article: From the release of It's Not Unusual in 1965 to his current judging role on BBC One's The Voice, Sir Tom has won fans across the generations. It is well-known he is adored by legions of women the world over, so we canvassed the opinion of some plain-talking Welshmen in a bid to uncover the secret of his enduring appeal. Former NME journalist Iestyn George describes him as "one of the last surviving stars of his time who still has any kind of credibility". He partly puts this down to his ability and that he remains close to his roots. Speaking about his first appearance on The Voice, Mr George said: "When Tom turned up, you were thinking 'how's this going to work?' It should be a bit embarrassing'. "But it's one of the rare opportunities people have had to see his character and it's made him more of a much-loved figure than ever before. "He's spent a great deal of his life away from home, but there wouldn't be any misunderstanding about where he's from. "For me, if you're not authentic or for real, it's just patronising." Mr George described Sir Tom, who remains married to his high school sweetheart Melinda Trenchard, as "a true professional. There's no side of him, backstage or front stage, there's no pretence". And he said this extended to his interviews with the media. "He's really happy to tell the warts-and-all stories, he's happy to tell people 'I've messed around, I've not been great always'. "I'm uncomfortable with the lovable rogue thing, but what helps people who get away with it is they're not trying to pretend they're anything else. "Ultimately it's just about being yourself and being very, very comfortable in your own skin." One of Sir Tom's contestants on The Voice, Ragsy, echoed that sentiment. "Talking to him, you kind of forget who he is and what he's achieved. His valleys charm kind of comes through," said the rocker from Aberdare. "The first time I met him... one minute I was thinking 'Oh my god it's Tom Jones, this living legend, this iconic figure'. But within minutes we were just two Welsh people talking about words like cwtch. "It's his charm first of all and then obviously his God-given talent of having that voice." Ragsy, whose real name is Gary Ryland, said Sir Tom told him the key to success was confidence. "He believes in his ability and oozes confidence. He told me I had a powerful voice, but it was that thing of believing in it. "He still sounds as strong today. He's like the grandfather, the don, of music." Mr George said despite that confidence, Sir Tom, who is managed by son Mark Woodward, was also good at taking advice. "The only person I can compare him to is Paul Weller, managed by his father from age 16 onwards," he said. "He's engineered his own career without any need for representation. They're very different people but there are similarities in the way they represent themselves. "Tom realises it's tough being yourself, being
summary: Sir Tom Jones celebrates his 75th birthday on Sunday and the appeal of the Welshman is as strong as ever.