Critic's Pick: Sir Tom Jones

Even though he is 86 years old, Sir Tom Jones’ voice remains big and soulful, which Nashville fans can hear for themselves when the legendary Welsh vocalist brings his Come Gather Round Tour to the Ryman Auditorium Thursday night. Interestingly, the tour takes its name from the opening line of the late Todd Snider’s brilliant song “Talking Reality Television Blues,” which Jones covered on his most recent album, 2021’s Surrounded by Time. For those not familiar with the song he released as a single in 2023, it humorously traces the evolution of television as a medium to the present day — “We stayed tuned in, and here we are, reality killed by a reality star.” Snider recorded the song as a traditional acoustic talking blues, but working with producer Ethan Johns, Jones gave it a brooding, Radiohead-esque treatment. Snider’s song resonated with him. “I relate to it because it refers to a lot of the stuff I’ve lived through,” he told Rock and Roll Globe in 2021.“Talking Reality Television Blues” is featured prominently in Jones’ recent shows, along with a handful of other songs from Surrounded by Time. But fans can expect to also hear some of the hits that made him a superstar, such as “It’s Not Unusual” and “What’s New Pussycat?”

7:30 p.m. at the Ryman

116 Rep. John Lewis Way N.