Dame Kelly Holmes

Personal information
Full name	Kelly Holmes
Nationality	British
Born	(1970-04-19) 19 April 1970 (age 42)
Residence	Hildenborough, Kent
Height	1.64 m (5 ft 4 1⁄2 in)[1]
Sport
Sport	Running
Event(s)	800 metres, 1500 metres
Medal record Women's Athletics Competitor for  Great Britain Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens 800 m Gold 2004 Athens 1500 m Bronze 2000 Sydney 800 m World Championships Silver 1995 Gothenburg 1500 m Silver 2003 Paris 800 m Bronze 1995 Gothenburg 800 m World Indoor Championships Silver 2003 Birmingham 1500 m European Championships Silver 1994 Helsinki 1500 m Bronze 2002 Munich 800 m Competitor for  England Commonwealth Games Gold 1994 Victoria 1500 m Gold 2002 Manchester 1500 m Silver 1998 Kuala Lumpur 1500 m

Dame Kelly Holmes, DBE, MBE(Mil.) (born 19 April 1970) is a retired British middle distance athlete. She specialised in the 800 metres and 1500 metres events and won a gold medal for both distances at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She set British records in numerous events and still holds the records over the 600, 800, 1000, and 1500 metres distances.

Inspired by Sebastian Coe, Holmes began competing in middle distance events in her youth. She joined the British Army but continued to compete at the organisation's athletics events. She turned to the professional athletics circuit in the early 1990s and in 1994 she won the 1500 m at the Commonwealth Games and took silver at the European Championships. She won a silver and a bronze medal at the 1995 Gothenburg World Championships but suffered from various injuries over the following two years, failing to gain a medal at her first Olympics in Atlanta 1996. She won silver in the 1500 m at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and bronze in the 800 m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics; her first Olympic medal.

Holmes won the 1500 m at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 800 m bronze at the Munich European Championships that year. The 2003 track season saw her take silver in the 1500 m at the World Indoor Championships and the 800 m silver medals at the World Championships and first World Athletics Final. She took part in her final major championship in 2004— she turned in a double gold medal-winning performance at the Athens Olympics, finishing as the 800 m and 1500 m Olympic Champion. For her achievements she won numerous awards and was appointed a dame by HM The Queen in 2005. She retired from athletics in 2005 and has since made a number of television appearances.

Early life and army career[link]

Holmes was born in Pembury, Kent, the daughter of Derrick Holmes, a Jamaican-born car mechanic, and a British mother, Pam Norman. Her mother, 18 at the time of her birth, married painter and decorator Michael Norris, whom Holmes regards as her father, seven years later, and the couple had two more children (Kevin b. 1977 and Stuart b. 1980) before splitting up in 1987. Holmes grew up in Hildenborough and attended Hildenborough CEP School, and then Hugh Christie Comprehensive School in Tonbridge at the age of 12.^{[citation needed]}

She started training for athletics at the age of 12, joining Tonbridge Athletics Club, where she was coached by David Arnold and went on to win the English schools 1500 metres in her second season in 1983.^{[citation needed]} Her hero was British middle distance runner Sebastian Coe, and she was inspired by Coe's successful 1984 Summer Olympics defence of his 1500 m crown.^{[citation needed]}

However, Holmes later turned her back on athletics, joining the British Army at the age of 18, having left school two years earlier, working initially as a shop assistant in a sweet shop and later as a nursing assistant for disabled patients.^{[citation needed]} In the Army, she was initially a lorry driver in the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC), later becoming a basic physical training instructor (PTI).^{[citation needed]} Holmes then elected in June 1990 to attend the first course to be run under the new Army Physical Training Corps syllabus, and successfully passed out as a Class 2 PTI.^{[citation needed]} Although militarily quite young, Holmes' athletic prowess was impressive and she was encouraged to attend the course selection for full-time transfer to the Army Physical Training Corps (APTC).^{[citation needed]}

Holmes eventually qualified as a Sergeant Class 1 PTI, although she remained in the Adjutant General's Corps after the disbandment of the WRAC in 1992.^{[citation needed]} She also became British Army judo champion,^{[citation needed]} and in Army athletics events once competed in the men's 800 metres at a meeting, as it was considered that for her to run in the women's event would be too embarrassing for the other competitors.^{[citation needed]} At another event, she competed in and won an 800 metres, a 3000 metres and a relay race all in a single day. She also won the Heptathlon.^{[citation needed]}

Holmes watched the 1992 Summer Olympics on television, and seeing Lisa York in the heats of the 3000 metres, an athlete whom she had competed against, and beaten, decided to return to athletics.^{[citation needed]} For several years she combined both athletics and her employment in the army, until increased funding allowed her to become a full-time athlete in 1997.^{[citation needed]}

2004 Athens Olympic Games[link]

While training in 2003 for the 2004 Summer Olympics at a French training camp, Holmes suffered leg injuries and was very depressed, she began to meditate using an English lantern "I made one cut for every day that I had been injured", Holmes stated in an interview with News of the World newspaper. At least once, she considered suicide, but she eventually sought help from a doctor and was diagnosed with clinical depression. While she could not use anti-depressants because it would affect her performance, she began using herbal serotonin tablets.^{[citation needed]} In 2005, after her achievements at the 2004 Summer Olympics, Holmes chose to talk about her self-harm to show others that being a professional athlete is an extremely difficult thing to do and places the athlete under tremendous amounts of stress.^{[citation needed]}

2004 saw Holmes arrive at a major competition, the Athens Olympics, with no injury worries for just about the first time in her career. She had originally planned to compete in just the 1500 m but a victory over Jolanda Čeplak before the games had many saying she should take her chance in the 800 m as well.^{[citation needed]} Holmes did not announce her decision to race in both events until five days before the 800 m finals.^{[citation needed]}

Along with three time World Champion Maria de Lurdes Mutola and Čeplak, Holmes was considered one of the favourites for the gold medal in the 800 m.^{[citation needed]} In the final, Holmes ran a well-paced race, ignoring a fast start by a number of the other competitors, and moved into the lead ahead of Mutola on the final bend, taking the gold on the line ahead of Hasna Benhassi and Čeplak, with Mutola in fourth.^{[citation needed]} Holmes became the seventh British woman to win an athletics gold, and the second after Ann Packer in 1964 to win the 800 metres.^{[citation needed]}

Again running from the rear of the field, she took the lead in the final straight, holding off World Champion Tatyana Tomashova of Russia.^{[citation needed]} She thus became only the third woman in history to do the 800 m and 1500 m double (after Tatyana Kazankina of the Soviet Union in 1976 and Svetlana Masterkova of Russia in 1996), and Britain's first double gold medallist at the same games since Albert Hill in 1920.^{[citation needed]} Her time of 3 minutes 57.90 seconds in the 1500 m final also set a new British record for the distance.^{[citation needed]}

Holmes on parade

Subsequently, Holmes was given the honour of carrying the British flag at the closing ceremony of the games, on 29 August, the day after her second victory.^{[citation needed]} A home-coming parade was held in her honour through the streets of Hildenborough and Tonbridge on 1 September, which was attended by approximately 40,000 people.^{[citation needed]} Holmes won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2004, saying she achieved her goals after "twenty years of dreaming". She also asserted the award was "the biggest sporting honour your country can give you". The tributes to her at the BBC awards ceremony were led by the six British female athletes who had previously won gold at the Olympic Games in a "Magnificent Seven"-style feature — those six being Mary Rand, Ann Packer, Mary Peters, Tessa Sanderson, Sally Gunnell and Denise Lewis.^{[citation needed]}

Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust[link]

In 2008, Holmes created the DKH Legacy Trust to support young athletes and help the lives of young people across the UK.^[2]

Damehood and post-athletics career[link]

Holmes was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2005 New Year Honours.^[3] She was presented with the honour by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 9 March 2005, accompanied by her parents and grandfather.^{[citation needed]} She had previously been appointed a Member of the Military Division of the same Order (MBE) in 1998 for services to the British Army.^{[citation needed]}

Since 2004, Kelly has taken part in Norwich Union sponsored "On Camp with Kelly" athletics camps helping train more junior athletes.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, she won the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year.^{[citation needed]} That same year, she named the P&O Cruise ship MS Arcadia.^[4]

On 21 August 2005, she competed in her final race in the UK, the 800 m at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix meeting in Sheffield.^{[citation needed]} Her training schedule during the summer of 2005 had been disrupted by a recurrent Achilles tendon injury, and she finished the race in 8th place, limping across the finish line and completing a lap of honour on a buggy.^{[citation needed]}

On 6 December 2005, Holmes announced her retirement from athletics, stating she had reassessed her future after the death of a friend as well as citing a lack of motivation to continue.^{[citation needed]}

On 16 September 2007, Holmes presented the weekly round-up of sports news on the BBC London News as an apparent substitute for regular presenter Mark Bright. Holmes was introduced by anchorwoman Riz Lateef without explanation. Reading from the autocue in a glamorous dress with elaborate hairstyle, Holmes appeared confident and enthusiastic, leading to speculation that this might presage a career in broadcasting. Neither the BBC nor Holmes have made any public statement.^{[citation needed]}

Kelly is the aunt of British decathlete, Andrew Holmes.^[5]

In May 2009 Holmes was named as the new president of Commonwealth Games England, succeeding Sir Chris Chataway, who had held the post since 1994.^{[citation needed]} Commonwealth Games England chairman Sir Andrew Foster said: "Dame Kelly has been an outstanding athlete both for Team England and Great Britain. "She is a truly inspirational and respected figure in the sporting world and will be a wonderful ambassador for Commonwealth Games England." ^[6]

In 2010, she was inducted into the England Athletics Hall of Fame.

In October 2011 Holmes appeared live on Dubai One lifestyle show Studio One (TV Series) as she talked about her life and career after athletics.

Personal bests[link]

• All information taken from IAAF profile and UK All time lists.^[7][8][9]

Competition record[link]

• Note: In addition to these achievements, Holmes has also won 12 national titles.

See also[link]

• Benita de Witt

Bibliography[link]

• Holmes, Kelly; Richard Lewis (2004). My Olympic Ten Days. Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-222-8. 
• Holmes, Kelly (2005). Kelly Holmes: Black, White & Gold:The Autobiography. Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-224-4. 

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kelly Holmes

• Kelly Holmes Official Website
• IAAF profile for Kelly Holmes
• UK Athletics profile for Kelly Holmes

Articles

• The Guardian profile: Kelly Holmes
• BBC Sport The real Holmes truth
• BBC Sport Holmes reveals self-harm ordeal
• BBC Sport Holmes makes emotional farewell
• BMI Voyager Magazine How Kelly Holmes inspires young girls on the sports field – Interview
• On Camp With Kelly
• Early years in athletics from Spikes Magazine

Awards
Preceded by Carolina Klüft	Women's European Athlete of the Year 2004	Succeeded by Yelena Isinbayeva
Preceded by Jonny Wilkinson	BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2004	Succeeded by Andrew Flintoff
Preceded by Annika Sörenstam	World Sportswoman of the Year 2005	Succeeded by Janica Kostelić

v t e Winners of the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year 2000: Marion Jones* · 2001: Cathy Freeman · 2002: Jennifer Capriati · 2003: Serena Williams · 2004: Annika Sörenstam · 2005: Kelly Holmes · 2006: Janica Kostelić · 2007: Yelena Isinbayeva · 2008: Justine Henin · 2009: Yelena Isinbayeva · 2010: Serena Williams · 2011: Lindsey Vonn · 2012: Vivian Cheruiyot Since this award, Jones has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. Her award is in doubt.

Tom Jones
Singing at House of Blues, Anaheim, California, 10 March 2009
Background information
Birth name	Thomas John Woodward
Also known as	Tom Jones
Born	(1940-06-07) 7 June 1940 (age 72) Treforest, Pontypridd, Wales
Genres	Pop, R&B, blues, blue-eyed soul
Occupations	Singer
Years active	1963–present
Labels	Tower, Columbia, Decca, Parrot, Epic, Jive
Website	www.tomjones.com

Sir Thomas John Woodward,^[1][2] OBE^[3] (born 7 June 1940), known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.^[4] Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, soul and gospel^[5] – and sold over 100 million records.^[6]

Jones has had thirty-six Top 40 hits in the United Kingdom and nineteen in the United States; some of his notable songs include "It's Not Unusual", "What's New Pussycat", "Delilah", "Green, Green Grass of Home", "She's a Lady" and "Kiss".^[7][8]

Having been awarded an OBE in 1999, Jones received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for "services to music" in 2006.^[3] Jones has received numerous other awards throughout his career, including the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1966, two Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 2000, and an MTV Video Music Award.^[9][10][11] Aside from his musical career, Jones is currently a coach and mentor on television show The Voice UK.

Early life[link]

Tom Jones was born at 57 Kingsland Terrace, Treforest, Pontypridd in South Wales.^[12] His parents were Thomas Woodward (died 5 October 1981), a coal miner, and Freda Jones (died 7 February 2003).^[13] His family was mainly of English descent, both of his paternal grandparents having been born in England and his maternal grandmother, Ada Jones from Pontypridd, having English parents.^[14]

Jones began singing at an early age: he would regularly sing at family gatherings, weddings and in his school choir. Jones did not like school or sports but gained confidence through his singing talent.^[15] At 12 he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Many years later he said; "I spent two years in bed recovering. It was the worst time of my life." During convalescence he could do little else but listen to music and draw.^[16]

Jones' bluesy singing style developed out of the sound of American soul music. His early influences included blues and R&B singers Little Richard, Solomon Burke, Jackie Wilson and Brook Benton as well as Jerry Lee Lewis's music.^[17]

In March 1957 Jones married his high school girlfriend, Melinda Trenchard when they were expecting a child together, both aged 16. The couple had a son named Mark who was born the month following their wedding. To support his young family Jones took a job working in a glove factory and was later employed in construction.^[18]

Rise to fame[link]

Jones became the frontman for Tommy Scott and the Senators, a Welsh beat group, in 1963. They soon gained a local following and reputation in South Wales. In 1964 the group recorded several solo tracks with producer Joe Meek, who took them to various labels, but they had little success. Later that year Decca producer Peter Sullivan saw Tommy Scott and The Senators performing in a club and directed them to manager Phil Solomon, but the partnership was short-lived.

The group continued to play gigs at dance halls and working men's clubs in South Wales. One night, at the Top Hat in Cwmtillery, Wales, Jones was spotted by Gordon Mills, a London-based manager originally from South Wales. Mills became Jones' manager and took the young singer to London, and also renamed him Tom Jones.^[19]

Eventually Mills got Jones a recording contract with Decca. His first single, "Chills and Fever", was released in late 1964. It didn't chart, but the follow-up, "It's Not Unusual" became an international hit after offshore pirate radio station Radio Caroline promoted it. In early 1965 "It's Not Unusual" reached number one in the United Kingdom and the top ten in the United States. During 1965 Mills secured a number of movie themes for Jones to record including the themes for the film What's New Pussycat? (written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David) and for the James Bond film Thunderball.^[20] Jones was also awarded the Grammy Award for Best New Artist for 1965.^[10]

In 1966 Jones' popularity began to slip somewhat, causing Mills to redesign the singer's image into that of a crooner. Jones also began to sing material that appealed to a wider audience such as the big country hit "Green, Green Grass of Home". The strategy worked and Jones returned to the top of the charts in the United Kingdom and began hitting the Top 40 again in the United States. For the remainder of the decade he scored a string of hits on both sides of the Atlantic.^[5][18][21]

Las Vegas[link]

In 1967 Jones performed in Las Vegas for the first time, at the Flamingo.^[20] His performances and style of dress (increasingly featuring his open, half-unbuttoned shirts and tight trousers) became part of his stage act. He soon chose to record less, instead concentrating on his lucrative club performances. At Caesars Palace his shows were a knicker-hurling frenzy of sexually charged adulation and good-time entertainment. Women started throwing hotel room keys onto the stage. Jones and his idol Elvis Presley met in 1965 at the Paramount film stage, when Elvis was filming Paradise, Hawaiian Style.^[20] They became good friends, spending more and more time together in Las Vegas and duetting until the early hours at Presley's private Las Vegas suite. The friendship endured until Presley's death in 1977.^[20] Jones' guitarist between 1969 and 1974 was Big Jim Sullivan, who also met and formed a friendship with Presley.

Tom Jones played at least one week in Las Vegas every year until 2011.

Television and lawsuits[link]

Jones had an internationally successful television variety show titled This Is Tom Jones from 1969 to 1971. 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. From 1980 to 1981 he had a second television variety show, the eponymous Tom Jones, that was produced in Vancouver, Canada and lasted for 24 episodes.

In recent years both television shows have been the subject of litigation with the original license holder C/F International. As of December 2004 C/F International was a secured judgment creditor of Classic World Productions and its principal, Darryl Payne, for approximately one million US dollars, and was the principal secured creditor at the time of the subsequent bankruptcy filing by the company. C/F International's action against Classic World Productions and owner Darryl Payne was based on unpaid royalties from This Is Tom Jones,^[22] and related recordings.^[23] This Is Tom Jones is currently sold on DVD by Time-Life rather than by Classic World Productions or C/F International.^[24]

C/F International's rights to later Tom Jones material were also disputed. In March 2007 Tom Jones and Tom Jones Enterprises sued C/F International to stop the company from licensing sound recordings made from the 1981 Tom Jones series. It was contended that any rights that C/F International had to license the Tom Jones show did not include the right to make and license separate recordings of the performances on the show and that any rights that C/F International had in the Tom Jones show' no longer existed due to numerous breaches of contract.^[25] Examples of contentious CDs include "Live on the Tom Jones Show", released in 2006.^[26][27]

Jones appeared on 31 December 1969, on the BBC's review of the 1960s music scene, Pop Go The Sixties, performing "Delilah" (in a telerecording of an earlier appearance on Top of the Pops).

In 1970, Jones teamed up with Raquel Welch and Producer/Choreographer David Winters of Winters-Rosen Productions^[28] for the TV special Raquel!. The multi-million dollar TV song & dance extravaganza was filmed around the world and included production numbers of classic songs from the era, lavish costumes and guest performances from Jones, John Wayne and Bob Hope.^[29]

Decline and resurgence[link]

In the early 1970s Jones had a number of hit singles, including "She's A Lady", "Till", and "The Young New Mexican Puppeteer", but in the mid 1970s his popularity declined although he did have a big hit in 1976 with "Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow" which went to No. 1 on the US country chart and No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In the early 1980s Jones started to record country music. From 1980 to 1986 he had nine songs in the US country top 40 yet failed to crack the top 100 in the UK or the Billboard Hot 100.^[30] After Jones' manager Gordon Mills died of cancer on 29 July 1986, Jones' son Mark became his manager.^[31] In 1987, Tom Jones re-entered the singles chart with "A Boy From Nowhere" which went to No. 2 in the United Kingdom. The following year he covered Prince's "Kiss" with The Art of Noise. The song was a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, reaching No. 5 in the UK and No. 31 in the US. The video for "Kiss" was much seen on MTV and VH1, and won the MTV Video Music Award for Breakthrough Video.

Jones received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1989, located at 6608 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California in front of Frederick's of Hollywood. In 1992 he made his first appearance at the UK's Glastonbury Festival and in 1993 he appeared as himself on episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Simpsons.

Jones signed with Interscope Records in 1993 and released the album The Lead And How To Swing It. The first single, "If I Only Knew," went to No. 11 in the UK.^[32] In 1997, Jones did the soundtrack for the comedy film The Full Monty, recording "You Can Leave Your Hat On".^[33]

In 1999 Jones released the album Reload, a collection of cover duets with artists such as The Cardigans, Natalie Imbruglia, Cerys Matthews, Van Morrison, Mousse T, Portishead, Stereophonics, and Robbie Williams. The album went to No. 1 in the UK and sold over 4 million copies worldwide. Five singles from Reload hit the UK top 40.^[30][34]

Into the 21st century[link]

United States President Bill Clinton invited Jones to perform on New Year's Eve at the 2000 millennium celebrations in Washington, D.C. Throughout 2000 Jones garnered a number of honours for his work including a BRIT Award for Best Male. He was also hired as the new voice of Australia's National Rugby League, singing in an advertisement to market the 2000 season.^[35]

In 2002 Jones released the album Mr. Jones, which was produced by Wyclef Jean. The album and the first single, "Tom Jones International", were top 40 hits in the UK.^[36]

Jones received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2003. The following year, he teamed up with pianist Jools Holland and released Tom Jones & Jools Holland, a roots rock 'n' roll album. It peaked at No. 5 in the UK.^[30][37]

On 28 May 2005, in celebration of his approaching 65th birthday, Jones returned to his homeland to perform a concert in Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd before a crowd of about 20,000. This was his first performance in Pontypridd since 1964.^[38] That same year the BBC reported that Jones was Wales' wealthiest entertainer, having amassed a fortune of £175 million.^[39] Jones collaborated with English-born Australian pop singer John Farnham in 2005 and released the live album John Farnham & Tom Jones - Together In Concert. The following year Jones worked with Chicane and released the dance track "Stoned in Love", which went to No. 7 in the UK Singles Chart.^[30]

Jones, who was awarded an OBE in 1999, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 at Buckingham Palace for his services to music. "When you first come into show business and get a hit record, it is the start of something", Jones said. "As time goes by it just gets better. This is the best thing I have had. It's a wonderful feeling, a heady feeling."^[40]

2007–09[link]

On 1 July 2007 Jones was among the invited artists who performed at Wembley Stadium at the Concert for Diana, joined on stage by guitarist Joe Perry of Aerosmith and British soul singer Joss Stone. In addition to performing some of his own songs the group covered Arctic Monkeys' "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor".^[41] Jones, a boxing fan, has performed national anthems before a number of boxing matches. He sang "God Save the Queen", the United Kingdom's national anthem, before the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Ricky Hatton fight in 2007, he sang "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau", the Welsh national anthem, at the fight between fellow Welshman Joe Calzaghe and Bernard Hopkins in 2008, and he sang "God Save the Queen" before the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight in 2009.^[42][43][44]

In 2008 he released 24 Hours on S-Curve Records, his first album of new material to be issued in the US for over 15 years. Jones, who was still performing over 200 dates a year as he approached his 70th birthday, set out on a world tour to promote the album. "The fire is still in me. Not to be an oldie, but a goodie. I want to be a contender," Jones said.^[45][46][47] In 2008 also Tom Jones was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. On 16 November 2008 Jones was invited to perform on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. He performed the debut single from 24 Hours, "If He Should Ever Leave You", which was named the 9th best song of 2008 by Spinner.^[48][49][50] One of the songs from 24 Hours, "Give a Little Love", would later be featured in the first trailer for Little Fockers.

In February 2009 he did an exclusive Take-Away Show with Vincent Moon, performing three songs live in front of a camera in a New York hotel room.^[51] In 2009 Jones was voted "Sexiest Man In The World" in the Hungarian magazine Periodika.^[52]

In March 2009 Jones went to the top of the UK Music Charts for the third time in his career thanks to a cover of "Islands in the Stream", sung with Ruth Jones, Rob Brydon and Robin Gibb, who co-wrote the original with his brothers Barry and Maurice. The song, inspired by BBC's hit sitcom Gavin and Stacey, was released in aid of Comic Relief and reached No. 1 in March 2009.^[53]

2010–present[link]

On 5 June 2010 a performance at Norwich City Football Club's Carrow Road stadium, two days before he celebrated his 70th birthday, was cancelled due to incomplete improvements to the stadium. Jones announced that his new album Praise & Blame would be released on 26 July 2010. The album, produced by Ethan Johns (who has previously worked with Kings Of Leon, Rufus Wainwright and Laura Marling), would include covers of songs by Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker and Billy Joe Shaver, and feature such guest musicians as Booker T.^[54]

On Jones' 70th birthday, 7 June 2010, the single "Burning Hell", a cover of the John Lee Hooker classic, from the forthcoming Praise & Blame album, was released. In July 2010 it was reported, however, that David Sharpe, vice-president of Island Records (to whom Jones had moved, from EMI, for £1.5m in October 2009), had emailed colleagues demanding that they "pull back this project immediately or get my money back" and asking if the record had been "a sick joke".^[55] Jones later attacked Sharpe and revealed that he was furious about the leaked email.^[56]

In July 2010 Jones appeared on the penultimate episode of Friday Night with Jonathan Ross and performed "Burning Hell". In August 2010, Praise & Blame debuted at number 2 on the UK album chart.^[57]

On 11 September 2010 Jones performed for an audience of 50,000 at the Help for Heroes charity concert at Twickenham Stadium performing "Strange Things Are Happening Every Day" and his classic hit "Green Green Grass of Home". On 22 September, Jones appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman" at the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York. Last year he ditched his hair dye and declared he'd moved onto a new stage in his life: "Over Christmas, I always take a month off and let my hair go and don't even shave. "Normally it comes out like salt and pepper which I hated. But this year it grew out a silver colour, so I kept it because it's more distinguished", he said.^[58]

In May 2011 Jones appeared as guest vocalist on the debut album Let Them Talk by Hugh Laurie. On 15 May 2011 he appeared alongside Laurie in the UK ITV series Perspectives, singing music from the album in New Orleans.^[59] On 25 May 2011, he appeared on American Idol after a medley of his hits performed by the American Idol "Top 13".^[60]

Jones released a single on 19 March 2012, written with former White Stripes frontman Jack White, called Evil.^[61] The single was first made available through independent record stores in 7" vinyl on 5 March.^[62] An exclusive three-coloured vinyl was also sold at only one shop – Spillers Records in Cardiff. The shop, from which Jones bought records as a schoolboy in the 1950s and early 1960s, was founded in 1894 and is listed in the Guinness World Records as the oldest record shop in the world.^[63]

From March 2012 Jones has appeared on the BBC talent show The Voice UK, where he is a judge alongside Jessie J, Danny O'Donoghue of The Script, and Will.i.am.^[64]

In May 2012 Jones released the album Spirit in the Room on Island Records/Universal Records. The track listing included covers of songs by Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen and Richard and Linda Thompson, Blind Willie Johnson, Tom Waits and The Low Anthem.^[65]

Personal life[link]

Jones has remained married to Melinda since 1957, despite his many well publicised infidelities.^[66] His philandering once led her to beat him black and blue.^[67] They have one son, Mark Woodward (1957).^[68] She snapped after reading about one infidelity in a newspaper. She punched and kicked him, but Jones did not fight back: "I took it", Jones said.^[67] Jones has had affairs with such well-known women as Mary Wilson of The Supremes and former Miss World Marjorie Wallace.^[69] Cassandra Peterson, better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, claims that she lost her virginity to Jones.^[70]

One affair resulted in the birth of a son. In October 1987, while on tour in America, Jones had a brief relationship with model Katherine Berkery. Three months later Berkery discovered that she was pregnant. After a lengthy fight and DNA testing an American court ruled in 1989 that Jones is the boy's father. He flatly denied paternity for 20 years but finally admitted it in 2008. However he made no suggestion that he wanted to meet his son Jonathan Berkery.^[71][72]

Jones moved to the United States in 1974 on the advice of his accountant to avoid Britain's newly introduced 83% top rate of tax, buying Dean Martin's former mansion in the East Gate Old Bel Air in Los Angeles. In 2009, after 35 years in America, he revealed that he and Melinda were planning to move back to the United Kingdom. "I've had a great time living in Los Angeles", Jones said, "but after all these years, we think now is the time to move home".^[34][73] However, on The Chris Moyles Show on 27 July 2009, he said he still lives in Los Angeles and will remain there for the foreseeable future as he still frequently visits the United Kingdom.

Tom Jones is the father of two sons and grandfather of two grandchildren.^[74]

Discography[link]

Filmography[link]

• The Special London Bridge Special, TV special, UK/US (1972)
  • A fantasy story about London Bridge being brought to America
• On Happiness Island, BBC TV special, UK (1974)
• Pleasure Cove, feature film, US (1979)
• Fantasy Island, TV series, US (ABC, 7 April 1984)
• The Ghosts Of Oxford Street, TV special, UK (1991)
  • A TV musical celebrating the 200th anniversary of London's most renowned Oxford Street
• Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, TV series (Guest: As Himself) (1991)
• The Simpsons, TV series, Season 4 Episode 7 ("Marge Gets a Job") (1992)
• Silk n' Sabotage, feature film, US (1994)
• Jerky Boys: The Movie, feature film, US (1995)
• Mars Attacks!, feature film, US (1996)
• Agnes Browne (a.k.a. The Mammy), feature film (1999)
• The Emperor's New Groove, animated film (As the Theme Song Guy) (2000)
• Duck Dodgers, opening theme and a guest appearance in episode "Talent Show A Go-Go"^[75]

In popular culture[link]

Space and Cerys Matthews released "The Ballad of Tom Jones", a song about a fighting couple who are calmed down by listening to Jones' music on the radio. The song reached No. 4 in the UK. in 1998.^[76]

Compositions[link]

Tom Jones wrote or co-wrote the following songs: "And I Tell The Sea", "Looking Out My Window", "Feel The Rain", "Jezebel", "The Letter", "Younger Days", "Tom Jones International", "Holiday", "The Road", "24 Hours", "Seasons", "We Got Love", "Seen That Face", "Give A Little Love", "If He Should Ever Leave You", "Whatever It Takes" and "Didn't It Rain".

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Bert Schwartz: "Tom Jones" (Grosset & Dunlap, New York City, 1969) 76-103307
• Peter Jones: "Tom Jones: Biography of a Great Star" (Avon Publishing, 1970 (1st edition), 1971)
• Colin MacFarlane: "Tom Jones: The Boy from Nowhere" (W.H. Allen, London, 1988 St Martins Press, New York) ISBN 0-491-03118-1
• Stafford Hildred & David Gritten: "Tom Jones: A Biography" (Isis Large Print Books, April 1991) ISBN 1-85089-486-8
• Roger St. Pierre: "Tom Jones — Quote Unquote" (Parragon Book Service, LTD. publishers, Great Britain, 1996) ISBN 0-7525-1696-5
• Stafford Hildred & David Gritten: "Tom Jones: A Biography" (revised edition '98) (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1998 an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Ltd) ISBN 0-283-06312-2
• Chris Roberts: "Tom Jones" (1st edition) (Virgin Books, 1999 an imprint of Virgin Publishing Limited) ISBN 1-85227-846-3
• Lucy Ellis, Bryony Sutherland: "Tom Jones: Close Up" (Omnibus Press, 2000) ISBN 0-7119-7549-3 (Hc) ISBN 0-7119-8645-2 (Pb)
• Robin Eggar: "Tom Jones — The Biography" (1st edition) (Headline Book Publishing, 2000) ISBN 0-7472-7578-5
• Woodward v. Berkery, 714 So.2d 1027 (Fla.App.4thDist. 1998)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tom Jones (singer)

• Official website
• BBC Tom Jones Biography
• BBC Wales Music
• Transcript of interview with Larry King 7 November 2003
• Tom Jones at the Internet Movie Database