Tom Jones hospitalized, discounts "heart scare" rumors
LONDON (CBS/AP) Eager to counter rumors of a heart-attack scare, singer Tom Jones, recovering in a Monaco hospital, said Sunday that "severe dehydration" forced him to cancel his Monte Carlo concert.
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The 71-year-old star, famed for his swivel-hipped appeal and soulful voice, apologized to his fans on his website and emphatically denied British press reports that he had suffered a heart scare that forced him to cancel the Saturday night concert in the glamorous principality.
"There are NO heart problems, as has been reported in the press," the singer said on his website.
Jones, a Welshman who burst to international fame in 1964 with "It's Not Unusual," blamed his illness on a long successful tour, "where many of the shows were in locations that were in the throes of high summer heat."
The website statement indicated that Jones had no choice but to make a rare cancellation: "Sir Tom was ordered by doctors not to perform in Monte Carlo yesterday evening due to severe dehydration," the statement read. "This was extremely disappointing for Tom, the band and all connected with the tour."
Saturday's canceled show was to have been the finale of his three--month "Praise & Blame" tour.
British and French press reports cited unnamed Monaco sources saying Jones was admitted to intensive care Saturday night and was moved to a normal room Sunday at the Princess Grace Hospital. They also cited hospital sources there saying he "was well" Sunday.
Calls to the hospital, the concert hall and his agent went unanswered Sunday.
Jones, whose charisma onstage earned some comparisons to Elvis Presley, made his singing debut at age 3. He dropped out of school to perform in clubs and appeared in hundreds of clubs and dance halls before his breakthrough series of hits catapulted him to some of the world's finest venues, with repeated shows at Las Vegas' glitzy hotels and casinos.
At the peak of his fame, and for decades afterward, adoring women near the front of the audience would shower him with their underwear as a sign of devotion.
He held onto his sexy image for decades, only recently performing and being photographed without touching up the gray in his hair and beard.
The crooner, who appeared on "Americana Idol" finale in May, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003.
In his statement, the apologetic crooner thanked fans for their understanding and support.
Jones plans a short tour of central and eastern Europe beginning in November.