The enduring and ever-green Tom Jones is 80 this weekend with a documentary to mark his extraordinary life from coal-miner’s son who was a regular singer in Welsh working men’s clubs and after his first hit single in his 20s ‘It’s Not Unusual’ became a sex symbol status. That led him to the US with a long Las Vegas residency in between constant touring and an enduring friendship with Elvis Presley. His popularity declined in the 1990s but he resurrected his profile in The Voice UK TV series to establish himself as an elder statesman. Health concerns interfered with a recent ambitious US tour.
Born 7 June 1940 12.10am Pontypridd, he has a Sun Gemini (favourite sign of pop singers) in his performing 5th house; with a Gemini Moon also there squaring onto an iconic 8th house musical Neptune. His passionately enthusiastic Venus Mars in Cancer are in his hard-working 6th house. He has an indulgent and money-magnet Jupiter Saturn in Taurus in his 3rd along with maverick Uranus; with his Jupiter Saturn in an obstinate and persistent square to Pluto. His Pluto sits on his Descendant, so he’d have intense interactions with his public as well as with his long-suffering wife, whom he married at 16. She stood by him through numerous affairs (250 groupies a year he once said) and she sadly died in 2016 which hit him hard.
Relocating his chart to Los Angeles where he lives now puts influential Pluto on the midheaven which can be tricky to handle but has clearly worked for him.
His creative 5th and 7th harmonics are both well aspected, especially his musical 7H – and his making-his-mark 17H.
Pic: Raph_PH
There must have been great synastry in his relationship with Elvis!
I have never understood the Tom Jones appeal (nothing against him either), but I am definitely in the minority as he seems to be very popular
I wasn’t expecting Mars in Cancer or a chart low in fire, but a look at his declinations is quite revealing OOB Mercury, Venus, Mars and Pluto and a Venus Rx (sometimes brings a marriage of convenience). Mars is tightly parallel Pluto, the lone fire planet in Leo.
Went to see Tom Jones many years ago in San Diego–at the height of his popularity/career. Had a front row seat. An electrifying experience, to put it mildly. Aside from his extraordinary talent, the man was sex personified. Women were going wild. His poor wife.
Well that kinda what happens when you marry as a teenager.
What is the name of the documentary? I’d like to see it.
The name of the documentary is called “Tom Jones at 80”.
It was shown on BBC4.
Thanks. I’ll check to see if “Tom Jones at 80” will be repeated. I get the BBC network there in the States. I also have BritBox VOD (not sure if the documentary will be uploaded there though)
It is very strange that Sir Tom has never made a classic album throughout his lengthy career.
Dusty made “In Memphis”, Van made “Astral Weeks”, Elvis made “Elvis Is Back” but Tom?
He made some fabulous singles and duetted with the very best (Stevie Wonder, Janis Joplin
Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett).
The same goes for Lulu.
Yes, those duets from “Tom Jones Show” are really out of this planet, and I consider the host himself the best white male soul singer of all times. That he never took this road in recordings before his “mini revival” in the 1990’s must have been a managerial choice he approved of. There was so much more money in singing “Delilah” and “Green Green Grass of Home”, and by the time Dusty recorded “In Memphis” I guess that train had gone already.
He’s a bluesman at heart. I guess those tracks that made him a success were seen as more accessible/mainstream. He credits artists such as Leadbelly as his inspiration.
I recall his wonderful singing in the 1960’s. Now and then I’ll still hum the tunes to cheer me up 😉