Tom Jones

Treforest is a small town in South Wales not so far from Cardiff. It's not a particularly impressive place and being home to the University of Glamorgan its population goes up and down according to when the students are there. However, Treforest can be proud of the fact that it produced one of the greatest singers and performers of the twentieth, and twenty first, centuries - Tom Jones.

He was born on the 7th June 1940 and grew up in the town. He went to the local school but didn't have much success with his studies. He left when he was 16 and within a year he had a wife and a baby son. He remains married to Linda to this day, quite unusual by today's standards. He worked several jobs but his real passion was singing - he often sang for his family and friends and everyone was impressed by his powerful voice.

He sang with a band in pubs and clubs around South Wales, and it was one night in 1964 that a manager from London heard him singing. He took him to London immediately and in 1965 he recorded the single, 'It's not unusual'. The BBC radio didn't play the song because it wasn't acceptable by their standards but the pirate radio station, Caroline, played it all the time and made it a big hit - number 1 in fact!

The same year he sang the theme tune to the James Bond film, Thunderball and he won a Grammy, the American music 'Oscars', as Best New Artist. Tom Jones was now a household name.

In 1967 he was working a lot in America and got a reputation for his energetic and entertaining live performances. He regularly played the casinos of Las Vegas and it was here that a particular phenomenon started - screaming women threw their underwear onto the stage during his shows, something that continues to this day! During this time he became very good friends with legendary Elvis Presley, each greatly respecting the other's talent.

Tom also had his own television show on which he sang with special guests - usually the best and most famous stars of the time - such as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles to name just a few.

Now most artists as they grow old, so do their fans. In Tom's case his fans seem to get younger. He made an album in 1999 on which he sings with the best new groups of the time, and their fans became his fans too.

He now lives in Los Angeles and continues to perform in Las Vegas for at least 3 months a year. In 1999 he became Sir Tom Jones and he also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.