Jonathan Berkery’s life is a story filled with longing and struggle. He is the son of famous Welsh singer Tom Jones. But Jonathan was born outside of marriage, and his father never truly accepted him.
Jonathan is a singer like his father, but he carries pain from being rejected and having to fight for his place in the world.
Early Life: Growing Up Without a Dad
Jonathan Berkery was born on June 27, 1988, in New Jersey, USA. His mother, Katherine Berkery, was a 24-year-old model when she met Tom Jones, who was 47 at the time, during his 1987 US tour.
Their short three-day relationship led to Jonathan’s birth, but Tom didn’t want anything to do with them. Jonathan grew up with just his mom, who looked after him the best she could.
As a boy, Jonathan often wondered why he didn’t have a dad like other kids. His mother told him that his father was busy with music, giving Jonathan hope that one day he might meet him.
When Jonathan was 10, his mom showed him a magazine that proved, through a DNA test, that Tom was his father. This news was painful for Jonathan as it meant his father knew about him but still chose to stay away.
Education
Jonathan had a hard time during his school years. Feeling unwanted, he started using marijuana at 16. He was interested in singing and songwriting but didn’t focus much on school. Without his father’s guidance, Jonathan struggled and later dropped out. He still tried to learn about music, hoping to become a singer.
Chasing Music and Living in His Father’s Shadow
Jonathan has a deep, strong singing voice, something he got from his father. He tried to have a music career under the name Jon Jones. For a while, he joined a boy band but left because people only cared that he was Tom Jones’ son.
So he performed on small stages, such as bars and even on city streets. In 2018, videos showed him singing his father’s famous songs in Hoboken, New Jersey, with a sign asking for money.
Even with his talent, Jonathan struggled to find success. He had to take low-paying jobs like stacking shelves or working in fast food to make ends meet. The music business was tough, and without his father’s help, Jonathan found it very difficult.
His Mother: Katherine Berkery
Katherine Berkery is the most important person in Jonathan’s life. She was born in Korea and adopted by a New Jersey couple when she was eight. She worked as a restaurant manager and tried to become a model. In October 1987, she met Tom Jones at a New York nightclub during his tour. Their brief fling changed her life forever.
When Katherine learned she was pregnant, she was 24, young and unprepared for single motherhood. Tom denied being the father, forcing her to take him to court.
In 1989, a DNA test confirmed his paternity, and a judge ordered Tom to pay $2,500 a month in child support until Jonathan turned 18. Katherine used the money to raise her son, but she always said the fight was about principle, not cash. She wanted Tom to take responsibility, to be a father, not just a paycheck.
Homelessness: Life on the Streets
Life wasn’t easy for Jonathan, especially in his late teens and early twenties. He sometimes had nowhere to live and slept on park benches, in his car, or in shelters. He argued with his mother, started using drugs, and fell in with the wrong crowd.
He even got arrested for drug possession and spent time in jail. Rehab helped him quit drugs, but he was still left without a stable home.
At one point, Jonathan lived in a homeless shelter, carrying only a few things and his guitar. Winters were tough—he had to wait out the cold days at laundromats before returning to the shelter.
The Pain of Rejection
Jonathan’s biggest hurt is that his father, Tom Jones, would never accept him. Even after DNA proof and court cases, Tom never called, visited, or tried to get to know Jonathan. Growing up, Jonathan always saw Tom Jones on TV and heard his songs, which made the pain even worse.
Jonathan tried to numb his pain with drugs and fell into bad company because he was searching for care and attention. The feeling of being unwanted made it hard for him to trust people and build relationships.
Tom Jones once said he was “tricked” into fatherhood by Jonathan’s mother, which hurt Jonathan even more. Jonathan has always said he doesn’t want Tom’s money—he just wants his father to recognize him.
Relationship with His Father: No Relationship, Only Hope
There hasn’t been a real relationship between Jonathan and Tom Jones. Tom never talked to or saw Jonathan, only paid child support because the court told him to. Jonathan has tried reaching out by phone and email, and even contacted his half-brother Mark Woodward, but never received a reply.
Jonathan sometimes dreamed of meeting his dad, maybe on a singing show like The Voice UK, where Tom is a judge. He wished Tom would hear him sing and finally notice him. But so far, this hasn’t happened.
Tom Jones is now 84 years old and has been unwell, which worries Jonathan. Now, at 36, Jonathan just hopes to meet his dad before it’s too late. All he wants is for Tom to look him in the eyes and accept that he is his son.
