Tom Jones is one of the truly great talents of our time, still capable of raising heartbeats even as he approaches his 80th birthday. Back in 1969, the Welsh singer launched his own TV show called, This Is Tom Jones – an incredible variety series running for two years. Across 65 episodes, the show’s host and star was joined by a cast of high-profile guests to perform some of the best duets prime time TV has ever seen. Enjoy the highlights below.
Tom Jones & Dusty Springfield | “I'm Gonna Make You Love Me” [This is Tom Jones, 1970]
Dusty’s voice just melts your heart, and Tom’s judging by the look in his eye. But, he proves himself a more than worthy sparring partner for the Queen of Blue-Eyed Soul!
Cher & Tom Jones | “The Beat Goes On” [This Is Tom Jones, 1969]
Tom shows his rougher side, Cher her captivating nonchalance in this stripped-back performance. The pair’s delivery is deceptively laid back, with an electric undercurrent that keeps you hanging on every word. Apart from ending on an awkwardly outdated skit from Sonny, this one’s simply flawless.
Tom Jones & Joe Cocker | “Delta Lady’ [This is Tom Jones, 1970]
Tom Jones and Joe Cocker are hardly cut from the same cloth, but this rendition of “Delta Lady” proves them be a remarkably complementary pairing! Their voices blend together to create a majestic gospel chorus and Joe delivers a showstopping bridge. Even their valiantly varied dance styles make for an unlikely perfect match.
Tom Jones & Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young | “Long Time Gone” [This is Tom Jones, 1969]
Tom is clearly overjoyed to be singing over the buttery harmonies on a stage jam-packed with future legends. Neil Young more or less invents the amped-up rock revolution that would arrive a decade or so later when he crashes in with an anachronistic searing guitar solo at 2:05. The mischievous look on his face suggests he knows exactly what he’s doing.
Tom Jones & Janis Joplin | “Raise Your Hand” [This is Tom Jones, 1969]
Tom Jones meets his match in Janis Joplin on their duet of “Raise Your Hand” in 1969. Right out of the gate, Janis stakes her claim with the type of wildly confident, bluesy entrance that, judging by the look on Tom’s face, he never dreamed possible. You can almost see the moment his mind implodes as she stumbles over the word “crying” at 16 seconds in. Tom recovers and boldly holds his own, but it turns out Janis was just getting warmed up. He surrenders to her unbeatable scream in the breakdown, happily go-go dancing his way to the end, totally in awe of his electrifying adversary.
