Tom Jones - the Life (31 page)

Tom, Gordon and Engelbert Humperdinck knew they had made it when they had Rolls-Royces parked in the driveway. Tom’s immodest number plate presumably referred to his voice. (
Jim Gray/Stringer/Getty Images
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Tom with two of the key figures in his career.

Composer Les Reed was responsible for many of the great songs of the sixties, including the music for ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and ‘Delilah.’ (
Courtesy of Les Reed
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Tom with two of the key figures in his career.

Lloyd Greenfield, a New York lawyer, was Gordon’s right-hand man in the US and a popular figure at Tom’s side for more than thirty years. (
Courtesy of Glenna Stone
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Tom wasn’t always successful where beautiful women were concerned.

Sandie Shaw shared a laugh with Tom, but turned down an invitation to his famous caravan when she appeared on
This Is Tom Jones
. (
Pictorial Press/Alamy Images
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Tom wasn’t always successful where beautiful women were concerned.

The Scottish singer Lulu managed to avoid falling for his ‘animal magnetism’ and confessed he frightened the life out of her. (
ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images
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Tom’s television show (1969–71) gave him the chance to appear with the greats of popular music. He sang ‘Sunny’ with the legendary Ella Fitzgerald, who ignored his hairy chest. (
ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images
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Tom said Aretha Franklin was the only singer he ever felt could match his vocal power. (
ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images
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Stevie Wonder was a favourite guest on several of Tom’s shows over the years. In this medley, they performed a fantastic duet of ‘It’s Not Unusual’. (
ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images
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When the veteran entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr appeared on the show, Tom was proud to introduce him as ‘my pal’. (
ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images
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Tom formed a great friendship with Elvis Presley when they were both appearing in Las Vegas. They would often get together after their shows. Sometimes, as here,The King did not want to have his picture taken. (
Rex/Camera S
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Jerry Lee Lewis was the single biggest musical influence in Tom’s life, so it was a huge thrill to sing with him. (
ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images
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Frank Sinatra was another Las Vegas regular who got on well with Tom. Sinatra’s singing career lasted sixty years and he advised Tom to treat his voice more kindly. (
MPTV/CameraPress
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