Tom Jones: The Life
by Sean Smith
Published by HarperCollins on 12th March
in hardback at £18.99 and eBook at £9.49
From bestselling biographer Sean Smith comes the fascinating and tumultuous true story behind Sir Tom Jones, the nation’s treasure, sage of The Voice and living music legend.
Now approaching his 75th birthday, Tom Jones’ life has been an unforgettable rollercoaster ride. From starting out in a little Welsh mining town where he suffered from TB and married his sweetheart at just 16, who could have known that seven years later he would go on to become a major musical hit that would propel him to Bel Air? Through intimate interviews with friends, family and rivals, Smith uncovers all this and more, including the years Tom spent as little more than a Vegas lounge singer, before being rediscovered in the late ‘80s and becoming a maestro on the music scene once again.
Tom’s life and career spans a whole era of pop culture. From a close personal friendship with Elvis to some charged encounters with The Beatles, Sean uncovers a story with all the intrigue, drama, sex and excitement of a television soap opera.
Did you know…
- that knicker-throwing almost ruined Tom’s career?
- that It’s Not Unusual was originally written for Sandie Shaw?
- that Tom had a run in with famous hit man Sonny Franzese?
- that Paul McCartney offered Tom The Long and Winding Road?
As revealing as it is entertaining, this is the definitive story of a great talent who is showing no signs of slowing down.
2015 is a big year for Tom Jones:
- 75th birthday (7th June)
- Fourth series of The Voice on currently until mid-April
- 50 years since release of It’s Not Unusual (No.1 in March 1965)
Sean Smith is the UK’s leading celebrity biographer and the author of five Sunday Times best sellers, with his titles being translated throughout the world and a total TCM sales of £3m in the UK.
Described by the Independent as a ‘fearless chronicler’, he specialises in meticulous research, going ‘on the road’ to find the real person behind the star image. His subjects include Robbie Williams, Cheryl Cole, Gary Barlow, Kylie Minogue, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Aniston, Alesha Dixon and J. K. Rowling. The film Magic Beyond Words: The J. K. Rowling Story was based on his biography of the Harry Potter author.
