What's New Pussycat

The Legendary Tom Jones

In honor of yesterday's birthday girl, I thought I'd do a little something on her favorite performer. When they lived in Wales during the late '60s and early '70s Millie was a frequent attendee at the concerts of Tom Jones and growing up I always knew she was a huge fan.

During the summer of '94 Tom Jones performed a free live concert on a Saturday afternoon in Chicago's Grant Park.  I then lived in a high rise just across the Chicago river and called my Estella to have her let Millie know that I was en route to watch TJ bring the house down. I had recently heard a few of his new songs on WXRT that were unlike anything I had ever heard him do.  He opened with this song only the studio version doesn't even come close to hearing it live with perfect outdoor acoustics and TJ's thunderous Welsh baritone ricocheting off 90 story skyscrapers alongside 100,000 people fully invested. I was there by myself (as I usually am at cultural events) and remember as that song came on everybody looking at each other either actually saying "WOW" or their expression saying it.  I couldn't believe how good he was and already was a big fan. He was in town to promote his new album The Lead and How to Swing It.  TJ swung for the fences that day and hit a tape measure shot .

**That pic up top was from The Lead... album from 1994 and became a Talisman with my crowd and made an annual appearance at the Christmas party I co-hosted with the Good Doctor.  Good Doc lived right across the hall on the top floor of a riverfront highrise.  As our party reached it's apex, 'TJ' was summoned for his cameo with the above pic placed prominently over the TV as we fired up that same song....GSL then took over the floor show.