About the song
Singer Tom Jones on Breaking Into Music and Rise to Stardom
Long before he became a global icon with a voice that could shake walls and seduce millions, Tom Jones was simply a young man from Pontypridd, Wales, with a dream that seemed bigger than the coal-mining town he grew up in. Today, Sir Tom Jones is revered as one of the greatest vocalists of all time, but his journey from modest beginnings to worldwide stardom is a story of grit, persistence, and a voice unlike any other.
Born Thomas John Woodward in 1940, Tom grew up in a working-class family where music was more of a pastime than a career path. His father worked in the coal mines, and Tom was expected to follow suit. But even as a child, he showed signs of an extraordinary gift. He sang at family gatherings, in school choirs, and at local pubs, his booming voice already setting him apart. “Singing was always in me,” Jones once said. “It was never something I thought about—it was just there.”
His path to stardom was not straightforward. As a teenager, he contracted tuberculosis, which kept him bedridden for nearly two years. Many would have been defeated by such an illness, but for Tom, it only strengthened his determination. During recovery, he listened to records by Elvis Presley, Little Richard, and Jerry Lee Lewis, drawing inspiration from their energy and charisma. When he regained his strength, he began performing at local clubs under the stage name “Tommy Scott and the Senators.”
It wasn’t long before his voice caught the attention of talent manager Gordon Mills, who saw the potential for something far greater. Mills rebranded him as Tom Jones, and in 1964, Jones was signed to Decca Records. His breakthrough came with the release of It’s Not Unusual in 1965. The song skyrocketed to number one on the UK charts and introduced the world to his raw power and irresistible swagger.
From there, Tom Jones’s rise was meteoric. His deep, soulful voice set him apart during the British Invasion era, where most acts leaned toward rock and pop. With hits like What’s New Pussycat, Delilah, and She’s a Lady, he cemented himself as both a recording artist and a dynamic live performer. Audiences were captivated not only by his voice but by his electrifying stage presence—hips swaying, sweat dripping, and charisma pouring from every note.
By the late 1960s and 1970s, Tom Jones was a global sensation. He headlined Las Vegas shows where fans famously threw undergarments onto the stage, an image that became synonymous with his sex-symbol status. Yet despite the glamour and the excess, Tom never forgot his roots. He often spoke about the humility of his upbringing in Wales and credited it with keeping him grounded throughout the whirlwind of fame.
Over the decades, Tom Jones adapted to changing times while never losing the soul of his music. From Grammy Awards to knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006, his career has been marked by reinvention and resilience.
Tom Jones’s story is more than the tale of a boy who became a star—it’s a reminder of the power of raw talent, determination, and a voice that the world couldn’t ignore. From Pontypridd to global stages, Tom Jones didn’t just break into music—he rewrote what it meant to be a star.
