Tom Jones – HuffPost 7.27.10

Mike Ragogna: For those starting out today wanting to have a great pop music career, what is your advice?

Tom Jones: Well, when you start off, you have to try and get as much experience as possible. I don’t think you can make records in the front room of your house and then go on TV with it and think you have an act together. My advice is to get up in front of people as often as you can, whenever you have a chance to sing–whether it’s in a club or Karaoke, wherever–get up and get experience wherever you can get people to hear you sing live so that you get experience. Hopefully, when the time comes and you get a hit record, you are prepared to go on the road. I think you need that experience first. It will put you in good stead later on if you have had experience singing in dance halls and clubs. I have heard a lot of young people saying they didn’t realize it was going to be so hard.