Sir Tom Jones, 79, is a Welsh singer with a number of top-ten hits. The Sex Bomb hitmaker has sold more than 100 illion records and had 36 Top 40 hits in the UK and 19 in the US. His high-profile status also led him to become one of the coaches on hit TV talent show The Voice UK in 2012. But, it seems Sir Tom was not always popular with the right crown as one member of Charles Manson’s murderous family has revealed the “What’s New Pussycat” singer was on the sadistic gang’s A-lister hit list.
Who was Charles Manson?
Charles Manson was an American criminal and cult leader.
He formed a cult which became known as the Manson Family based in California in mid-1967, whereby his followers committed a series of nine murders at four locations in July and August 1969.
The group was involved in the murder of Gary Hinman in July 1969 and then gained national notoriety after the murder of actress Sharon Tate and four others in her home on August 8 and 9, 1969.
The murderous clan then killed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca the next day.
Family members were also responsible for other assaults, thefts, crimes, and the attempted assassination of United States President Gerald Ford in Sacramento by Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme.
But now, family member and convicted killer Susan Atkins has revealed beloved singer Sir Tom was on the hit list of the most feared and notorious group of killers in criminal history.
After the nine murders, Manson and his accomplices were arrested and convicted of the brutal killings.
After the trial in 1970, it was revealed that a number of other celebrities were on Manson’s kill list – including Sir Tom Jones.
Reportedly, the Hollywood murdered planned to send a woman to the legendary singer as a means to seduce him before slitting his throat.
In Aubrey Malone’s Tom Jones biography called Still Rockin’ she revealed the singer’s reaction to learning what might have been his fate.
Ms Malone wrote: “Tom was shocked to learn his name was also on Manson’s hitlist for having sold out to the status quo.
“According to a file that was shown to him after Manson was convicted, there had been a tentative plan for a woman to seduce Tom after one of his concerts and then slit his throat when they were in the heat of passion.
“‘That rather put a block on any thoughts I had in that area for a while,” Tom deadpanned.
“Nothing concentrates the mind quite like the prospect of a praying mantis dressed up as a Playboy bunny.
“He felt he was on Manson’s hit list because of jealousy. Manson was a songwriter who couldn’t get off the ground.
“With his twisted logic, maybe he felt if there was one less rock singer on the planet he’d stand a better chance of shopping his material to some talent scout.”
She added: “The biggest crisis was being on Charles Manson’s hitlist but Tom even saw the bright side of a death threat: “I felt flattered I was on the same list as Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor.
“Tom didn’t increase his security in the aftermath of the Manson threat.”
Atkins reportedly revealed a number of other celebrity targets chosen by the bloodthirsty Manson Family.
Unfortunately, she did not reveal a reason why the Welsh singer was chosen, but given that reportedly, Manson arranged the murders to launch the imminent, apocalyptic race war, it can be assumed, Sir Tom was deemed important to the ”war”.
The other famous targets on the list included:
- Actor Steve McQueen
- Actress and businesswoman Elizabeth Taylor
- Actor Richard Burton
- Singer Frank Sinatra
Reasons for these other celebrity targets were never revealed and it is unlikely it will ever be revealed as both Atkins and Manson are now dead.
