If you were to see Elvis Presley and Tom Jones standing together on a street corner, talking and waiting for the light to change you’d wonder what the two of them could possibly have in common. True, they’d have the bond of music and fame to discuss, but aside from that they seem as different as the sun and moon and as far apart in their past lives and thoughts as Tennessee is from Wales.
Are they really so different thought? Let’s stop and take a deeper look at these two very famous young men, Elvis and Tom thought different in many ways, have more for music. Each is an “older” star, both being over 25 (Tom is 28 and Elvis is 34); both had things in common when they were children.
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Elvis comes from a very humble background. He was never poor, but Elvis felt duty-bound to begin working at a very young age. His father held down many jobs over the years to keep his family in clothing and food. Tom also comes from a very humble upbringing. His father, until recently, was a coalminer in Northern Wales. He spent usually 10 hours a day in the black pits of the coal mines, working for very meager wages.
When Elvis first began to see the money roll in, his own happiness and luxuries didn’t enter his mind. The very first expensive presents he bought were for his mother and father a big beautiful home in Tennesse and a shiny new Cadillac to drive. Tom’s parents, too, were foremost in his thoughts when things really started happening with his career. He recently bought his mother and father a new home and he will see to it that his father will never have to see the inside of a coal mine again.
BOTH SHY
Throughout school, Tom was always rather shy and had only a few close friends. When fame came, this shyness carried on everywhere but on stage, With reporters he is ill at ease and therefore does very few interviews. Elvis, too, has always had a shy manner about him. Though a dynamic personality on stage, in real life he is overly well-mannered and shy, though he is fun to be with and has a good sense of humor.
Though Tom was married at the very tender age of 16 and had his first child at 17, and Elvis married at 31 and become father for the first time at 32, they do share a common bond now in that they both maintain an air of mystery about their marriages. Tom, though he does not hide his marriage and family, is very intend on keeping that side of his life out of the public view. Elvis, too allows no pictures to be taken of his life and daughter Lisa.
Rumors continually circulate about Elvis’ marriage and the problems he has in his personal relationships, but he will neither publicly deny or confirm them.
CARE ABOUT OTHERS
They are both sensitive people, behind-the-scenes type, who really care about the world. Elvis has continually contributed to the charities he cares about most and those feels are the most vital. Years ago he did a yearly benefit concert in Memphis, but when movie studio demands become too great he had to stop once-a-year concerts altogether. When this happened he continued to contribute the same amount of money he would have made by doing a concert to the charity year after year. Tom jones shares Elvis’ concern for people and is very generous in his charitable contributions
Even before his popularity reached its height, Elvis was not one to go out much in public. Today he’ll occasionally pop up to see a show in Las Vegas and when he’s at his home in Los Angeles he’ll occasionally go to club or for drive along the beach. But for the most part, he likes to stay at home. Tom is the same way. He had a close circle of friends and prefers an evening at home a night on the town.
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