Sutherland: ''Tom Jones: Close Up'' ( Omnibus Press, 2000) (HC) (Pb)
* Robin Eggar: ''Tom Jones: The Biography'' (1st edition) (Headline Book Publishing, 2000)
* ''Woodward v. Berkery'', 714 So.2d 1027 (Fla.App.4thDist. 1998)
* Tom Jones: ''Over the Top and Back: The Autobiography'' ( Michael Joseph, 8 October 2015)
External links
BBC Tom Jones Biography
BBC Wales Music
*
*
* as Tommy Scott & The Senators
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Tom
1940 births
Living people
20th-century Welsh male singers
21st-century Welsh male singers
Brit Award winners
British Invasion artists
Columbia Records artists
Decca Records artists
Epic Records artists
Grammy Award winners
Gut Records artists
Interscope Records artists
Island Records artists
Jive Records artists
Knights Bachelor
Las Vegas shows
Lost Highway Records artists
Mercury Records artists
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Parrot Records artists
People from Pontypridd
Polydor Records artists
S-Curve Records artists
Singers awarded knighthoods
Traditional pop music singers
V2 Records artists
Welsh autobiographers
Welsh baritones
Welsh crooners
Welsh expatriate musicians in the United States
Welsh people of English descent
Welsh pop singers
Welsh rock singers
ZTT Records artists