85 Things You Need To Know About Tom Jones For His 85th Birthday

Sir Thomas Jones Woodward—better known to the world as Tom Jones—was born June 7, 1940, in Treforest, Wales. Since bursting onto the music scene in the 1960s with a voice that could shake walls and charm grandmothers, he’s become a true icon: a knighted singer, a Grammy winner, a Vegas mainstay, and one of the most versatile performers in history. His voice—described as a “full-throated, robust baritone”—has powered his six-decade career through pop, gospel, soul, R&B, country, dance, and beyond.

In honour of his 85th birthday, here are 85 things you need to know about Tom Jones, from legendary hits to life-changing moments. Let’s go!

1. Tom Jones was born Thomas John Woodward on June 7, 1940.
2. He was raised in Treforest, a mining village in South Wales.
3. His father was a coal miner.
4. As a child, he sang at family gatherings and in his school choir.
5. At age 12, he was bedridden for two years with tuberculosis.
6. During that time, he developed a deep love for music and drawing.
7. His first band was called Tommy Scott and the Senators.
8. He was discovered in 1964 by manager Gordon Mills.
9. Mills gave him the stage name “Tom Jones” to ride the popularity of the 1963 film.
10. His breakout hit was “It’s Not Unusual,” released in 1965.
11. Pirate radio station Radio London helped make it a smash.
12. “It’s Not Unusual” hit #1 in the UK and the Top 10 in the U.S.
13. That same year, he recorded the theme for the James Bond film Thunderball.
14. He also recorded “What’s New Pussycat?”, written by Burt Bacharach.
15. Tom initially didn’t want to sing it—until Bacharach convinced him.
16. He won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1966.
17. Elvis Presley was a big fan and the two became close friends.
18. Jones had 36 UK Top 40 hits and 19 U.S. Top 40 hits.
19. His hits include “Delilah,” “Green, Green Grass of Home,” and “She’s a Lady.”
20. He debuted in Las Vegas in 1967 at the Flamingo.
21. He performed annually in Vegas for decades, up until 2011.
22. In the 1970s, he hosted This Is Tom Jones, a wildly popular TV show.
23. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for the show in 1970.
24. He once sang a duet with Janis Joplin on the show.
25. Jones became known for his open shirts and hip-swiveling stage moves.
26. In 1976, he scored a U.S. country hit with “Say You’ll Stay Until Tomorrow.”
27. He appeared in the 1979 TV movie Pleasure Cove.
28. He later acted in Fantasy Island and Mars Attacks!.
29. His son, Mark Woodward, became his manager in the late 1980s.
30. He had a UK hit in 1987 with “A Boy From Nowhere.”
31. His 1988 cover of Prince’s “Kiss” with Art of Noise became a worldwide hit.
32. The video for “Kiss” won an MTV Video Music Award.
33. In 1989, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
34. He duetted with Van Morrison on the 1991 album Carrying a Torch.
35. Jones hosted the 1994 MTV Europe Music Awards.
36. He covered “You Can Leave Your Hat On” for The Full Monty soundtrack.
37. He appeared in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Simpsons as himself.
38. His 1999 album Reload was a collection of duets and went #1 in the UK.
39. Reload sold over 4 million copies worldwide.
40. The single “Sex Bomb” became a massive hit in 2000.
41. He performed for President Bill Clinton at the Millennium celebrations.
42. He received the BRIT Award for Best British Male in 2000.
43. In 2003, he received the BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.
44. That same year, he performed with the Pussycat Dolls and Carmen Electra on VH1 Divas.
45. He collaborated with Jools Holland on a rock ‘n’ roll album.
46. In 2005, he returned to Pontypridd to perform for 20,000 fans.
47. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 for services to music.
48. He has performed national anthems at major boxing matches.
49. His 2008 album 24 Hours included the song “Give a Little Love.”
50. In 2009, he topped the UK charts again with “Islands in the Stream” for Comic Relief.
51. That made him the UK artist with the longest gap between #1 hits—42 years.
52. His 2010 album Praise & Blame debuted at #2 in the UK.
53. In 2011, he released a single produced by Jack White titled “Evil.”
54. He became a coach on The Voice UK in 2012.
55. He mentored Leanne Mitchell to win the first season.
56. After being briefly dropped, he returned to The Voice in 2017.
57. His 2012 album Spirit in the Room included covers of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen.
58. He performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert in 2012.
59. His 2015 album Long Lost Suitcase completed a trilogy with his two previous records.
60. The tracks from Long Lost Suitcase align with chapters from his autobiography.
61. His autobiography, Over the Top and Back, was published in 2015.
62. In 2016, a jukebox musical based on his life debuted in Wales.
63. In 2021, he released the album Surrounded by Time.
64. That album includes his emotional performance of “I Won’t Crumble With You If You Fall.”
65. The performance was inspired by his late wife’s final words.
66. He was married to Linda Trenchard from 1957 until her death in 2016.
67. They had one son together, Mark.
68. Despite fame and infidelity, they remained married for nearly 60 years.
69. He has acknowledged fathering a second son in 1987.
70. Jones sold his Bel Air mansion and returned to the UK after Linda’s passing.
71. He says he uses inversion therapy to stay healthy.
72. He was a longtime friend of Elvis Presley.
73. Rumours linked him to Priscilla Presley, but he says they’re just close friends.
74. His voice has been compared to Solomon Burke and Little Richard.
75. He once hit a top C as a young tenor; now he embraces his deep baritone.
76. He has sold over 100 million records worldwide.
77. He was awarded the OBE in 1999 and knighted in 2006.
78. He’s been parodied in The Simpsons, celebrated in video games, and honored in musicals.
79. A Tom Jones musical titled What’s New Pussycat? debuted in 2021.
80. He sang “Delilah” and “Mama Told Me Not To Come” at the Queen’s Jubilee.
81. He’s performed with legends including Janis Joplin, Stevie Wonder, and Van Morrison.
82. His songs are featured in countless films, commercials, and sporting events.
83. Even now, he continues to record, tour, and inspire new generations.
84. He’s a living link between the British Invasion and today’s pop culture.
85. At 85, Sir Tom Jones remains a voice for the ages—and he’s still going strong.

Happy Birthday, Tom Jones. Thank you for giving the world your voice, your soul, and your timeless charm. Here’s to 85 years of what’s new, pussycat—and many more to come.