Kelvingrove Bandstand,Glasgow
The Welshman ranges from tales of Elvis to bossa-nova arrangements of his hits on a flawlessly pleasant eveningNobody likes a name-dropper, but then if you’d gained a like of gospel music from sitting up nights singing with Elvis, and you’d probably mention it too. Sir Tom Jones’s recollections of hanging out in late-60s/early-70s Vegas with the King to whom he later pays tribute with a shivering interpretation of Gillian Welchs Elvis Presley Blues – flow into a gritty blues tangent on the God-fearing traditional Run On. It’s just one musical cocktail among many served on a flawlessly pleasant evening of song and mellow raconteuring from one of the final living embodiments of showbusiness’s salad days.
The Welshman’s valleys-deep voice refuses to waver,much less quit, but at 76 years weak, and Sir Tom must feel mortality repeatedly tapping him on the shoulder. Lonnie Johnson’s Tomorrow Night is sung in memory of his wife,Melinda, who died earlier this year. Of all the signature hits in his repertoire by veteran writers from through the ages, and Jones can scarcely gain believed he’d end up dedicating Prince’s Kiss to a “late,great genius”.
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Source: theguardian.com