FOR Welsh performer Aled Jones, a piece of advice from late Irish broadcasting legend Terry Wogan has stayed with him.<\/p>\n
For Welsh performer Aled Jones, a piece of advice from late Irish broadcasting legend Terry Wogan has stayed with him.<\/p>\n
“He always said to me, ‘spread yourself as thinly as possible because it makes it more difficult for people to get rid of you’,” Jones said with a laugh.<\/p>\n
Blessed in his youth with an angelic voice but later forced to reconcile with its impermanence, Jones has built a career on versatility, transitioning from boy soprano to baritone, broadcaster and musical theatre performer.<\/p>\n
“I do a bit of everything, and I love that,” he said.<\/p>\n
His My Story, My Songs show traces that journey, with his upcoming Ballina RSL concert marking his eighth Australian tour.<\/p>\n
After earlier visits focused on capital cities, Jones said his move into regional touring began as a joke.<\/p>\n
“I was doing a concert many moons ago in the Sydney Opera House, and in a signing afterwards, an old lady poked me in the side and said, ‘I’ve travelled seven hours to see you,’ and being the big mouth that I am, I said, ‘Oh, I’ll come and see you next time’,” he said.<\/p>\n
His manager took the comment seriously, leading to a regional tour that opened his eyes to a different side of Australia.<\/p>\n
“It opened my eyes to a part of Australia that a lot of people from the UK don’t get to see,” he said.<\/p>\n
“That’s really where Australia’s soul lives in those regional towns.”<\/p>\n
Jones said Australians make up one of his strongest international audiences outside Wales.<\/p>\n
“It’s a country that appreciates my voice\u2026 they seem to get the whole thing,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The Welsh very much wear their hearts on their sleeves, and I think the Australians do as well,” he said.<\/p>\n
Welsh heritage remains central to his identity.<\/p>\n
“I speak Welsh, I sing in Welsh, and on nearly every album I’ve done there are Welsh songs,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It’s something that I’m incredibly proud of.”<\/p>\n
Jones said the show blends music, humour and personal storytelling, with archival footage and photos offering a candid look at his life.<\/p>\n
“There’s not just singing, there’s loads of stories, clips, and photos. Some of them very embarrassing, and some of them a lot of fun,” he said.<\/p>\n
“People will come away from this concert knowing everything about my life as a boy and as a man.”<\/p>\n
The first half revisits his boy soprano years, including performances for royalty and moments alongside figures such as Leonard Bernstein, as well as appearances at high-profile events including Bob Geldof and Paula Yates’ wedding.<\/p>\n
“I have photos in there ranging from me in the bath at age two, to forgetting my words in the Royal Variety in front of the Queen,” he said.<\/p>\n
The second half shifts to his adult career and includes the musical number Choir Boy, reflecting on the moment his famous treble voice broke.<\/p>\n
“It’s all about what happens when your voice breaks, when certain things drop and your income stops,” he said.<\/p>\n
Looking back, Jones said his early rise to fame was surreal.<\/p>\n
“I was a normal little kid from a comprehensive school and all of a sudden I was travelling around the world and singing for royalty and pop stars,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It was mad in that respect.”<\/p>\n
When his voice broke, he chose to step back from singing.<\/p>\n
“I knew it was going to break\u2026 and when the time came, I made the decision to stop,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I’ve always been someone who looks forward rather than back.”<\/p>\n
Jones will perform his My Story, My Songs show at Ballina RSL on May 1.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOR Welsh performer Aled Jones, a piece of advice from late Irish broadcasting legend Terry Wogan has stayed with him. For Welsh performer Aled Jones, a piece of advice from late Irish broadcasting legend Terry Wogan has stayed with him. “He always said to me, ‘spread yourself as thinly as possible because it makes it […]<\/p>\n