Before he died, Elvis Presley was one of the most famous people on the planet. Over the course of his career, the King of Rock N Roll hung out with some enormous stars and singers – including Welsh star Sir Tom Jones. After the duo met in the 1960s, they became “very good friends”, and spent a lot of time together, prompting Elvis to be “inspired by Tom” over the years. This weekend on The Voice UK, Sir Tom spoke up about one event which saw Elvis approaching him during the height of his fame to sing one of his own songs back to him.
During the ITV show Sir Tom was asked by Olly Murs if he was ever nervous about singing with anyone in his career.
To which, Sir Tom replied: “Well, Elvis Presley I sang with. I was excited! I was thinking ‘wow’!”
A shocked Olly hit back: “Tom sang with Elvis Presley, isn’t that mad?”
Sir Tom then regaled fans with the story, adding: “Well, I mean Elvis was the one of course.
READ MORE: Elvis Presley affair: Ann-Margret on how her ‘soulmate’ was ‘just like her’
Laughing, Sir Tom went on: “You know, it was Elvis Presley with his hand out [singing my song], do you know what I mean?
“I went: ‘If the boys back home could see me now? Elvis is singing my song back to me!’”
The Sex Bomb star then mimicked the King singing his own track back to him.
Later in the TV show Sir Tom sang With These Hands in its entirety, stunning viewers, and bringing fellow judge Anne-Marie to tears.
Elvis and Sir Tom famously became great friends over the decades. Years later, the King’s lifelong friend, Jerry Schilling, once revealed how the two crooners met, and indeed how their relationship blossomed.
He said: “Elvis didn’t really hang out with other entertainers that much, but if there was one artist that Elvis truly called a friend and hung out with the most, it was Sir Tom Jones.”
“Elvis was always cautious about letting people get close and what their intentions were.
“The people he had working for him were not there for the job, it was because he knew they could travel with him and he trusted them. But he was inspired by Tom and they became very good friends.”
While the King was a massive star throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, he did apparently get fed up of the limelight every now and then.
According to Elvis’ ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, the Jailhouse Rock singer would even check himself into hospital for some peace and quiet.
Speaking in an interview, Priscilla explained: “He would sometimes check himself into the hospital because he wanted to get away from everyone. He didn’t want the demands, he didn’t want the phone calls.”
Priscilla later added that, when she first heard Elvis had died, she first thought it was another instance of him putting himself in hospital.
Recalling finding out about his death, Priscilla said: “[I thought] he can’t be, he can’t be… This is a joke, this cannot be – It was shocking.”
The Voice UK continues Saturday at 8.30pm on ITV.
