Introduction
Sally Obermeder Sits Down with Singing Legend Sir Tom Jones: “Music Has Been My Lifeline”
When Sally Obermeder walked into the Sydney studio to interview Sir Tom Jones, she was meeting more than a music icon — she was meeting living history. At 85, with over six decades in the spotlight, Tom Jones remains as magnetic as ever. Dressed in a sharp black suit, silver hair glinting under the lights, he greets Sally with that unmistakable Welsh charm and a booming laugh that could still fill an arena.
Their conversation — candid, moving, and filled with laughter — proves why Sir Tom Jones has never stopped captivating audiences. He’s weathered heartbreak, reinvention, and the relentless passage of time, yet his voice, both literally and metaphorically, remains unbroken.
From Pontypridd to the World
Sally begins by asking what it feels like to look back at a career that began in the small Welsh mining town of Pontypridd. Tom chuckles, his voice warm and reflective. “It feels like another life,” he says. “When I was a kid, all I wanted was to sing. I didn’t dream of fame — I just wanted people to hear me.”
He pauses, eyes softening with memory. “My dad worked down in the mines. My mother kept the home. Music was how we escaped. I sang everywhere — in pubs, at weddings, even standing on tables. I didn’t know it then, but that was my training ground.”
By the mid-1960s, that raw talent exploded into international fame with hits like “It’s Not Unusual,” “What’s New Pussycat?” and “Delilah.” Within a few years, the young man from Wales was performing in Las Vegas alongside Elvis Presley, trading stories and laughter with Sinatra, and redefining what it meant to be a global star.
The Longevity of a Legend
Few artists manage to remain relevant across generations, but Sir Tom has done it effortlessly — from the pop charts of the 1960s to duets with stars like Robbie Williams, Lady Gaga, and Jennifer Hudson. When Sally asks how he’s managed to stay timeless, Tom smiles knowingly.
He admits that reinvention hasn’t always been easy. “There were times when I thought maybe I’d had my run,” he confides. “But every time I went back to the stage, something inside me said, ‘No, not yet.’ Music has been my lifeline.”
Even after 60 years, his passion for performing hasn’t dimmed. “I still get nervous before a show,” he laughs. “That’s how I know it still matters. When you stop feeling that spark — that’s when you stop being an artist.”
Looking Forward, Not Back
Despite his long career, Sir Tom refuses to see himself as a relic of another era. “I hate the word ‘legacy,’” he tells Sally. “It sounds like something finished. I’m not finished. There’s always another song, another story to tell.”
When asked if he ever thinks about retiring, he smiles mischievously. “Retire from what? Breathing?” he laughs. “I love what I do. The day I stop singing is the day I stop living.”
Sally remarks on how grounded he seems after all these years. Tom shrugs modestly. “Fame doesn’t make you special,” he says. “It just gives you a microphone. What matters is how you use it — and who you sing for.”