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Welsh Celebrities & Personalities

TOM JONES
'Jones the Voice'

Born Thomas Jones Woodward in Pontypridd, South Wales, on June 7, 1940, Tom Jones continues to remain one of our greatest performers ....and what a voice he has.

He's proved to be a a great ambassador for Wales taking his shows throughout the world and wowing the audiences wherever he performs .... Tom's amassed a fine collection of women's panties along the way apparently ...not to wear - cos Tom's a red blooded Celt ... but from his army of adoring fans who throw them up on stage as he belts out the songs.

In late 1964 Tom landed a record contract with Decca Records. The first single was not a great success, but the next choice, a new song penned by his manager Gordon Mills called It's Not Unusual, was a huge international hit. Considered "too hot" by the established BBC Radio at the time, it was plugged by the pirate off-shore station Radio Caroline and Tom's career started hitting the heights. By the next year, Tom found himself opening for the Rolling Stones at London's Beat City and gigging with the Spencer Davis Group. Just some of the huge single hits to follow were What's New Pussycat, Help Yourself, Never Fall In Love Again and Without Love.

Fame for Tom came big time and by the end of 1970 he had sold over 30 million discs in all categories around the world. He continued to rattle out the hits and spent a great many years fronting lavish shows in Las Vegas where his style was greatly appreciated ... and he no doubt added a few more pairs of panties to his collection plus a few million quid in his pocket.

A new generation of fans heard 'Jones the Voice' in 1987 when 'A Boy From Nowhere' reached number 2 in the UK charts that summer. Tom was still working as hard as ever doing live shows and had included a version of Prince's song 'Kiss' in his reportoire. The Art of Noise, a group that's hard to categorise due to their strange but popular musical style collaborated with Tom on a cover of Prince's Kiss. in late 1988. The results were sensational and highly contemporary, and the record put Tom back into the Top 10 charts in Europe and the Top 40 in America. The video of Kiss was seen in strong rotation on both MTV and VH-1, winning the "Breakthrough Video" MTV Award that year.

A revitalised interest in Tom Jones sprang up and has continued into the new millennium - nearly 40 years after he started his career. Tom stills enjoys a consistent U.S. and international touring schedule throughout the year. He lives with his wife, Melinda, in their homes in Bel Air, California and Ponty, South Wales. His son Mark, and daughter-in-law Donna, have given him a grandson Alexander John, born in 1983, and a granddaughter Emma Violet, born in 1987. Since September of 1986 when his manager Gordon Mills suffered an untimely death, Tom has been managed by his son Mark Woodward, who has traveled with him since the age of 17.

New projects in abundance ensure Tom remains firmly established in the music scene and the popularity of new welsh bands such as stereophonics, manic street preachers and catatonia have just confirmed Tom's status as the finest voice we've exported from Wales.

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE: - March 2000 - Tom's won a 'Brit Award'