When Elvis Presley and Tom Jones Shared the Backstage – The Friendship Few Ever Knew
In the late 1960s, Las Vegas wasn’t just the capital of glitter and neon—it was the meeting ground of two musical giants. Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Tom Jones, the Lion of Wales, were at the height of their fame. Yet behind the curtains of Caesars Palace and the Flamingo Hotel, they shared something far more personal than the spotlight — a genuine friendship born from respect, humor, and late-night jam sessions.
It all began in 1965 when Tom first met Elvis at Paramount Studios. Presley had just watched Jones perform “It’s Not Unusual” on television and immediately requested to meet him. What was supposed to be a brief greeting turned into hours of laughter and music. The two instantly connected — both Southern at heart, both men of charisma, and both driven by the thrill of live performance.
By the time Elvis returned to the Vegas stage in 1969, Tom Jones was already the city’s headliner. Every night, Elvis would sneak into the back of Tom’s show, standing quietly until the lights dimmed. “He’d always clap and yell louder than anyone,” Tom later recalled. Afterward, the two would head upstairs to Elvis’s suite, where they’d sing gospel songs until sunrise.
Their friendship was unique in an era filled with competition and ego. Elvis admired Tom’s powerful voice and control; Tom admired Elvis’s soul and stage magnetism. There was no jealousy — only admiration. In one memorable night, Elvis sent Tom a note reading: “You’re the only one who does it like me… but better.”
Even as Elvis’s health declined in the mid-1970s, Tom continued to visit him. Their last meeting in 1977 was bittersweet. Elvis looked frail, but when Tom entered the room, his eyes lit up. They hugged, reminisced about the Vegas nights, and promised to sing together again someday — a promise that would never be fulfilled.
Years later, Tom Jones said in an interview, “People think of Elvis as this untouchable legend. But to me, he was my friend — the man who laughed the loudest, sang the deepest, and cared the most.”