As a teenager in the Welsh valleys Tom Jones had a musical hero: Elvis Presley. In 1965, already a worldwide star, his dream came true when he met his idol on the set of Elvis's 'Paradise Hawaiian Style' film. To his amazement, Elvis walked towards him singing a Tom Jones song: 'With These Hands.'
Las Vegas
The mutual respect between Elvis and Tom Jones was very clear. Elvis watched Tom Jones in Vegas prior to his own sensational comeback in July 1969 in order to get the feel of the required showmanship. Tom, in turn, would see Elvis perform at The International Hotel (later The Hilton).
In 1974 Elvis stunned the audience at Tom's Caesar's Palace show by taking to the stage and performing a karate demonstration, with the Welshman looking on and relegated to a bit-part on his own patch. Photographs of this spectacle can be found in many books including Sean Shaver's 1979 book 'The Life Of Elvis Presley.'