Tom Jones International

Today, Monday May 30, is Memorial Day in the United States.

The holiday was first celebrated after the Civil War in Charleston, South Carolina (a beautiful city!) in 1865 by former slaves to honor the Union soldiers who fought for their freedom. The celebration — then known as Decoration Day — spread. In 1866 it was first celebrated nationally. The date of May 30th was chosen because there had never been a battle on that day. After World War I the commemoration was extended to honor all Americans who had died fighting for their country and was called Memorial Day. Marking the traditional beginning of summer, Memorial Day is a three-day weekend in the US. Memorial Day and Independence Day are the two times when there are traditionally parades in just about every town in the nation.

A great deal of music came out of the Civil War. Some songs, like Julia Ward Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic, were written especially for the war. Others were adaptations of traditional music. We have a fine example of a Civil War song here. During the folk song craze of the 1960s, Joan Baez had a popular recording of this very beautiful, very sad song. And, this Memorial Day, it is also very appropriate because we are marking (not sure “celebrating” is the right word) the 150th anniversary — the sesquicentennial — of the start of the Civil War. If you didn’t know, the brother who wore gray (as we spell the color here) fought on the side of the south the Confederacy. The other brother, who wore blue, was in the Union, northern, army.

This song was also recorded by Tom Jones on the Green Green Grass of Home album in 1967. Click here to listen to hear Tom sing Two Brothers.

(And, if you had a busy weekend and missed any of the general merriment, check the three posts below for video and info about Tom on American Idol.)

Sir Tom’s appearance on Idol generated too many articles to count. It was a good thing. My favorite is the one just below. Love the comparison to Springsteen. (Although, if you go to the actual article link and scroll down, there are some interesting comments.) As for the “orange” tan thing — ENOUGH!!! I’ve seen Tom Jones on many stages, in many levels of light and seen him offstage, too. He’s got a deep tan that would be rare in a Welshman but not in anyone who lives in a climate like Los Angeles. He likes the sun, he likes to sit. Leave the man alone!

Under the last article I took the liberty of posting video of my other favorite moment from the show. It’s Jack Black and Casey Abrams (who, I believe should have won, as he can sing, play several instruments and has a personality) singing from the Queen songbook. Great fun.

Appreciations
Tom Jones Appears On American Idol Finale To Zero Fanfare. We Call BS.
By Rae Alexandra, Fri., May 27 2011 at 1:00 PM, SFGate.com

Last Wednesday, the masochists amongst you may have caught the American Idol grand finale, during which baby-face baritone Scotty McCreery was crowned champion. The build-up to the announcement was nothing short of epic, featuring, as it did, performances from Lady Gaga (who’s on the show so much at this point, we fear she’ll take over from Ryan Seacrest soon), Beyoncé, TLC (we miss Lisa Lopes so much right now), Marc Anthony (who was upstaged by his half-naked, shimmying wife), Bono and The Edge, Steven Tyler and — buried amongst all the excitement and fanfare, hanging out in the middle — was Sir Tom Jones.​

He slipped on and slipped off, as low key as a bright orange man can be, after having to stomach listening to the male contestants do a medley of his best known hits. It was a little odd to see Tom jammed in the middle of it all, but Lordy, we wish he’d been given a bit more fanfare. Because — just take our word for it — Tom Jones is awesome.

We’re not even being ironic. Though if saying you’re being ironic gets you to admit that you like Tom Jones publicly, then we’ll encourage it. For Tom is a god amongst men, a champion of the people and, hell, he’s sold 100 million records and that should count for something, right?

Across America, Tom’s image isn’t what it should be. He’s just that Vegas guy who likes gold necklaces and swiveling his hips and women who throw their underwear at him. Elvis was a big fan of his and the two were great friends. The truth is though, he’s a blue-collar Welshman who grew up in dire poverty and fought his way out of his tiny hometown of Pontypridd in the South Wales valleys, using only the power of his voice, his hips and a lot of tenacity.

To put it in perspective for you, he is to Wales what Bruce Springsteen is to New Jersey: a man of the people who did incredibly well but who never lost touch with his roots. “The Green Green Grass Of Home”, in fact, is the unofficial second national anthem in his home country. He’s a British national treasure (hence the knighthood), a grand example of how far you can go in life (and the world) if you push hard enough and a one-man tale of working class triumph.

Aside from anything else, Tom Jones’ songs are amazing. That’s why It’s Not Unusual is always playing at AT&T park and that’s why it’s impossible to hear Delilah, What’s New Pussycat? or any number of his other biggest hits, after a few cocktails, and not feel an overwhelming sense of joy and frivolity.

Tom celebrated turning 70 last year and to mark the occasion released an album of critically-acclaimed gospel music, titled Praise And Blame. Comparisons were drawn to Johnny Cash’s American series, since Jones too, is clearly feeling and exploring his own mortality these days.

So, let’s hear it for Tom. Yes, his skin is the same color as that of an Oompa Loompa, yes he still thrusts a lot for a man of his age, but by God, the world would be a duller place without him. Next time he’s on our television screens, we want fireworks and dancing girls, dammit.

For another photo, more articles and a fun video, please click htere to (more…)

What a thrill it was to prepare this post! Not only is it full of current, terrific stuff about Sir Tom, TJI also got a bit of a boost in Google Trends.It’s been a long time coming, but it was, I believe, worth waiting for.

Above is the Google Trends graph from May 25, 2011. For the first time in waaaaay to long, one could not escape Sir Tom Jones in the USA Wednesday night and Thursday. Click here to check out Google Trends for Wednesday, May 25. Clearly, it shows Sir Tom trending #1 — with a “hotness” of “Volcanic” — across the Google search engine. That means that, for the time period on the graph, Tom Jones was the #1 topic of curiosity of Google users. If you follow the link just above, you’ll note that TJI.com is the first of many, many blogs listed. (It’s silly perhaps, but I am really thrilled!)

Out of the hundreds of articles about last night’s show, this is one of my favorites:

Backstage at the ‘American Idol’ Finale: What You Didn’t See!

By Mary Margaret | Parade.com

“There was an emerald green room and then the other one,” Bono laughed when asked about hanging out with the night’s other A-list performers. The Edge chimed in, “They didn’t let us in [to the VIP area]!”

Bono then likened the Fox hit to the Ed Sullivan show: “This is probably the only show that everyone watches.” The Edge reminded Bono that Tom Jones, who also performed that evening, had the honor of appearing on both television programs.

The legendary singer himself stopped by moments later.

“No applause?” Jones jokingly asked the roomful of media. A devoted Idol watcher, Jones admitted to getting emotional during rehearsals for the show.

“I really started to get full up because the songs still stand up and sound like powerful songs,” he said. ”These fellas deliver and put their own twists on it. That’s always great to hear.”

Though he couldn’t watch the rest of the finale because his trailer didn’t have a live feed, he heartily endorsed the night’s winner: 17 year-old Scott McCreery.

“Scotty already has his own style,” Jones said. “He’s got a great tone to his voice which is something you either do or don’t have. The actual tone of your voice is a god-given gift and he has a great tone. I think he knows what he’s doing.”

Zenny Abraham is a blogger who uses the name Zenny62.

When I found his video online I read some of his stuff on the San Francisco Chronicle’s SFGate.com blog and I contacted him. I explained what TJI.com is and asked if I could post this really nice video he made titled Tom Jones On American Idol, Mick Jagger On Grammys – Ageless Rockers. He wrote back, “Hell yes!.” Watch it and share your thoughts.

Click here to watch Zenny’s video,Tom Jones On American Idol, Mick Jagger On Grammys — Ageless Rockers.

Finally, the wonderful —isn’t it terrific? — photo here, from Getty Images, was taken last night in the Idol press room.

There are more. you can find them in the TJI flickr set, Sir Tom At Festivals & Special Events.

Now, finally, video of Tom on American Idol. First a medley of his songs, then, Tom himself. Catch Jack Black! (And, I had the chance to meet him. A nice, funny, sweet guy. Lovable as a toy panda.)

(It’s too bad that Tom’s official site was the last to post the news about his Idol appearance. By they time they got around to it, it wasn’t really news. But, it was everywhere, even on other performers’ websites. Clearly, the worst-kept secret ever. Late in the day they posted the following message with the silly headline, “Surprise Guest on American Idol Tonight… Can You Guess Who It Is?!” They wrote in part, “We at TomJones.com have been desperate to let all the fans know that Tom will be performing tonight, but went with the shows [sic] protocol [to keep the secret]“)

My daughter pointed out something about this show and our family that many people — perhaps with different performers — found true. The producers, she said, were really thoughtful. They had Judas Priest for her, Bono for her sister and Tom for her mom. She’s right, I guess. Was it the same — even if with different performers — for your family?

It was wonderful to see Sir Tom Jones on the same stage/in the same show with the gorgeous Beyonce, the elegant, timeless Tony Bennett (85 years old!), Bono and The Edge, the amazing Lady Gaga, Marc Anthony, Steven Tyler, Tim McGraw….What a line-up! This is the company Tom should keep, the company he deserves. Many thanks should go from TJ fans to Tom’s agent or the person on Idol who had the idea for this appearance. Aren’t we grateful!

Tom looked terrific — must be because at the moment he can bask at his leisure in the California sun. He also sounded great and, as is proper, allowed the contestants to take the spotlight, even encouraging them and enjoying their version of the “Carlton” dance. They do the “usual suspect” songs — Kiss, She’s A Lady, Green Green Grass, Pussycat, Delilah — but it was a nice surprise when contestant Jacob Lusk sing Love Me Tonight The audience sang along to Delilah (doesn’t the audience always sing along to that song?) as the lyrics were flashed on screens around the packed Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.

You can watch the performance in the TJI.com Video Library.

Please note: Your comments are very welcome for this post as always. But someone sent a comment earlier after the show concluded on the east coast and she totally trashed the contestants. I didn’t post it because it was unnecessarily critical and nasty. They kids were not competing with Sir Tom Jones. They were — in front of the largest audience he’s had in years — paying tribute to him and his music. They were finished with competition and were there simply to perform, celebrate and pay tribute. They don’t deserve criticism.

Fox News in cities nationwide and several websites are reporting that Sir Tom Jones will sing on tonight’s final show of American Idol. Billboard.com says, “…ladies man Tom Jones will appear with the Top 13 guys.” As if you didn’t know, the show is on Fox at 8 pm Eastern/Pacific; 7 pm Central. Also expected are Carrie Underwood, Jack Black, Tim McGraw, Tony Bennett and, via satellite, U2. Tom’s appearance is not on the official site. If it happens it will be posted here tomorrow. And, if it does happen, one can only hope it signals an American tour announcement.

Click here to see the really nice video with Sir Tom Jones’ message on the Hard Rock’s 40th birthday.

May 24: Happy 70th birthday, Bob Dylan! And many, many more years of productivity…..so far 500+ songs!

First, a (rather long) note from your moderator: (Since we talk so frequently, I feel we know each other and want to share my good news when I have some. Hope you don’t mind.) I’ve been very busy lately — happily very busy. First, I’m on deadline for an important article. Second, I’m trying to do as much as I can before June 7. No, not because that’s Tom’s birthday but because, on that day, I leave for three weeks in Australia. I am going on a writing assignment so airfare is not my responsibility and it allows me to see my family there. Haven’t seen them in five years. I am very excited!

But, despite being busy, Friday night was very special. First, I went to see the best solo entertainer in Las Vegas — Earl Turner.If you want, you can read my review. Then I had the best pizza I’ve ever had. The restaurant is called Due Forni (“Two Ovens”) and the co-owner and executive chef is someone many of you know, if not in person, then because you’ve eaten his food. It’s Carlos Buscaglia who was executive chef at Fiamma in the MGM Grand. When you’re here, check it out.

Detroit City is a song written in 1963 by Mel Tillis and Danny Dill (wow! 5 L’s!) as I Wanna Go Home and recorded by Billy Grammar with that title in 1963. Bobby Bare changed the title and also released it that year.

Tom Jones released the song in 1967.Tom’s version hit #8 on the U.K. Singles Chart; #14 in the Austrian Top 40 and #35 on the German Singles Chart. For his 2011 Southern tour — the song is a lament by a southerner who went to Detroit to seek fortune working in a car factory — Tom began to sing it again.

I’ve always liked the song. Check it out here and share your opinion with other fans. (Thanks to J4T for posting it on youtube.)

This is one video put together from three different videos so the quality will vary. But the audio is clear and, especially, Hey Pocky Way allows the viewer a good introduction to a song that may be new.

I especially enjoyed hearing Tom put on his Southern accent, y’all. Just listen to him say “N’Orleans.” Lots of fun.

You can watch it in the TJI.com Video Library.

This is from a website called Article City.com: Free Articles For Reprint. Now the author, James, has a nice idea. He clearly admires Sir Tom, but his facts are, as one might say, “a big bowl of wrong.”

He claims when Tom began to play Las Vegas he “…decided that he preferred the more lucrative club acts to cutting new records and it would be quite some time before he released a new album.” And, speaking of album releases, he says at the end that Tom “has not released an album in a while.” Apparently more than one album each year is what he considers the norm. But it is an appreciation — strange but, in the end, an appreciation.

Please note I did not correct his spelling and/or grammar.

Tom Jones
by: James

There are few musical artists that have managed to stay in the mind of popular culture like Tom Jones. Some of this has to do with his timeless hits such as She’s a Lady. Other reasons that Tom Jones has managed to be so popular is that he constantly reinvents his sound. Finally, there is no doubt that his frequent live performances in the US and of course his famous UK concerts have also helped maintain his profile in the public mind. It can be said that there are some artists who are better well known than Tom Jones, but very few can claim to be as popular and enduring as this singer.

Early Life
Tom Jones was born in South Wales and was challenged early in life by a case of tuberculosis. According to his own statement, his time fighting tuberculosis was the worst two years of his life and he was unable to do little but listen to music and draw. Tom Jones Married soon after high school to Melinda Trenchard and a month later his first child was born.

Early Career
Tom Jones began his performing career with a beat group called Tommy Scott and the Senators which became a well known local group. As he began to become more popular, Tom Jones recorded several early singles which led to him becoming well known not only in the UK, but also in the US where he enjoyed several top forty hits in both countries. After some initial success the young singers popularity began to decline and he switched his style to more of a country sound which revitalized his career.

The Las Vegas Years
In the late sixties Tom Jones became one of several stars to begin headlining in Las Vegas. His shows became known for their sexual tension and raw energy. During his time in Vegas, Tom Jones befriended Elvis Presley and the two became close friends. At this time Tom Jones decided that he preferred the more lucrative club acts to cutting new records and it would be quite some time before he released a new album.

Coming back
For a long time Tom Jones seemed destined to be a footnote in music history, however he enjoyed a rather sudden and strong resurgence in the late 80s and early nineties and has since remained at the forefront of the world wide music scene. While Tome Jones has not released an album in a while he still performs live very often and these UK concerts are well known for carrying the same energy as they did when he was a much younger man.

In the end, Tom Jones is sure to remain part of the music world for years to come and even when he dies there is little doubt many people will remember what he offered. His combination of crooning lyrics, sexually charged performances, and memorable tunes is sure to last for years and years to come.

The photos aren’t very clear, but you get the point: So there was Sir Tom on stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, having just sung Green Green Grass and chatting with the audience when, all of a sudden, a fan decided she had to kiss him. She leaped up onto the stage and, though the photos aren’t too clear, you can see the “what-the-hell-is-this?” expression on his face. She grabbed him (and, notice at right how he reflexively put his arm around her) and she kissed. There was no security in sight but there was a stage crew and one member of that crew came out and dragged her away from Tom. As usual, Sir Tom handled the incident with aplomb.

Just to the left here is a screen shot of Sir Tom being interviewed on an Australian TV show called Down By The River, a one-hour special about the recording of Hugh Laurie’s new album, Let Them Talk.

In the clip you’ll see Laurie play a Ray Charles arrangement of Stephen Foster’s traditional Swanee River. Album producer Joe Henry talks about about the work and mentions Sir Tom and, then, Irma Thomas and Tom Jones — with Hugh Laurie on piano — sing Baby Please Make A Change. (The river in the title of the documentary is, of course, the Mississippi. And the city Laurie is discussing at the beginning of the clip — his “Jerusalem” — is, of course, New Orleans.)

You can watch the clip from Down By the River in the TJI.com Video Library.

Tour note: The Spanish press is reporting that Sir Tom will do two shows, August 20 and 21, at the XII Festival Jardins de Cap Roig at the botanical gardens near the town of Palafrugell, about two hours by car from Barcelona. Also at the month-long festival will be BB King, Sting, José Carreras and lots more. Looks like a terrific series of concerts. Not on Tom’s official calendar yet but, surely, it will be. (And, BTW, the note on his site that his date at Newmarket Race Course in in the “United States” is a typo. Of course, that course is in the UK. Anyone who reads Dick Francis knows that

CAN YOU SOLVE THE MYSTERY? Every test should be this easy: On Tom’s official site, there is a “guess who’s singing this song” quiz regarding What’s New Pussycat. When the site visitor clicks the link to the song — big mystery — in a post titled “Listen to This Audio and Guess Which Great Artist Covered ‘What’s New Pussycat’?”up pops a page titled “Bob-Marley-and-The-Wailers-What-s-New-Pussycat.” When it came up three days ago,TJI decided not to post it because it’s not by any measure Marley’s best. You can listen here.

Playing pretty at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Anthems and praise songs

By JON GARELICK | May 12, 2011 | The Phoenix

An accordion blasted a few bars of a two-step and then stopped. “That’s the only Cajun music you’ll hear on this stage,” said Colin Meloy. The Decemberists were making their New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival debut on the Fais Do-Do stage, which is typically reserved for Cajun, zydeco, and other indigenous Louisiana music. Meloy was appropriately humble afterward, and the band sounded good with their strummy folk rock and Jenny Conlee’s vocal harmonies against Meloy.

But the Decemberists are common currency these days, and my wife and I had a rarer bird to catch — former ’60s Vegas pop heartthrob Tom Jones. It wasn’t till the ’90s that someone tipped me off that the voice of Delilah, It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussycat?, and the theme from Thunderball belongs to “a great R&B singer.” He’s been pushing the heavy stuff hard in the naughts, and at JazzFest, he fronted a grunge-drenched blues-guitar trio, singing gospel numbers like rave-ups off some lost amalgam of Junior Kimbrough, Zeppelin, and the Stooges: “You may run for a long time/Run for a long time/Run for a long time/But sooner or later I’m gonna cut you down!” The big voice boomed and tore, and the consonants cut like God’s wrath.

For Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s Strange Things, Jones brought on his female backing singers, organ, and piano. Then it was time for a ballad from the old days, (It Looks like) I’ll Never Fall in Love Again. Distinguished in trim gray locks and goatee, dark blazer, and jeans, Jones, now 71 years old, measured his steps with utmost concentration, eyes closed, building and building (“I gave my heart so easily”), timing his breaths perfectly, coughing off-mic and swallowing, and then belting the big belting high note. But it was inevitable that at this moment of greatest artistic focus, the crowd would respond to the man they never knew back before they were born, the ’60s Vegas stud, and it was Caesars Palace all over again: the foot off the stage was pelted with panties.

Of such incongruities is Jazz Fest born.