Tom Jones International

Here’s the LA Times’ take on Tom in Las Vegas. We’re told that the Las Vegas papers had ads for the show with Kaye Ballard in very large type and Tom featured in comparatively small type. What amazed us, though, was the reference to That Ol’ Black Magic. Maybe it’s true? The more things change, the more they stay the same. We wonder what this reviewer — were he to revisit Tom’s show today — would say about Tom’s “pleasant, well-placed singing voice.” The photo is of Tom with his newly signed Flamingo contract in 1968. It’s the one we put on his card opening night.

Singer Tom Jones In Las Vegas Debut

By John L. Scott/Times Staff Writer

LAS VEGAS — Tom Jones, singing son of a Welsh coal miner, struck gold at the Flamingo Hotel when he made a most impressive Las Vegas debut before a crowd of critical locals who attend premieres with a “show-me” attitude.

The tall, ruggedly handsome young man from Britain held first-nighters in the palm of his hand with a dynamic, temperature-raising performance. As he bounced and wriggled his way around the Flamingo’s theater-restaurant stage (he’s almost as much dancer as singer) Jones had mink-clad matrons and mini-skirted maids screaming with excitement, something that hasn’t happened here since Robert Goulet made his initial Vegas bow.

Tom Jones told me several weeks ago: “I feel songs and the body just moves.” The curly-haired performer wasn’t speaking idly.

Man’s Voice

Because of his frenetic movements, Jones’ pleasant, well-placed singing voice may have been overlooked by some first-nighters, but males leaving the showroom after the premiere were heard to observe that “there’s a man with that man’s voice.”

With Russ Black’s orchestra, augmented by Jones’ group called The Squires, providing a wild, swinging musical backdrop, the welcome new addition to Las Vegas’ coterie of stars sang a varied program of ballads and jump tunes.

Most of these numbers were presented in the modern tempo, even “Danny Boy,” which might be considered heresy by diehard Irishmen, but which gave the tune a brand new, exciting dimension.
Don Gibson’s I Can’t Stop Loving You, Delilah and Don’t Fight It,” (from Jones’ newest album), him million-sellers Green Green Grass of Home and It’s Not Unusual were distinct highlights of the program. Of course What’s New Pussycat rocked the Flamingo’s theater-restaurant to its foundation, and Shake gave the star plenty of opportunity to interpret the title.

Strange Choice

That Old Black Magic seemed a rather strange choice for a pop star’s debut program in Las Vegas, although I have no quarrel with Jones’ presentation. Land of A Thousand Dances proved to be a fine get-off number.

Jones’ musical director and arranger, Johnny Harris, gave almost as wild a performance as the singer and kept Black’s fine musicians on their musical toes.

Preceding Jones to the platform was comedienne Kay Ballard, who came on with the flu but delivered an amusing, sometimes hilarious performance in spite of her temperature.

Los Cabrera, an acrobatic act, opened the show with an amazing display of tumbling.

Sentence fragment and all, we carried our greeting to Tom around the Hollywood Theatre for an hour before the show and asked audience members and theatre staff to sign it. We didn’t get as many signatures as we wanted because everyone wanted to sign more than just their names. They were all fans — from the USA, the UK and Australia — and all wanted to write a personal note. Many local Las Vegans who signed knew about the occasion because they’d read it in the newspaper and treated the show like an historic one.

Then, at 8 sharp, the room darkened, the video played and Tony came out. He didn’t have to work too hard to whip an already excited crowd into a frenzy. When “SIR TOM JONES!” entered, the place went wild. Looking tan (of course) and very fit and sounding wonderful, Tom treated the audience to a terrific show. No changes in the set list, but lots of enthusiasm and fun.

After Help Yourself, we stood and lifted the card. “What’s this?” he asked. “It’s your 40th anniversary so…,” we said. “I know it’s my 40th anniversary,” he replied. “Look, see, I’ve been in Vegas now for 40 years.”

Then, in an aside to us he said, “Can you believe that? It’s unbelievable, isn’t it?”

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Today’s Las Vegas Review Journal column by Mike Weatherford talks about tonight’s show. He is a fan and over the years has written some really terrific stuff about Tom that you’ve read on our site. Just put “Weatherford” in the search box and you can revisit his stories. Incidentally, although records of such stuff are not formally kept, the way we hear it, only one other entertainer is believed to have equaled Tom’s record. That is Don Rickles.

MIKE WEATHERFORD: Tom Jones to mark milestone

Forty years ago, the women of Las Vegas were captured by a hot new name on the Strip.

Well, almost new. In one of the more bizarre coincidences of Las Vegas show business history, the Desert Inn lounge already hosted a topless spoof of the Tom Jones movie with Albert Finney that still was popular in 1968.

“The movie was so big that (people) thought I was going to act in a play,” the Tom Jones more familiar to Las Vegas once recalled. And Flamingo Las Vegas executives hedged their bet for his March 21 debut by co-billing the Welsh singer with “America’s Favorite Mother-in-Law,” Kaye Ballard.

But that was before his TV show hit big in the United States. “They thought I was a pop singer, trying to be a nightclub entertainer,” Jones noted.

He has done a pretty good job of both along the way. If Jones opens an MGM Grand stint as scheduled today, it will mark 40 consecutive years on the Strip, to the best recollection of local experts who run an unofficial fan Web site, Tom Jones International.

Don’t be surprised to see the occasion marked at today’s show, though the Web site managers wanted to retain the element of surprise in terms of specifics.

Over the years, the 67-year-old Jones recorded two live albums on the Strip, inspired Elvis Presley to reinvent himself as a showroom act and defended the city from flying saucers in Mars Attacks! …

If you didn’t already know — as was posted on tomjones.com — Tom is adding two days (for a total of 16 performances) at the front of his May gig at the MGM. The dates were added because David Copperfield canceled his last two shows.

So, you can get tickets now. They went on sale this morning. Just click on the “buy tickets” button for his May gig on the MGM Grand website and the dates will come up.

See ya there.

Remember all the fuss about Tom allegedly insuring his chest hair? Well, the editor of a business magazine contacted Ellen (who writes for them each month) in February saying, “I know it’s a dull topic, but can you think of an insurance story for our March issue?” At that exact moment, Ellen was looking at a news story about Tom allegedly insuring his chest hair, so she forwarded the article to the editor with a suggestion that the story be about odd things people can and do insure. The editor liked the idea, the story was done and — to explain about how such things work and whether it is possible to insure chest hair — we’re posting it here.

The article is from the March 2008 issue of Long Island Magazine, published by the business group the the Long Island Association. The story is not on their website. And, after the stuff about how Lloyd’s works and its history, there’s actually information on chest hair insurance. And, for the record, Ellen resisted the strong urge to comment on insuring the voices of R. Stewart and B. Dylan. She also sent them a photo of Sir Tom that clearly shows off his assets. They didn’t use it. But if you read to the end, you’ll find out whether or not one can insure chest hair.

From Smiles To Chest Hair: The Unique Things People Insure

Every so often there’s a news item about something unusual being insured by Lloyd’s of London. In February it was a widespread report that singer Tom Jones had insured his chest hair.

Why would anyone even believe that story? Well, there are precedents for such unique insurance. In the 1940s, 20th Century Fox insured the legs of World War II pinup girl Betty Grable for $1 million each. In the 50s, British food critic Egon Ronay insured his taste buds for $400,000. Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Rod Stewart have each insured their voices.

When you read about such items being insured, you usually read that it is Lloyd’s of London who insured them. But, technically, it is not. As people from Lloyd’s will tell you, Lloyd’s of London is an insurance market. Through Lloyd’s, multiple financial backers or (or “members”) — individuals or corporations — come together to pool and spread risk.

The Lloyd’s website calls Lloyd’s “the world’s best known — but probably least understood — insurance brand.” This is because Lloyd’s is not a single insurance company but a society of members who underwrite in syndicates on whose behalf professional underwriters accept risk.

It began in 1688 in a London coffeehouse owned by Edward Lloyd and today is home to highly skilled underwriters ever willing to venture into new insurance territory — kidnap and ransom, space and aviation, cyber-liability — while continuing to offer more traditional insurance.

Lloyd’s is part of 
the “surplus lines” industry, insurance covering hard-to-place risks that are not written by the standard insurance markets.

The site explains, “Lloyd’s brokers bring business to the market. The risks placed with underwriters originate from clients and other brokers and intermediaries all over the world. Together, the syndicates underwriting at Lloyd’s form one of the world’s largest commercial insurers and a leading reinsurer. 

The market structure encourages innovation, speed and better value, making it attractive to policyholders and participants alike. “

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The Best of Las Vegas poll results are out in the Las Vegas Review Journal and Tom placed second in the Best Singer category.

But, considering that Céline won, as she’s done every year since 2002 when she arrived here for her extended run at Caesars, that’s pretty good. She lives here, is seen around town and has a presence as a resident. In addition, we’re told that many local voters never go to shows or, even, to the Strip, and (as the results clearly show) vote for people they’ve heard about, with local allegiances taking precedence over any other factor.

Céline’s run ended in December — thus, she’s no longer eligible — and she’s been replaced at Caesars already by Bette Midler (whom we love and whose show you must try to see if you’re in town when she is). Cher will arrive to alternate with Bette and Elton in May. For 2008, then, that leaves Bette, Cher and Tom — because Elton, though eligible, has won awards for his music, not his singing — and we think we know who can win.

We’re also very proud that Tom had such a great showing.

*In its commentary on the voting, the paper said, “And Tom Jones no doubt is grateful for fans from Argentina and Macedonia who cast votes only for him.”

Thanks to all of you who voted. And, as they say each October about the NY Mets — “Wait ’til next year!”