Tom Jones International

These days Herman Matthews is busy playing around LA and, in fact, in many other places. He’s been traveling with Timothy B. Schmit, best known as a member of The Eagles. They’ve played across the US and, in a couple of weeks, head to the UK.

They’ll be at:
• Manchester Academy 2 on Friday, March 26
• Birmingham Glee Club, Sunday, March 28
• Cadogan Hall, London, Tuesday, March 30

For tickets, go to LiveNation’s website (and we’re familiar with that, aren’t we?)

It promises to be a terrific show and, if you can, go….and be sure to say hi to Herman. (Don’t forget to check out his website and, if you wish, try some of his peanut brittle.)

Tom did another Day On the Green show in Launceston, Australia Saturday. There was an almost-sold-out crowd of about 6,000 and, clearly, a good time was had by all. The review below, even if you’d never seen Tom do a show, is really a testament to the fun the audience and Tom have when he performs. And, if you’re a believer, you’ll say, “Of course the skies cleared when it was time for him to perform!”

He’s still got it

GABRIELLE HALL/10 Mar, 2010 10:06 AM/Northern Argus, AU

He might be nearly 70, but Sir Tom Jones proved he has still got ‘it’, wowing a large crowd at a day on the green at Annie’s Lane, Watervale, on Saturday night.

Just under 6000 people flocked to the event and not even cold, wet conditions could dampen the spirits of fans, many of whom donned ponchos, rain jackets and even plastic bags to keep dry.

Amongst intermittent rain showers, Melbourne’s Wolfgramm Sisters kicked off the entertainment, followed by David Campbell who was well-received by the audience and got them in just the right mood for the main event.

Tom Jones arrived by car and was greeted in Watervale and surrounding towns by numerous pairs of knickers strung along various locations — possibly larger in size than those that may have greeted him in his earlier years.

The ‘a day on the green’ signpost outside the Watervale Hotel featured three large white pairs of knickers with “Welcome Tom” lettered on them as a welcome.

Click here to (more…)

If we did before reading this, we no longer have to wonder why Tom is among many performers who choose not to read their reviews. This is probably the worst review of Tom Jones that I’ve ever read. I apologize for once again bringing up the rules of integrity in journalism but she should have said at beginning that she doesn’t like Tom Jones. That way, the reader knows her point of view. (Perhaps, was turned down for a one-on-one interview?) Could be she’s just nasty, clueless and perpetually cranky? Either way her fury is evident (and very strange). Now, I’m not a big Barry Manilow fan and I mentioned that in a review of his show. But that didn’t mean I had to trash him. In fact — much to the fury of some people on this site — I said that his show is wonderful. Conversely, when I reviewed Tom’s show in 2007, I said at the top that I am a fan so anyone would know that going in. That’s fair. Not to do so is playing dirty and this woman played dirty. After you read it, you may want to click on the email address at the bottom and write let the editor the people who run that paper know how you feel.

It’s not unusual: knickers and a cruise crooner

Reviewed by Rachel Olding/March 5, 2010/Sydney Morning Herald

Entertainment Centre, March 3: THE beard has turned grey, the hips need some oil and the many decades of hanging out at the tanning salon have left Tom Jones looking more leathery than a chesterfield.

It seems unfair to judge a man who has been topping charts since 1964 by today’s pop concert standards. But what yardstick to use? Pairs of underwear? Yes, there were plenty of them. Sexual fervour? There was plenty of that, too. The performance was drenched in it from Sir Tom’s velvet moves to his velvet voice.

Jones’s management have at times tried to tone down his motel-room sex appeal but all attempts to quash that wild libido have been futile. Where ever he goes, bedroom eyes follow. Unfortunately, so too does a blanket of cheapness.

Hits were sung with all the elan of a naked karaoke session. What’s New Pussycat?, She’s a Lady and You Can Leave Your Hat On exploded like fireworks; bam, bam, bam. The undie count rose exponentially and so did the pelvic thrusting. But the hits were delivered in sporadic doses only. Long periods of underwhelming soul, jazz, blues, bossa-nova and country tunes were dreary despite an impeccable voice that still leaps between octaves with ease. Songs from his latest album, 24 Hours, and moving ballads had the crowd stumped — ”This isn’t what I paid for”, they might have been thinking.

Tunes from Jones’s collaborative era in the 1990s, when he realised after two decades of relative mediocrity that he needed to get in bed with Gen Y, were not enough on their own. Kiss needed Prince, Sex Bomb needed Mousse T, Mama Told Me Not to Come needed the Stereophonics.

Some will say he’s still got it, and for fleeting moments he did, but this performance belongs in the piano bar on a cruise ship. Perhaps it was the cheap perfume in the air or perhaps this love boat has sailed.

Want to tell the newspaper what you think of this review? Just click the link to email the editor at The Sydney Morning Herald. And, please let TJI know if you do.

Tom will be interviewed on Australia’s 60 Minutes Sunday on February 28. The online preview promises: ?He’s the coal miner’s son who hit pay-dirt with his great voice. The original, hip-swivelling smoothie from the swinging sixties. Now he’s pushing seventy, but Tom Jones is still a sex bomb and hard at it, singing, that is. He says his days as a serial philanderer are over. But on stage, Sir Tom, yes he’s even scored a knighthood, can still bump ‘n’ grind with the best. And as Liam Bartlett discovered when he caught up with him on the eve of his Australian tour, there’s still no shortage of knicker-hurling fans.”

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Non-stop fun as Sir Tom struts his stuff

By Al Jones/The Press, Christchurch, NZ/February 26, 2010

Sir Tom Jones justified the moniker of The Voice beyond a shadow of a doubt in Christchurch last night.

The Welsh singing star took the stage at the Town Hall to a deafening roar from a crowd that was there for a good time. So was Tom actually. He smiled, joked, winked, danced and of course sang, non-stop for just under two hours.

Jones, who turns 70 this year, didn’t miss a beat. Apart from the 10-piece backing band being slightly overwhelming a few times, the show was slick, tight, professional and heaps of fun.

Hitting the stage with Sugar Daddy, (written for him by U2′s Bono), the Welsh singing legend revelled in the lyrics which are essentially a mickey take.

Things quickly warmed up on stage and off. A size 24 pair of knickers were being waved around at one point. They looked as though they had something written on them; it might have been a phone number but on size 24 undies? Maybe it was an international number.

As the sweat poured and the songs flowed, Jones asked the audience, is it hot in here? Or am I just having a hot flush? He was really enjoying himself and so was the audience.

Delilah had us on our feet singing and waving. Leave Your Hat On, Mama Told Me Not To Come, Hard to Handle, What’s New Pussycat, Put your Sweet Lips — they were all here and they were stunning.

After answering the demanding audience and returning for an encore, he blew the roof off the Town Hall with another two songs, including the Prince hit, Kiss.

Sweet and strong support was provided by the very talented Auckland musician Anna Coddington.

You must read comments from people who attended the concert! My favorites are that Tom’s a “70 year-old twenty-something” and a very enthusiastic: “What A Man What A Show What A Hornbag!!” Click here to (more…)

Monday in the USA: 3rd Review Added! See below.

Below are two reviews from Tom’s show at Villa Maria Estate winery. It is, apparently, a lovely setting and the outdoor show was very, very well-received. They’re both very good, quite appreciative, but they both have all sorts of factual errors and I cannot understand why. Just sloppy work.

Review: Tom Jones at Villa Maria Estate

By Jacqueline Smith/4:00 PM Monday Feb 22, 2010/New Zealand Herald

It’s an old joke, but ladies are still flinging their undies at the king of love and soul, Sir Tom Jones.

Looking as nimble as his fresh-faced ten-piece band, Jones shimmied about the stage, throwing in some cheeky pelvic thrusts and Welsh quips along the way.

Opening with a saucy little number, Sugar Daddy, his famously resonant voice shook the vines with songs from his new album 24 Hours and nostalgic hits Delilah, What’s New Pussycat and She’s a Lady.

As daylight faded, the set took a moodier turn as he showed his introspective side: “I tried to write a song that would explain what music had done for my life, and to thank God for giving me this voice,” he said, before launching into a heart-wrenching tribute to everything his career had given him.

He stopped grooving and clutched the microphone as he sang his stirring promise to never fall in love again.

His elaborate band was stripped back to acoustic guitars for the third installment of Sir Tom’s performance – a seductive return to the old pub-singing days.

The crowd swayed along to He’ll have to go, Green Green Grass of Home, and Save the Last Dance for Me. These sing-alongs led into the strobe-lit disco finale, which built to a crescendo in a pulsing version of Sex Bomb and ended with the banger It’s Not Unusual.

And, with the mesmerised crowd left wondering what Sir Tom’s secret to life-long party charm could possibly be, he returned, still twinkle-eyes and twinkle-toes for a stage-show encore – Take Me Back to the Party and his version of Prince’s You Don’t Have to be Rich.

He thanked his fans and said he had had a ball, and their squeals and kisses — and the odd pair of knickers – said they had too.

For two more reviews (one from Monday night), a good photo and some video, click here to (more…)

Asia One reports that Tom will perform at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore at a one-night only concert in the Compass Ballroom on March 26. The concert will begin at 8 pm. They say Tom will be the first international superstar to perform at the integrated resort. Tickets on sale 9 am, February 24 here Two days later he’ll be playing at the Araneta Coliseumi in Manila the Philippines. Tom should get an extra kick out of this because — and TJI wonders if Tom is aware of this — it was the site of the Ali-Liston Thrilla In Manila. The venue, depending upon the set up, seats 24,679 for end-stage concerts and 15,657 for center-stage concerts. Tom is not listed on the venue’s event list but, when they are available, you can get tickets here.

Tom Jones For Aerosmith? Don’t Rule It Out

Classic Rock Magazine/February 8, 2010

Joe Perry has told Classic Rock that one name Aerosmith might consider as a stand-in for Steven Tyler is… Tom Jones!

Says Perry: “He’s got a great set of pipes, so why not? I’ve played with him before, and know he could bring something extra to the band. We haven’t approached him yet, but if he were interested that would be great. Imagine the interest Tom would generate.”

The Welsh warbler was, of course, amusingly linked with the vacant Black Sabbath job nearly 25 years ago. In fact, it was an April Fool’s joke by Kerrang! magazine in 1984.

Perry now insists that, whoever the band bring in, this will be on a temporary basis, while Tyler pursues other activities. But, as soon as Tyler’s ready to return it will be business as usual for Aerosmith.

When did Perry work with Tom? On July 1, 2007, Tom performed at the Concert for Diana. He sang himself and performed with Joss Stone. Aerosmith’s Joe Perry was on guitar and, afterwards there was a brief interview. You can watch the interview here.

Moderator’s Note: Somewhere I have video of the performance and the entire interview and if I can find it, I’ll post it. If you have it and are willing to send it, please drop me a note and I’ll tell you how to do it.

For a very positive review from Buenos Aires, click here (more…)

Wow! I forgot to note that today, February 7, is the 42nd anniversary of the debut of This Is Tom Jones on ABC-TV in the USA. Darn! I need to git me a calendar with significant dates in Tom’s career so I have them handy to post!

Tom’s In South America: The Mayor of Viña del Mar Chile Saturday night designated Tom Jones “a distinguished visitor” to the city.

So That’s What Elvis Wanted! A newspaper in Valpariso, Chile, added something new to Tom’s story of Elvis singing to him at Caesars while Tom was in the shower: Jones said he let Elvis into the bathroom “but warned him sing to me looking into my eyes. He did it and then nobody believed me that Elvis sang to me in the shower. I believe that the song was an excuse, maybe he wanted to observe and compare,” {Jones} said laughing.

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Here’s a really nice tribute to Tom from Carlene Carter,the country music singer who’s the daughter of June Carter Cash, stepdaughter of Johnny, half-sister of Roseanne. She was interviewed for South Coast Today, a regional newspaper in New Bedford, MA. She spoke of dealing with the losses of her parents, stepfather and a sister over the last several years. In a brief sidebar to the article she spoke of what gets her through:

Now that’s unusual

Carlene Carter says that while she has some eclectic musical tastes, the one artist she really loves to listen to is Tom Jones.

“I’ve got to tell you, now this may come as surprising from me, but I think he is fantastic. I went to see him at that music stage in Hyannis (Cape Cod Melody Tent) when I happened to be on the Cape and he just knocked me out.

“Now I love to listen to his music, and he’s got it all. I love the songs and his voice. His stage show was terrific. What a great performer. Yeah, I would say Tom Jones what a knockout. You wouldn’t guess that, right? But there it is.”

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Sandy, a Dallas fan, saw Tom’s show there. She sent the review just below and expressed concern that she was too harsh. I believe it is an honest assessment of the show as she saw it.

Sunday night Dallas loved Tom Jones and Tom must like Dallas as he has appeared there at least five times in the past few years.

Tom was wonderful, Tom was fabulous, Tom was Tom!

His set list was the same as Vegas with the addition of Never. He explained what the song was about in his amusing way and the crowd loved it. He did sing Its not Unusual.

I understand the changes they have made, even though I don’t totally agree. The new musicians are very talented & add enthusiam to the show but they are lacking in professionalism. At times they seemed to be competing to see who could play the loudest and nearly drowned Tom out several times.

Three of them sang harmony standing behind Tom on Green Green Grass and they sounded off and the back-up singers sounded weak, so they didn’t add anything. If we had never seen the show before we would not have realized the polish that was missing. The lead guitarist, who is very talented, picked panties up and threw them at the other musicians and draped one over the microphone.

Tom ignored all of it and seemed to be having a great time.

Last time Tom played here I complained about the lights at the venue and Tom’s management was very gracious about the issue. This year we were sitting mid-orchestra and the lights were flashing on us more than on the stage. Whomever was in charge of lights must have thought they were in a large stadium instead of a lovely Symphony Hall. If they keep this up we will have to sit in the balcony to avoid the lights. At least it will be cheaper.

Despite all of the above, Tom Jones is a Force of Nature and yes, we will continue to attend his shows but, please, these new people need to learn who the Star of the show is.

Hopefully, we’ll have that Dallas fan review tomorrow…or someday soon.

Thursday night Tom played to about 5,000 people in Buenos Aires’ famed Luna Park. Jorge, whose posts you see on TJI, sent us the photo at right.

The evening, according to several newspaper reviews, was a smash, although the reviewer just below tried his best to take the man down a peg and clearly didn’t care for the singers and he uses the dreaded “c” word, “crooner.” Yuck.

Clarin carried that review by Marcos Mayer. Again, I’ve done my best to translate and did leave out a bit.

Tom Jones: as the years pass
The singer was presented at Luna Park and demonstrated why he is still an idol

In this second half of his career, Tom Jones has set two goals. One is keeping alive the old glories of the late ’60 and early ’70, when he was admired for a voice and a power that bordered on the edge of the incredible. Two, he’s trying to show he’s still entitled to a place, albeit somewhat marginal, in the panorama of rock and pop world. These two attitudes marked the show he gave with a solid band of ten musicians in a Luna Park that was almost full and before an audience that ranged from fervid to a complacent listeners.

Tom Jones knows he must also prove he is a star. When he is not planted as a crooner at the microphone, his movement will deny his almost 70 years. It is somewhere between impressive and admirable to see the beads of sweat fall to the floor, like rain from his body. Jones’ trademark is to be, above all, a highly extroverted singer. His way of dressing almost puts him on the verge of kitsch.

Everything is bright, the leather jacket that will be taken off, predictably, before singing You Can Leave Your Hat On, diamond cross that hangs from the neck and a purple silk shirt which will glisten with sweat, sensual gestures of the chorus girls-one black and thick, the other very blond and very pale — dancing more than singing.

For a newspaper photo from that show, the rest of this review and a snippet from another, click here (more…)

After his Dallas show the local paper reports tat Tom dined on curry. When he was last in Dallas he at the also-mentioned Club at the Centrum.Curry favor: Sunday evening, hip-swinging Welshman Tom Jones put in a visit to Charlie Palmer at the Joule hotel. He made the visit after his show at the Meyerson Symphony Center to get his favorite prawn curry and mutton curry from maitre d’ Enam Chowdhury. Their curry tradition began when Enam used to run the Club in the Centrum and Jones would stop by to see him there. Pushing 70, the What’s New, Pussycat? singer posed for pictures with other diners.

Below is a fan review from Bonnie in Dallas and we should be getting another in the next day or so. Bonnie did say she didn’t remember if Tom sang It’s Not Unusual, but as that seems impossible and I checked with someone else who said he did. Bonnie’s comments about the band and, especially, the singers are interesting. Her “frat house” analogy made her point perfectly! I am very grateful she took the time and trouble to share her experience with us. What do y’all think of her review?

We got into our seats on the front row very excited to get to hear Tom Jones again. The concert started a few minutes late – maybe 10 minutes. The band came out and started to play some very rhythmic music. This went on for a little bit and then Tom came out. The review from the Dallas newspaper posted earlier described his clothing. He looked fantastic.

Tom sang Sugar Daddy first and it had a very different beat than on the CD. It was much improved in my view. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had the set list that posted on TJI – didn’t want to pull it out and check it but I know there was some change. Before he got to the Green Green Grass section he said, “We will be singing three country songs.” He did Green Green Grass, Save the Last Dance For Me and added He’ll Have To Go. He continued on with Give A Little Love, Thunderball, In Style and Rhythm, If He Should Ever Leave You, Delilah, Mama Told Me Not To Come, Hard to Handle (one of my favorites), Too Many Lovers, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again, Green Green Grass of Home, Save The Last Dance For Me, He’ll Have To Go, What’s New Pussycat, She’s A Lady, You Can Leave Your Hat On, If I Only Knew Sex Bomb and It’s Not Unusual. The encore was Kiss and Take Me Back To The Party. If someone was there and has a different order – they are right. I was trying to remember what was on the set list printout in my pocket and could be wrong.

Tom truthfully was sounding amazing. When he did Hard to Handle and Too Many Lovers – wow! He put his heart into it. The entire night was just a concert of a man singing. He was feeling it.

After Sex Bomb he walked off the stage – did not sing It’s Not Unusual. I am sure he didn’t sing it because I always hate to hear that song start. It signals we are near the end. I would love to hear from someone else who was there to see if I am wrong about this. He came back for the encore and did Kiss and closed with Take Me Back to the Party.

Click here (more…)

Please remember to answer the Question of the Month in the post below.

News articles today in several outlets, including Dallas News reviewer, Joy Tipping, filed a somewhat weak, uninformed review in the print edition and she should have done her homework enough to know that Kiss and You Can Leave Your Hat On do not qualify as “new material.” She was very impressed with the band and, of course, Tom’s voice. Below is her blog post about the concert.

Tom Jones was feisty as ever Sunday night at the Meyerson, performing a two-hour show before a full house that left him drenched in sweat and any number of the women in the audience likewise. It seems that when Tom Jones is involved, normally circumspect (well, one assumes) Dallas women are more than willing to relinquish dignity for the cause. Yes, many lacy bits of underwear were tossed onstage. Yes, more than one declaration of love was shouted. And Jones took it all in stride, at one point bemusedly talking about his age (He’ll be 70 in June! Yes, 70!) as if daring anyone in the audience to challenge his sex-symbol creds. No worries on that one when you’re in Dallas, Tom.

Jones sang a handful of songs from his latest CD, 2008′s 24 Hours, including the show-opening rocker Sugar Daddy, written by Bono. The audience seemed to crave the old hits, though, doing that back-and-forth arm-wave thing to Delilah and finally coming to its feet for What’s New Pussycat, more than halfway through the concert. Jones’ versions of Joe Cocker’s sultry You Can Leave Your Hat On and Prince’s Kiss were also crowd favorites.

The music was great throughout — Jones’ gorgeous, rich baritone has just gotten better with the years, and his 10-piece backup band was superb. The lighting was odd at times — one rock number was supplemented with lighting effects showing yellow, purple and gold pill-shaped thingies that reminded me of bacteria in a petri dish.

To read the rest of this post that consists of a sensible plea to every venue and for details of Tom’s Bangkok gig, click here (more…)

The one facet of Tom Jones’ week in Las Vegas that was crystal clear is that Las Vegas missed Tom Jones. Yes, other places — places where he’s recently played or to which he’s going over the next two months — also missed him but Las Vegas has been a home-away-from-home for him since March 1968 and it’s a habit for all involved. The city loves Tom, loves to see him and, probably, he loves it, too. After all, where else can he stay in one place, so as he wishes during the day and then sing every night? And, along the way receive the accolades he gets from his audience here? An audience, by the way whose members travel literally from around the world to see him. So, let’s look back at a terrific week in Tom, at the show and the fans.

The Show: At any rate, this fans in the USA got to see the newest incarnation of Tom Jones’ band and singers and set list. Do I miss the old band? Yes! As both musicians and as quality people so many of us came to know they are missed The new band? It’s fine….got to talk to some of them and they absolutely know music, know what they’re reaching for. Like all of the musicians who have been with Tom over the years, they are very talented.They’re not the last band he had, but if you can get by that and be objective, they are certainly good. Most missed, according to the people who saw them this week (and as one person who already commented on an earlier post here) are the back-up singers. The trio who sang with Tom for the last several years were so strong as to be unmatched. You tended not to realize it until they were gone. The new singers fit very well with the new show, however, where the vocal requirements seem not to be as stringent.

Tom, as noted here several times by several people, looks and sounds amazing. He is in top voice and top shape. Many fans expressed concern about his rigorous upcoming tour schedule, but it appears that he can pull it off. Tom Jones is amazing.

This new show is enormous fun. It’s good to hear Thunderball (A completely ridiculous, meaningless song that is sung tremendously well) and Mama Told Me again. The closing song, take Me Back To the Party is a keeper — an absolutely perfect show closer, leaving the audience ready for more and on a terrific high.

The lighting designer is also to be congratulated. Lights are terrific and bring an element long missing to the show. From 2005 until this show opened, TJI always expressed a desire to see Tom onstage with a “real” set with evident thought and work put into it. We have that now and it is wonderful. The show, at last, looks glorious, as befits someone of Tom’s stature.

The Fans: As noted, fans came from all over and many stayed for seven nights. There were old friends of Tom’s who had been seeing him for 40+ years and there were lots of new fans. They generally had fun at the shows and, after the shows, catching up with each other. But there was some interesting stuff going on.

For example, late in the run a woman showed up, sat in the third row center and with great abandon showed off her — um — assets that seemed all shiny and very new. Tom couldn’t miss her and did nod and laugh. After the show she and the man she was with tried to get backstage (“Don’t you know who I am?” he asked. Obviously no one knew or cared) and failed. Walking by, I couldn’t help smiling at the abundance of what was before me. One of the ushers was also smiling at the sight. We caught each other’s eyes and I said quietly, touching my necklace (which was actually not new but I wanted to make a point), “Wow, this is all I bought to wear to the show. Look at what she bought!” and we laughed.

Then, as many of you know, there was The Stalker. She flies in like an ill wind from the southeast, stays at a nearby seedy hotel and bothers everyone. She tries to accost Tom and the people around him, she threatens people — other fans — whom she perceives as close to him and spreads a lot of filth about them. For example, she’s threatened to sue me or “get me” when I dared to post information about a TJ-related campaign I’m undertaking. She contacts people with emails filled with lies and posts these lies on myspace, facebook and various other places under a variety of names with avatars looking nothing like her.. You may well and rightfully ask why I am writing about this.

I know I am not alone in my belief that this woman is dangerous and poses a real threat to anyone she wrongly perceives getting in the way of her and Tom (as if there were or ever will be a “her and Tom”). She implies an intimate relationship (“we partied all night”) where none exists and reminds me and several other people of John David Chapman. So, please, before you respond to pleas under any one of her several names to help her get Tom into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or before you believe anything she writes under any name, take a second look. She has some computer facility and knows how to hide her identity in an email. She has several names on facebook and other websites. She lives on the east coast of the US (although she often claims to live in N’Orleans) and should be watched and avoided like the Swine Flu.

Of course, there were lots of fun fans who did their thing with Tom during the show. The Georgia Peach danced “with” him, that great gal from Florida danced in her seat and Miko, who came all the way from Japan, kept him sweat-free. It was a blast.

I also feel very fortunate to have met so many people who read this site. It is one of the real rewards of doing this and I thank you all for taking time to introduce yourselves.

As mentioned over the weekend, on Saturday night Tom did an unrehearsed version of the song Rip It Up, the Little Richard/Bill Haley/Elvis song. Someone sent me a recording of it (I do not ever record and had no camera this time because my camera’s in the shop) and, now, you can hear Tom’s version of Rip It Up. He sings this music like no one else today does and it is so good to hear.

Coming Up On TJI: Over the next several days there’ll be some news, some terrific video, some “Rumor or Reality” posted here. Please come back and continue to comment. And, if you are new at commenting, check out the rules at About TJI.com.

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RIP: JD Salinger.