9 indisputable reasons Tom Jones is a bloody legend
The King of Wales is back at Cardiff Castle for a duo of gigs this week
(Image: Western Mail and Echo Copyright)
All hail Wales' godfather of cool, the bonafide voice of the valleys, the one and only Tom Jones is back in his homeland for some huge open-air performances at Cardiff Castle this summer. But this isn't about what the setlist is going to be or what time the Treforest legend steps out on stage, it's a nod to the sheer epicness of the artist who's sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
Born in June 1940, the now 85-year-old is famous for hits like What's New Pussycat, Green Green Grass of Home, Kiss, Sex Bomb and in recent years he's really leaned into his bluesy soul, releasing albums like Surrounded By Time and Spirit in the Room.
If you do want more information on his Cardiff Castle gigs, on August 20 and 21, then we do actually have that for you, too if you click here.
So while we know so much about the hitmaker from Ponty let's remind ourselves why he's such a legend.
1. That voice
Or should we say 'those lungs' to be more accurate? Tom's voice is still impressively incredible and the fact he still sounds as brilliant as he did 50-odd years ago is impressive anyway, but when you think that the now octagenarian spent two years in bed as a kid recovering from tuberculosis, it's even more of a feat.
Even better, it was those two years getting over the bacterial infection that affects the lungs, during which he discovered his love of music. Doctors wanted to rush the then 12-year-old to Scotland to be treated at a specialist unit but mam Freda refused, instead insisting she herself would nurse him back to health at their family home.
Article continues below
Over the next two years he did little else but listen to music. "The one good thing about suffering TB was that it stopped me going down the mines," Sir Tom has said. "Maybe if I had not been ill, I'd never have become a singer. I don't know what path I'd have taken. I've never known life without singing."
2. He'll give anything a pop!
A cover of a sexy song by Prince - go for it! Leather trousers when they weren't cool - bring it on! Fronting his own primetime TV variety show - epic, butt!
Between 1969 and 1971 he had an internationally successful television variety show titled This Is Tom Jones.
The ATV-produced show, which was worth a reported $9m to Jones over three years, was broadcast by ITV in the UK and by ABC in America. He was even nominated in 1969 for a Golden Globe for "best actor"!
For the past decade he's also been a coach on TV talent show, The Voice alongside Will.i.am and many other famous singers who have come and gone over the years. This brings Tom to a new audience and let's us see him singing something epic at the drop of a hat every week.
3. Someone, at some point, in your family saw him down the local club
Tom Jones performing at the Paget Rooms in Penarth. *Tom Jones and the Squires were hemmed in by fans when they appeared in a pop spectacular at Penarth and raised more than £200 for the Cogan Crash Appeal Fund. Several local groups and singers also appeared in the show, like Tom and the Squires, giving their services for free. It was a dual spectacular for groups were playing at the Marina Ballroom and the Paget Rooms giving Penarth Round Table members, who organised the event several transport problems. The idea for the show to be shown simultaneously at two venues with Tom Jones as the star attraction came from Mrs Rose Rattenburg and Miss Martina Franklin, both employed at the Washington Cinema, Penarth. 7th July 1965.
Before he became super famous and had a phonebox shipped to America to sit in his garden, Tom did the circuit in south Wales and beyond and we'll bet a pound that if you're Welsh and there was a club in your town, Tom played there.
It was in 1963 Tom became lead singer of local band Tommy Scott and the Senators. It was at a gig in The Top Hat, Cwmtillery, where Gordon Mills spotted the singer and signed him up.
4. He's duetted with the best of the best
He's sung with pretty much every legend in the music industry, Elvis, Janis Joplin, Elvis, Aretha Franklin, even John Denver and EMF, yes, unbelievable.
And let's not forget his 1999 album, Reload. Artists such as the Cardigans, Natalie Imbruglia, Cerys Matthews, Van Morrison, Mousse T, Portishead, Stereophonics and Robbie Williams feature on the album, which went to number one in the UK and sold more than four million copies worldwide.
5. His iconic cameos
This is probably our favourite entry. Aside from appearances on The Simpsons and also that brilliant scene with Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Tom made an unforgettable cameo in Tim Burton's alien B-movie-inspired film, Mars Attacks!
In the 1996 film, which also stars Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close and Pierce Brosnan, Tom is seen in scenes set in Las Vegas as the people of Earth battle against UFOs which are definitely not friendly. Tom legs it from a casino - after crowbarring a shout out to 'Cardiff, Wales' into the script - and pilots his way out of danger, and then sings and dances to It's Not Unusual at a mountainside while loads of animals flocks to join him. It's frankly one of the best things we saw in the cinema.*
*In the 1990s, that week...
6. His pure Welshness
(Image: Media Wales)
We tease him about crowbarring 'Cardiff, Wales' into his script for a Hollywood film, but, in truth, Tom's enjoyment of being Welsh is undeniable.
After so long living away he still sounds like he's a regular at Treforest non-Pol club on a weekly basis.
He is one of our most famous exports and proud of it.
7. His status as a Las Vegas stalwart
Tom Jones would definitely lick himself
(Image: Mirrorpix)
In 1967 Jones struck up a 45-year romance with Las Vegas – launching his performances at The Flamingo, and scoring lucrative contracts with Caeser's Palace where his reputation as a performer women like to throw knickers at, was sealed.
And up until 2011 he played at least one week in Vegas every year.
8. He was mates with Elvis
Elvis Presley and Tom Jones
It was in Vegas where Jones struck up a long friendship with Elvis Presley.
When both stars appeared in Las Vegas – Elvis at the Hilton and Tom at Caesar's Palace – they would stay up all night singing old gospel and country songs around the piano in a hotel suite.
Sir Tom said: "Elvis loved gospel music more than anything else. He would bring his vocal group up to my suite and we'd sing songs such as Why Me by Kris Kristofferson. Another favourite was Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack. I got to know him well, but I was in awe. We would stand around the piano until 4am or 5am just singing."
9. His enduring appeal...
Sir Tom Jones is sure to delight crowds at the Principality Stadium this weekend
(Image: Hadyn Iball / North Wales Live)
And talent, of course. Without one, there wouldn't be the other. For all the jokes about knicker throwing, all the impressions (we've all done it!), Sir Tom can still sell out in arenas across the globe and has a back catalogue that has changed and developed over his six decades in showbusiness. He loves what he does and people love him for it.
When he bursts out in song on The Voice - viewers cannot believe what they are hearing, but we, and his fans, can. His voice now conveys a depth of emotion and knowledge that makes it even richer and to hear him perform live is a privilege.
Can you still get tickets for Tom's 2025 Cardiff Castle gigs? Yes, you can!
Tickets for Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle on Wednesday, August 20
There are no tickets left on Ticketmaster for Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle on Wednesday, August 20. SeeTickets, Live Nation and Twickets are all sold out of Tom tix for the 20th.
Here are your resale options for that day:
Tickets start at £276 on StubHub.
Tickets start at £159 on Viagogo.
Tickets start at £237 on Vividseats.
Viagogo and resale tickets
Sites such as viagogo, Stubhub, and Vivid Seats allow fans to buy resale tickets from other fans. However, it is important to note that ticket conditions often prohibit resale after initial purchase. Those tickets may not be valid for admittance to gigs.
Fans intending to buy tickets for live events through resale websites should check the ticket terms and conditions, to confirm whether resale is prohibited, before they buy. Ticket terms and conditions can be checked with the original seller, such as Ticketmaster or Live Nation. If resale is prohibited, tickets bought second-hand could be voided and admission to the event refused.
Tickets for Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle on Thursday, August 21
There are still tickets available for Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle on Thursday, August 21, on Ticketmaster.
Prices start at £84.
Premium viewing platform standing tickets start at £218.90.
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9 indisputable reasons Tom Jones is a bloody legend
9 indisputable reasons Tom Jones is a bloody legend The King of Wales is back at Cardiff Castle for a duo of gigs this week (Image: Western Mail and Echo Copyright) All hail Wales' godfather of cool, the bonafide voice of the valleys, the one and only Tom Jones is back in his homeland for some huge open-air performances at Cardiff Castle this summer. But this isn't about what the setlist is going to be or what time the Treforest legend steps out on stage, it's a nod to the sheer epicness of the artist who's sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Born in June 1940, the now 85-year-old is famous for hits like What's New Pussycat, Green Green Grass of Home, Kiss, Sex Bomb and in recent years he's really leaned into his bluesy soul, releasing albums like Surrounded By Time and Spirit in the Room. If you do want more information on his Cardiff Castle gigs, on August 20 and 21, then we do actually have that for you, too if you click here. So while we know so much about the hitmaker from Ponty let's remind ourselves why he's such a legend. 1. That voice Or should we say 'those lungs' to be more accurate? Tom's voice is still impressively incredible and the fact he still sounds as brilliant as he did 50-odd years ago is impressive anyway, but when you think that the now octagenarian spent two years in bed as a kid recovering from tuberculosis, it's even more of a feat. Even better, it was those two years getting over the bacterial infection that affects the lungs, during which he discovered his love of music. Doctors wanted to rush the then 12-year-old to Scotland to be treated at a specialist unit but mam Freda refused, instead insisting she herself would nurse him back to health at their family home. Article continues below Over the next two years he did little else but listen to music. "The one good thing about suffering TB was that it stopped me going down the mines," Sir Tom has said. "Maybe if I had not been ill, I'd never have become a singer. I don't know what path I'd have taken. I've never known life without singing." 2. He'll give anything a pop! A cover of a sexy song by Prince - go for it! Leather trousers when they weren't cool - bring it on! Fronting his own primetime TV variety show - epic, butt! Between 1969 and 1971 he had an internationally successful television variety show titled This Is Tom Jones. The ATV-produced show, which was worth a reported $9m to Jones over three years, was broadcast by ITV in the UK and by ABC in America. He was even nominated in 1969 for a Golden Globe for "best actor"! For the past decade he's also been a coach on TV talent show, The Voice alongside and many other famous singers who have come and gone over the years. This brings Tom to a new audience and let's us see him singing something epic at the drop of a hat every week. 3. Someone, at some point, in your family saw him down the local club Tom Jones performing at the Paget Rooms in Penarth. *Tom Jones and the Squires were hemmed in by fans when they appeared in a pop spectacular at Penarth and raised more than £200 for the Cogan Crash Appeal Fund. Several local groups and singers also appeared in the show, like Tom and the Squires, giving their services for free. It was a dual spectacular for groups were playing at the Marina Ballroom and the Paget Rooms giving Penarth Round Table members, who organised the event several transport problems. The idea for the show to be shown simultaneously at two venues with Tom Jones as the star attraction came from Mrs Rose Rattenburg and Miss Martina Franklin, both employed at the Washington Cinema, Penarth. 7th July 1965. Before he became super famous and had a phonebox shipped to America to sit in his garden, Tom did the circuit in south Wales and beyond and we'll bet a pound that if you're Welsh and there was a club in your town, Tom played there. It was in 1963 Tom became lead singer of local band Tommy Scott and the Senators. It was at a gig in The Top Hat, Cwmtillery, where Gordon Mills spotted the singer and signed him up. 4. He's duetted with the best of the best He's sung with pretty much every legend in the music industry, Elvis, Janis Joplin, Elvis, Aretha Franklin, even John Denver and EMF, yes, unbelievable. And let's not forget his 1999 album, Reload. Artists such as the Cardigans, Natalie Imbruglia, Cerys Matthews, Van Morrison, Mousse T, Portishead, Stereophonics and Robbie Williams feature on the album, which went to number one in the UK and sold more than four million copies worldwide. 5. His iconic cameos This is probably our favourite entry. Aside from appearances on The Simpsons and also that brilliant scene with Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Tom made an unforgettable cameo in Tim Burton's alien B-movie-inspired film, Mars Attacks! In the 1996 film, which also stars Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close and Pierce Brosnan, Tom is seen in scenes set in Las Vegas as the people of Earth battle against UFOs which are definitely not friendly. Tom legs it from a casino - after crowbarring a shout out to 'Cardiff, Wales' into the script - and pilots his way out of danger, and then sings and dances to It's Not Unusual at a mountainside while loads of animals flocks to join him. It's frankly one of the best things we saw in the cinema.* *In the 1990s, that week... 6. His pure Welshness (Image: Media Wales) We tease him about crowbarring 'Cardiff, Wales' into his script for a Hollywood film, but, in truth, Tom's enjoyment of being Welsh is undeniable. After so long living away he still sounds like he's a regular at Treforest non-Pol club on a weekly basis. He is one of our most famous exports and proud of it. 7. His status as a Las Vegas stalwart Tom Jones would definitely lick himself (Image: Mirrorpix) In 1967 Jones struck up a 45-year romance with Las Vegas – launching his performances at The Flamingo, and scoring lucrative contracts with Caeser's Palace where his reputation as a performer women like to throw knickers at, was sealed. And up until 2011 he played at least one week in Vegas every year. 8. He was mates with Elvis Elvis Presley and Tom Jones It was in Vegas where Jones struck up a long friendship with Elvis Presley. When both stars appeared in Las Vegas – Elvis at the Hilton and Tom at Caesar's Palace – they would stay up all night singing old gospel and country songs around the piano in a hotel suite. Sir Tom said: "Elvis loved gospel music more than anything else. He would bring his vocal group up to my suite and we'd sing songs such as Why Me by Kris Kristofferson. Another favourite was Killing Me Softly by Roberta Flack. I got to know him well, but I was in awe. We would stand around the piano until 4am or 5am just singing." 9. His enduring appeal... Sir Tom Jones is sure to delight crowds at the Principality Stadium this weekend (Image: Hadyn Iball / North Wales Live) And talent, of course. Without one, there wouldn't be the other. For all the jokes about knicker throwing, all the impressions (we've all done it!), Sir Tom can still sell out in arenas across the globe and has a back catalogue that has changed and developed over his six decades in showbusiness. He loves what he does and people love him for it. When he bursts out in song on The Voice - viewers cannot believe what they are hearing, but we, and his fans, can. His voice now conveys a depth of emotion and knowledge that makes it even richer and to hear him perform live is a privilege. Can you still get tickets for Tom's 2025 Cardiff Castle gigs? Yes, you can! Tickets for Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle on Wednesday, August 20 There are no tickets left on Ticketmaster for Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle on Wednesday, August 20. SeeTickets, Live Nation and Twickets are all sold out of Tom tix for the 20th. Here are your resale options for that day: Tickets start at £276 on StubHub. Tickets start at £159 on Viagogo. Tickets start at £237 on Vividseats. Viagogo and resale tickets Sites such as viagogo, Stubhub, and Vivid Seats allow fans to buy resale tickets from other fans. However, it is important to note that ticket conditions often prohibit resale after initial purchase. Those tickets may not be valid for admittance to gigs. Fans intending to buy tickets for live events through resale websites should check the ticket terms and conditions, to confirm whether resale is prohibited, before they buy. Ticket terms and conditions can be checked with the original seller, such as Ticketmaster or Live Nation. If resale is prohibited, tickets bought second-hand could be voided and admission to the event refused. Tickets for Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle on Thursday, August 21 There are still tickets available for Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle on Thursday, August 21, on Ticketmaster. Prices start at £84. Premium viewing platform standing tickets start at £218.90. Article continues below
