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Tom Jones has just hit another huge milestone in his career at age 80.
The iconic musician is officially the oldest man ever to top the U.K. album chart, thanks to his new record, Surrounded By Time.
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The Welsh singer described the achievement as “tremendous” in a statement shared with The Guardian.
“I am so proud of everyone who helped me create this music,” he continued. “I had a ball working with them and to get this result is just incredible. It’s wonderful that the public has allowed me to be musically expressive at my time of life and have shown their support. I am forever grateful.”
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At age 92, Vera Lynn was the oldest artist to ever top the U.K. album chart.
The singer released her greatest hits collection in 2009.
Jones is also the first Welsh artist to top the chart since 2012.
Sir Tom addressed his historic hit during a taping for Saturday’s edition of “The Jonathan Ross Show”, reported the Daily Mail.
“I didn’t think about being alive at this age. 80 years old. Who knows? You think, if I get there maybe, and here I am and here we are,” he said.
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“I’ve always wanted to keep recording as long as possible. I want to sing as long as I possibly can. I’ve never really known life without it. I’ve always been singing since I was a kid,” added Jones, whose debut album Along Came Jones was released in 1965.
“They told me that it’s No. 1. I couldn’t believe it. I was thrilled to bits. After all this time,” he marvelled.
“When you do an album like this, Mark started it off, my son. He said, ‘The next album should sound different…’ then of course we started talking about songs. I’d saved up a bunch of songs I’d had over the years.”
Jones insisted he has no plans to slow down anytime soon.
“People have always been positive and said don’t retire,” he add. “I’ve said I’m not going to, I won’t. Hopefully at the end of the day the people are going to like it [my music] and thank God, they do.”