Just a few days ago, The Voice UK crowned its latest winner, Cate McHugh. During the competition, the singer showcased the wide range of her talent when covering hits like “Blackbird” from the Beatles. With each new performance, McHugh’s popularity grew. Beating out Frank Raven, Nana Aldrin-Quaye, and Monique Nicholson-Porter, McHugh received more than a trophy as she got to share the spotlight with Tom Jones for a special cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
Released in 1971, “Take Me Home, Country Roads” was written by Denver, Bill Danoff, and Taffy Nivert. Throughout the lyrics, the narrator shared the timeless beauty of West Virginia. The song went far beyond a single stage as it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The Library of Congress even added it to the National Recording Registry in 2023. Although a track about West Virginia, it seemed that the lyrics traveled all the way to the UK when McHugh and Jones joined forces.
86-year-old Tom Jones singing John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” with Cate McHugh, the winner of Season 14 of The Voice UK.
Goosebumps. At 86 years old, the legend Tom Jones still has the same powerful voice he had 6 decades ago. pic.twitter.com/A3DSfq3BJz
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Rock History
McHugh might have won The Voice, but Jones won the night, according to fans. With the performances gaining over 150,000 likes, fans couldn’t get enough of Jones. Comments read, “Every singer loses something in their voice as they age, not Tom Jones. This man is not of this earth, absolutely incredible.” Another person added, “I love Tom Jones more now than when I was 7 and wanted to marry him.”
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Tom Jones Didn’t Want To Leave ‘The Voice UK’
And for others, it was the experience he brought to The Voice that they would remember. “Tom brought experience, class, pure talent, and truth to the show. Truth in lessons, in coaching. Other judges are not in the same category. They are looking to steal ideas to reinvent their own careers. Anyone chosen by Tom, no matter how far they got, are winners. True Legend.”
Marking his last performance on The Voice, Jones left the show after being a coach since 2012. One of the original coaches, the singer admitted that the decision came from the production. “To be clear, I did not want to leave The Voice, as I love the show and really appreciate the audience. ITV made this decision – obviously a while ago, and I was told just recently. The reason given is because of a financial difficulty with insurance.”
No matter the reason, Jones concluded, “There’s never a good time to fire an 86-year-old who’s still pretty good at his job.”
For McHugh, winning The Voice UK marked the beginning of a new chapter in her career. For Jones, the performance marked the end of another. Although their journeys were heading in different directions, the two came together for one final performance that celebrated the past and future.
(Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
The post At 86, Tom Jones Proves He’s Still Got It With a Goosebump-Inducing Rendition of a John Denver Classic appeared first on American Songwriter.