Tom Jones is a Welsh singer who has been entertaining people since the 1960s. He is one of the best-known singers of his generation. He is a musical genius who has sung well in pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, soul, and gospel, among other styles. Many of his albums and songs have sold millions of copies and been very popular. As he became more famous, he was asked to do several movies. He turned them down and said, “I’ve been asked to do things in the past, like movies and other things, but they were always too cheesy and always musicals.” Even though he is 73 years old, he is still able to do the same things he did when he was younger. This means that his success today is almost unmatched. Jones shows no signs of slowing down, even though he has won many awards and been given the highest honors, such as a knighthood by the Queen. He never stops being excited and passionate about music. He has always been an artist at heart, and he still performs at many important and prestigious events around the world. Read the article below to learn more about his life and work.
Early years and childhood
Tom was born in South Wales as Thomas John Woodward, and he could play music from a very young age. As a child, he liked to sing with his family and in school choirs and listen to music on BBC radio.
He didn’t like school, so he quit when he was 16 and started working as a laborer and a door-to-door salesman.
Tom Jones’s Career
In 1963, he joined Tommy Scott and the Senators, a local band that quickly became very popular. Gordon Mills, a successful music manager in London, saw Jones’s talents in 1964. This was a turning point in Jones’s life.
Gordon Mills moved the young singer to London, changed his name to Tom Jones, and got him to sign a contract with Decca Records. In 1964, “Chills and Fever,” his first single, came out.
The song didn’t get much attention, but the next one, “It’s Not Unusual,” which came out in 1965, was a huge hit. He was famous right away and was even asked to appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
By 1968, he had several hit songs out, and in 1969, he started his own TV show called “This Is Tom Jones,” which ran until 1971.
After going all over the world in the 1970s and putting out hit singles like “She’s a Lady,” “Till,” and “The Young New Mexican Puppeteer,” he came back to the United States.
Even though his singles didn’t do well in the early 1980s, his 1987 single “A Boy From Nowhere” made it to the top of the charts. After this single did well, he worked with Van Morrison on a new song called “Carry a Torch.”
In 1993, he signed a contract with “Interscope Records” and put out the album “The Lead and How to Swing It,” from which the single “If I Only Knew” became a huge hit.
His next big hit was “Reload,” which he made with Natalie Imbruglia, Cerys Matthews, Van Morrison, Mousse T, Robbie Williams, and other artists.
In 2000, President Bill Clinton asked him to perform in Washington, D.C. on New Year’s Eve. After a few years, he put out his next album, “Mr. Jones,” which did pretty well.
In 2007, he was asked to perform at the “Concert for Diana” at Wembley Stadium. Other well-known artists were also there. In 2008, he put out an album called “24 Hours.” The single “If He Should Ever Leave You” from that album was a huge hit.
In 2010, he came out with another album called “Praise & Blame,” which got great reviews. People think that this album is one of his best works so far.
In 2012, he was asked to be a judge on the very popular reality singing show “The Voice UK,” along with Jessie J, will.i.am, and Danny O’Donoghue, among others.
His Works of note
The singer’s second solo, “It’s Not Unusual,” reached number 10 in the U.S. and was a big hit all over the world. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, an American sitcom, also used the song.
In 1966, he sang a song by Johnny Darrell called “Green, Green Grass of Home.” The song was a huge hit. It went to number one around the world and sold more than a million copies in the UK.
In 1968, he released a song called “Delilah,” which went to number one in Germany and Switzerland, number two in Britain, and number 15 in the U.S.
In 1971, the artist put out another single called “She’s a Lady,” which made him very well-known. The song got to no. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it his highest-charting single.
Awards & Achievements
In 1966, the singer won a Grammy Award for “Best New Artist” for the single “It’s Not Unusual.”
In 1989, he was given a star on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame” for his work in music.
He won the “Brit Award” in 2000 for being the “Best British Male,” and he won it again in 2003 for his “Outstanding Contribution to Music.”
Queen Elizabeth II made him a knight in 2006 for his huge contributions to music.
Personal History and Legacies
Jones got married to Linda Trenchard in 1957, and that same year, their son Mark Woodward was born.
His extramarital affairs, especially with famous women like singer Mary Wilson and former Miss World Marjorie Wallace, always got a lot of attention from the media.
In 1989, after a long legal battle, it was proven that he is the father of a son born to model Katherine Berkery, with whom he had a brief affair.
Estimated Net worth
Tom Jones is a Welsh singer whose full name is Sir Thomas John Woodward OBE. He is worth $300 million. Jones is one of the most famous singers to come out of the mid-1960s. During his career, he has sold more than 100 million records.
Trivia
This Welsh singer who became famous in the mid-1960s has his chest hair insured for $7 million!