Tom Jones

Thomas Jones Woodward was born on June 7, 1940 in Pontypridd, south Wales, Great Britain, the son of coal miner. As a young lad he sang at special occasions and in his school choir. Stricken by tuberculosis and bedridden for almost a year, he began to explore music. Married at sixteen years of age, Tom quit school and took a variety of jobs supporting his wife Linda and newborn son Mark.

Discovered by Gordon Mills, a noted manager of talent in London, Tom Woodward would be renamed Tom Jones who in late 1964 would record his first single, “Chills and Fever” for Decca Records. While it was unsuccessful, his second effort a few months later in March of 1965, “It’s Not Unusual” reached #1 in the United Kingdom and was top ten in the United States. Followed by his second gold single and top five hit, “What’s New Pussycat”, Tom introduced himself to America during his first tour stateside. He received a Grammy for Best New Artist of 1965.

For three months in 1966 and peaking at #11 during the Christmas holidays, Tom Jones hit with “Green, Green, Grass of Home”, followed by “Detroit City”, “Delilah”, “Help Yourself” and “Love Me Tonight”. 1969 saw a return to the top ten for Tom with “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” and “Without Love”. A year later, “Daughter of Darkness”, “I, Who Have Nothing” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” charted. In 1971, “She’s a Lady” went gold and peaked at #2 on the Hit Parade, followed by “Puppet Man”.

In 1967 the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas was first to present Tom Jones there, Caesar’s Palace would follow. A year later, a New York Copacabana night club appearance was a huge success.

“This is Tom Jones” was an internationally successful ABC television variety show in the late 60’s and early 1970’s. In 1999, the Tom Jones album “Reload” was a big sales success.

With a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and recently Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, “Sir” Tom Jones has been a resident of Bel Air, California since the mid 1970’s.