The Homeless Love Child of Tom Jones Sings Delilah While Busking
This video of Jonathan Berkery, the illegitimate son of Tom Jones, singing his father's hit song Delilah appeared on the Daily Mail's website in 2018. The following article is also from the Daily Mail:
𝐓𝐨𝐦 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬' 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐡 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧: 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐉𝐨𝐧, 𝟐𝟗, 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 '𝐈 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 (𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩)'
By Caroline Graham and Anette Witheridge in Hoboken, New Jersey, for the Mail on Sunday
Published: 17:00 EDT, 2 June 2018
He may appear a little dishevelled, with grubby jeans and tattoos. But this homeless busker stops passers-by in their tracks when he starts singing Tom Jones hits in a rich baritone that sounds eerily familiar.
And that, perhaps, is no surprise, for this 29-year-old performing on the streets of a blue-collar town in New Jersey is the music legend's illegitimate son, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Despite his father's £155 million fortune, Jonathan Berkery relies on commuters to drop their spare change into his guitar case, where a makeshift cardboard sign implores: 'I Need Money (Please Help).'
With a busking repertoire that includes Delilah and It's Not Unusual, he goes by the name 'Jon Jones' in tribute to his father.
But Jon – who spends his nights in a homeless shelter in Hoboken and tops up his income with a £5.50-an-hour part-time job stacking shelves – reveals he has never met his famous dad, despite his best efforts to get in touch.
He says: 'I don't want anything from my dad, just his recognition.
'Not having a father growing up was tough. All I ever wanted was his love. People think I look and sound like a younger version of my dad.
'I sing all his songs. People stop and stare as soon as I start singing.'
Jon was born after the Welsh superstar enjoyed a three-day fling with Katherine Berkery, then a 24-year-old model, in New York in October 1987.
Sir Tom denied he was Jon's father until it was proved by a court-ordered paternity test in 1989, and the singer agreed to pay £1,700 a month maintenance for his upkeep until his 18th birthday.
Jon says: 'There was never a birthday card, a single Christmas card, a call. I grew up with images of dad all around. But my calls and emails have gone unreturned. He wants nothing to do with me.'
Sir Tom only acknowledged Jon's existence in 2008, saying: 'It wasn't something I planned. I was tricked. I fell for the seduction.'
It was a cruel blow for Jon, who says: 'Those words hurt. It wasn't my choice to be born. You don't get to be as famous as my father without being prepared to hurt people along the way.'
Jon says his father's rejection led to an angry drink-and-drug-fuelled teenage rebellion and meant he 'couldn't form proper relationships with girls'.
Jon has even considered confronting his dad at one of his concerts or even auditioning for ITV talent show The Voice, where Sir Tom is a mentor.
The irony of his father offering advice to others is not lost on his son, who says: 'All I want is the chance to sit down with him. I truly don't want anything from him.'