PUBLISHED IN THE KITCHENER-WATERLOO RECORD on JANUARY 30, 1998
By Nick Krewen
TOM JONES fans -- you owe WHOOPI GOLDBERG.
The talented comedienne and actress saw the enduring Welsh pop legend at the House Of Blues in Los Angeles late last year, and scolded him backstage for omitting one of her favorites from his set.
"Whoopi asked me, `Why don't you sing `I (Who Have Nothing)' anymore? Don't you like it?'," Jones recalled yesterday over the phone from a New Jersey tour stop.
"I told her that it's not that I don't like it, but I've forgotten about it. Sometimes I forget songs. I don't forget the words -- I forget the effect that it's had on people."
When Goldberg dropped in on Jones during an Atlantic City performance last week, he added it to his set.
"People loved it, and I thought, `Why haven't I been singing this?'" Jones says. "Whoopi dropped by and said, `See, I told you.' So now I've got to start listening to a lot of things I've recorded to see if I've neglected anything."
You can forgive him for the oversight.
It's been 33 years since Jones scored his first Top 10 hit with "It's Not Unusual," and since then he's weathered all sorts of trends and storms with a repertoire that includes such hits as "What's New Pussycat," "Green Green Grass Of Home," "She's A Lady," "Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow" and even a hip remake PRINCE's "Kiss."
His robust voice has made women swoon since he first burst onto the scene, and he laughs when it's suggested he might possess the world's greatest collection of panties.
"The reason they throw 'em up there is to get them back," he chuckles. "That's the whole point. They come up to the stage for me to take notice of them. I wipe my brow with them (panties)."
Jones says he doesn't do it as much anymore.
"That's what I used to do at one time, but I was criticized for it," says Jones. " After awhile, I'd be reviewed not on what songs I was singing, but how many pairs of underwear were thrown at me. It got a bit out of hand as far as the music was concerned."
Still, his image concerns didn't stop Jones from taping a Victoria's Secret TV ad last year with a handful of supermodels, including TYRA BANKS and HELENA CHRISTENSEN.
"They asked me to do it, and I said, `Why not?' You can't ignore the fact that I would be associated with ladies' underwear more than anyone else as far as an entertainer is concerned. So it was a natural thing to ask me to do it."
Jones has also been busy expanding his fan base. An appearance as himself in the TIM BURTON movie Mars Attacks has brought fan letters from youngsters, and he's currently shopping around a new album of obscure soul standards written by OTIS REDDING, WILSON PICKETT and JOE TEX that he hopes will be released this year.
He has also gained some unprovoked attention recently by making a list of Britain's top ten richest entertainers, although he claims the figure of a $400 million-plus empire is "inflated."
"That amount of money what they're talking about is what I've earned over a 30 year period," he says, laughing. "But what's left of it...there's not much in there. The problem is trying to explain it to the tax man."
Then there's Jones biggest obstacle: time. He's turning 58 this year, and 60 isn't too far away.
"I'm not looking forward to old age because it will slow me down," the youthful Jones admits. "That's the only thing I don't like about it. Time is my enemy, because it's going to stop me from doing what I love to do. Thank God it hasn't affected me yet.
"I can still sing a strong note as I ever did. In fact I've got more timber to my voice now than I was in my 20s. My voice has gotten fatter, and with experience I know more about music now than I did when I was younger. I feel that age has been kind to me because it hasn't robbed me of my talent or my vocal ability. It's just given me more feeling to sing about.
"So 60 doesn't bother me. Now, I don't know what I'm going to be like when I'm 70," he laughs.
-30-
UNDATED DISCOGRAPHY
All Time Hits
An Evening With Tom Jones
Classic Tom Jones
Coast To Coast: Love Classics
Delilah
Delilah: Legendary Performances
Favorites
Golden Hits
Greatest Hits
Green, Green Grass Of Home: Legendary...
I (Who Have Nothing)
Kiss
Live At Caesars Palace
Love Songs & Ballads
Move Closer
The Best Of Tom Jones
The Great Tom Jones: What's New Pussycat?
Tom Jones And Friends Live!
The Very Best Of Tom Jones
Tom... Sings The Sixties
Tom...Sings The Ballads
From The Vaults
Greatest Performances
Sings Country Favorites
Back To Back: Their Greatest Hits
Tom Jones Live!
By Request
Greatest Songs
Country Memories
The Lead And How To Swing It
The Complete Tom Jones
Things That Matter Most To Me
Tender Loving Care
Love Is On The Radio
Don't Let Our Dreams Die Young
Tom Jones Country
Darlin'
This Is Tom Jones
Green, Green Grass Of Home
What's New Pussycat?
COLLABORATIONS
1994 -- Various Artists, Hot Stuff
1999 -- Various Artists, Little Voice
CONTRIBUTIONS
1998 -- The Chieftains, Long Black Veil
AWARDS
1965 -- Grammy, Best New Artist
FILMS
1995 -- Mars Attacks
FAST FACTS
Born Thomas Jones Woodward, June 7, 1940 in Pontypridd Wales.
Began his career in '63 as Tommy Scott.
Discovered soon after by Gordon Mills, who changed his name back to Jones.
Second single release was "It's Not Unusual."
In 1969, Tom Jones invaded the U.S. with his hit series This Is Tom Jones.
THANKS: Philip Bast
©1998, 1999 Nick Krewen, Octopus Media Ink.
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