Born Thomas Jones Woodward in Pontypridd, South Wales, in 1940, Jones began his musical career in 1963 with the Senators. The following year he signed with Decca Records and released his first single, "Chills and Fever." He had his first big hit in 1965 with "It's Not Unusual," followed soon after by "What's New Pussycat?" from the film of the same name. Exuding sexuality and possessing an expressive baritone, Jones was a perfect fit for the swinging 1960s era. In 1969 Jones began hosting a U.S. television variety show, This Is Tom Jones. Upon its cancellation in 1971, he moved to Las Vegas and began focusing most of his energy on his live shows. After his son, Mark Woodward, became his manager in the early '80s, Jones began releasing county-pop albums. He revived his career in 1988 with his cover of Prince's "Kiss," which became an American Top 40 hit. Following a successful world tour, he performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 1993. The enthusiastic response encouraged Jones to release the dance-pop album The Lead and How to Swing It in 1994.

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