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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.
His actual style, a full-throated, robust baritone that
had little regard for nuance and subtlety -- never changed, he just
sang over different backing tracks.
On stage, Jones played up his sexual appeal; it didn't
matter whether he was in an unbuttoned shirt or a tuxedo, he always
radiated a raw sexuality, which earned him a large following of devoted
female fans who frequently threw underwear on stage. Jones' following
never diminished over the decades; he was able to exploit trends,
earning new fans while retaining his core following.
Born Thomas Jones Woodward, Tom Jones began singing
professionally in 1963, performing as Tommy Scott with the Senators, a
Welsh beat group. In 1964 he 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 him to manager
Phil Solomon.
It was a short-lived partnership and the singer soon
moved back to
Wales, where he continued to sing in local clubs. At one of the shows,
he gained the attention of former Viscounts singer Gordon Mills, who
had become an artist manager. Mills signed Scott, renamed him Tom Jones
and helped him 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 him 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). 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 he 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, he scored a consistent string of hits in both Britain and
America. At the end of the decade, Jones relocated to America, where he
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 he 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, he concentrated on the country market, releasing a series of
slick Nashville-styled country-pop albums in the early '80s that earned
him a handful of hits.
Jones' next image makeover came in 1988, when he 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 he stayed for several years.In 1993, Jones
performed at the Glastonbury Festival in England, where he won an
enthusiastic response from the young crowd. Soon, he 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 was born as on June 7, 1940 in South Wales and
currently lives with his wife, Melinda since 1957 and has one son, Mark.
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