| 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 John 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. |
