Many of us grew up listening to Tom Jones. The now 84-year-old Welsh singer’s voice would ring inside our home and I’d sing with my parents to his classic hits. He’s certainly made his mark on an entire generation of music lovers.
However, the Sex Bomb singer’s reputation off the stage took a rather dark turn when news of a neglected illegitimate son came to light.
Keep reading if you’re curious about Jonathan Berkery, Tom Jones’ destitute son with model Katherine Berkery. I’ll share everything you should know about the now 36-year-old aspiring singer and his struggle with fatherly acceptance.
A One Night Stand In New York
Image source: Dailymail
Jonathan’s mother, Katherine, is a real estate agent and former model. She met Tom Jones in a New York nightclub during one of the singer’s US tours in the 1980s. The meeting eventually turned into a three-day tryst, from which Berkery was born.
The former model informed Jones, who was then married to Linda Trenchard, of her unexpected pregnancy. However, the Welsh singer reportedly disregarded Katherine, cutting off ties instead of taking responsibility.
“That’s showbiz, darling. Do what you have to do”, the music icon’s assistant told the then-24-year-old model.
Image source: Google
In response, Katherine sued Jones immediately after giving birth to her son, Jonathan, on June 27, 1988. The singer denies paternity under the defense of sleeping with over 250 other women at the height of his career.
The legal battle lasted for several months and only concluded with a DNA test proving Jonathan to be the singer’s biological son. Jones was then ordered to pay over $2,000 monthly until the child’s 18th birthday.
Struggles of Growing Up Fatherless
“It wasn’t something I had planned,” Jones later said in an interview. “I just fell for the seduction,” he added with a shrug. Jonathan, however, got the full brunt of the singer’s negligence.
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Growing up without a fatherly figure, Jonathan’s adolescent years became a maelstrom of misguided decisions. He fell into substance abuse and struggled to hold a job.
He was kicked out of the house by his mother and arrested for drug possession.
“I didn’t understand it for a long time, but now I know that I was a bitter child who was looking for his father. He has never wanted to accept my existence,” Jonathan told the Daily Mail.
Jonathan would hit his lowest in 2018 when he became homeless and had to survive busking in New Jersey. He lived in a homeless shelter for several years, all the while performing and stacking shelves for money.
Image source: Metro
Despite years of neglect, Jonathan still dreams of meeting his estranged father, claiming he doesn’t want anything from the singer besides recognition.
“I’d like to talk to him about normal stuff, like: “How’s your life been? This is mine,” Jonathan said to Daily Mail. His wish, however, has continued to fall on deaf ears.
Where Is Jonathan Berkery Now?
Unfortunately, while blessed with his father’s looks and talent, Jonathan’s singing career didn’t take off. His current whereabouts are also unknown.
In a previous interview with The Sun, the now 36-year-old aspiring singer expressed his pain and blamed Jones’ absence for his troubled life.
Image source: Google
Final Thoughts
Some would say what Sir Tom Jones did to Jonathan Berkery is heartless—even narcissistic. And I’d be lying if I say I’m not the least bit bothered as one of the music icon’s fans. Especially since Katherin and Jonathan’s story is only one among many in this industry.
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