Tom Jones

**Sir Thomas John Woodward**, OBE (born 7 Juin 1940), kent bi his stage name **Tom Jones**, is a Welsh sangster. He became ane o the maist popular vocalists tae emerge frae the mid-1960s. Syne then he haes sung nearly ivery form o popular muisic – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, kintra, dance, soul an gospel – an sauld ower 100&nbsp;million records.

Jones haes haed thirty-sax Top 40 hits in the Unitit Kinrick an nineteen in the Unitit States; some o his notable sangs include "It's Not Unusual", "What's New Pussycat", "Delilah", "Green, Green Grass of Home", "She's a Lady", "Kiss" an "Sex Bomb".

Haein been awairdit an OBE in 1999, Jones receivit a knichtheid frae Queen Elizabeth II for "services tae muisic" in 2006. Jones haes receivit numerous ither awairds throuoot his career, includin the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1966, an MTV Video Music Award in 1989 an twa Brit Awards – winnin Best Breetish Male, in 2000, an Outstanding Contreibution tae Music, in 2003.

## Early life
Tom Jones wis born Thomas John Woodward, at 57 Kingsland Terrace, Treforest, Pontypridd in Glamorgan, Sooth Wales. His parents wur Thomas Woodward (dee'd 5 October 1981), a coal miner, an Freda Jones (dee'd 7 Februar 2003). His paternal grandfaither, James Woodward, wis an airnmonger's haulier frae Gloucestershire, an his paternal grandmither wis frae Wiltshire. His maternal grandfaither wis Welsh, an his maternal grandmither, Ada Jones, wis born in Pontypridd, tae parents frae Somerset an Wiltshire.

Jones began singin at an early age: he wad regularly sin at faimily gatherins, weddins an in his schuil choir. Jones did no lik schuil or sports but gained confidence throu his singin talent. At 12 he wis diagnosed wi tuberculosis. Mony years later he said; "I spent twa years in bed recovering. It wis the wirst time o ma life." Durin convalescence he coud dae little else but listen tae muisic an draw.

Jones' bluesy singin style developit oot o the soond o American soul muisic. His early influences includit blues an R&B sangsters Little Richard, Solomon Burke, Jackie Wilson an Brook Benton, as well as Elvis Presley, whom Jones idolised an wi whom he wad later acome guid friends.

In Mairch 1957 Jones marriet his heich schuil girlfriend, Melinda Trenchard when thay wur expecting a bairn thegither, baith agit 16. The couple's son, Mark, wis born in the month follaein thair weddin. Tae support his young faimily Jones teuk a job wirkin in a glove factory an wis later employed in construction.

## Career

### Rise tae fame
Jones, whose vyce haes been describit as a "full-throatit, robust baritone", became the frontman for Tommy Scott an the Senators, a Welsh beat group, in 1963. Thay suin gained a local follaein an reputation in Sooth Wales. In 1964 the group recordit several solo tracks wi producer Joe Meek, who teuk thaim tae various labels, but thay haed little success. Later that year Decca producer Peter Sullivan saw Tommy Scott an the Senators performin in a club an directit them tae manager Phil Solomon, but the pairtnership wis short-livit.

The group continued tae play gigs at dance haws an wirkin men's clubs in Sooth Wales an ane nicht, at the Tap Hat in Cwmtillery, Wales, Jones wis spottit bi Gordon Mills, a Lunnon-based manager who oreeginally hailed frae Sooth Wales hissel. Mills became Jones' manager an teuk the young sangster tae Lunnon, an renamit him Tom Jones an aw, tae exploit the popularity of the Academy Award winnin 1963 film.

Eventually Mills got Jones a recordin contract wi Decca. His first single, "Chills and Fever", wis released in late 1964. It did no chart, but the follae-up, "It's Not Unusual" became an internaitional hit efter affshore pirate radio station Radio Caroline promotit it. The follaein year wad be the maist prominent o Jones's career, makkin him ane o the maist popular vocalists o the Breetish Invasion. In early 1965 "It's Not Unusual" reached nummer ane in the Unitit Kinrick an the tap ten in the Unitit States. Durin 1965 Mills secured a nummer o film themes for Jones tae record includin the themes for the film *[[:en:What's New Pussycat? (song)|What's New Pussycat?]]* (written bi Burt Bacharach an Hal David) an for the James Bond film *[[:en:Thunderball (film)|Thunderball]]*. Jones wis an aa awairdit the Grammy Award for Best New Artist for 1966. In Hollywood, Jones met Elvis Presley for the first time who he recaws singin his sang as he walkit towards him on set.

In 1966 Jones' popularity began tae slip somewha, causin Mills tae redesign the sangster's image intae that o a crooner. Jones began tae sing material that appealed tae a wider audience sic as the big kintra hit "Green, Green Grass of Home" an aw. The strategy wirkit an Jones returned tae the tap o the chairts in the Unitit Kinrick an began hittin the Tap 40 again in the Unitit States. For the remainder o the decade he scored a string o hits on baith sides o the Atlantic.

## Discografie

## Filmografie
* *[[What's New Pussycat?]]* (title sang)
* *[[Promise Her Anything]]* (title sang)
* *[[Thunderball]]* (title song)
* *The Special London Bridge Special*, TV special, UK/US (1972)
** A fantasy story aboot London Bridge bein brocht tae Americae
* *On Happiness Island*, BBC TV special, UK (1974)
* *Pleasure Cove*, featur film, US (1979)
* *[[Fantasy Island]]*, TV series, US (ABC, 7 Apryle 1984)
* *The Ghosts of Oxford Street*, TV special, UK (1991)
** A TV muisical celebrating the 200th anniversary of Lunnon's maist renowned Oxford Street
* *[[The Simpsons]]*, TV series, Saison 4 Episode 7 ("Marge Gets a Job") (1992)
* *[[Fresh Prince of Bel-Air]]*, TV series (Guest: As Himsel) (1993)
* *Silk n' Sabotage*, featur film, US (1994)
* *[[Jerky Boys: The Movie]]*, featur film, US (1995)
* *[[Mars Attacks!]]*, featur film, US (1996)
* *[[Agnes Browne]]* (a.k.a. *The Mammy*), featur film (1999)
* *[[The Emperor's New Groove]]*, animatit film (As the Theme Song Guy) (2000)
* *[[Duck Dodgers (TV series)|Duck Dodgers]]*, openin theme and a guest appearance in episode "Talent Show A Go-Go"

## References

## Freemit airtins

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