Singer getting used to dodging undergarments

Often when performers begin to age, they run the risk of becoming a parody of themselves. For some reason, that has not seemed to happen with Tom Jones.

Sure, there are plenty of people out there who might think that the Welsh-born singer is all shtick and no substance. I'll even go so far as to say that I had that very impression when I walked into The Plex in November 2005.

Jones was the headliner that night, and I went mainly out of curiosity. I figured it would be a hoot to see Mr. "What's New Pussycat" vamp his way through a set of cheesy tunes.

Boy, did I have it all wrong.

When the show finally let out, I left the venue one of Jones' newest fans. The then-65-year-old singer absolutely owned the crowd, which featured fans ranging in age from teens to those older than Jones himself.

Jones has spent the past 45 years performing before audiences the world over. Even before gaining notoriety as a member of Tommy Scott and the Senators, Jones was singing in local clubs in South Wales.

He soon had a recording contract, and by 1965, he was opening for the Rolling Stones and performing with the Spencer Davis Group.

A string of hit songs, including "What's New Pussycat," "Help Yourself," "Never Fall In Love Again," "Without Love," "Delilah" and "Green, Green Grass of Home," Jones found himself an A-list performer, headlining in Las Vegas and even earning the admiration of The King, Elvis Presley.

In a 2006 interview, Jones went so far as to say that he was the catalyst for Elvis' '68 comeback.

"Elvis came to see me at the Flamingo on my first dates, and afterwards he told me: 'You've given me confidence to do a comeback, because I feel we're very similar in what we do, and seeing you perform on a live stage in Vegas successfully has given me the strength to come and do it.' Elvis had played Vegas in the '50s unsuccessfully, because Vegas was not ready for rock 'n' roll then. But I'm glad to say that I gave him the inspiration to try it again. And we remained friends until he passed away."

Part of Jones' continued appeal has been his ability to adapt with the times and yet stay Tom Jones. In the '80s, Jones became instantly recognizable to millions of younger music listeners when he recorded a now-famous cover of the Prince hit "Kiss," which became a dance hit in clubs. Yet another new legion of young fans became exposed to his music through Will Smith and the hit TV sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," when a character on that show danced to Jones' "It's Not Unusual."

Making himself known to new fans is nothing new to Jones, though. He has done everything from singing the theme song to a James Bond flick ("Thunderball"), to covering tunes by Iggy Pop ("Lust for Life") and Talking Heads ("Burning Down the House").

Then there is the matter of women's undergarments. No one is really sure how the tradition started, but it is customary during a Tom Jones performance for women in the audience to show their appreciation by throwing their underwear at the stage.

Jones reportedly hates this tradition, and anyone who saw him at the Plex a couple of years ago knows that he is quite adept at ducking and dodging the constant onslaught of knickers.

So what do I attribute to Jones' insane popularity and staying power? Honestly, I have no idea, but if you're planning to attend the singer's Saturday night show at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center simply because it might be a hoot, then prepare to get served by the guy they call "The Voice."

Contact Devin Grant at chucktowncritic@yahoo.com.