MUMBAI: Sir Tom Jones says he didnt expect to be alive at 80, and is so happy to be making music even at this age. The iconic singer was recently named the oldest man to have a UK number one album.

The veteran scaled the top spot with his new studio album "Surrounded By Time". Jones broke the record set by Bob Dylan who, in June 2020, had become the oldest singer to reach number one in the UK charts at the age of 79 for "Rough And Rowdy Ways".

"I didn't think about being alive at this age. 80 years old. Who knows? You think, if I get there maybe, and here I am and here we are. I've always wanted to keep recording as long as possible. I want to sing as long as I possibly can. I've never really known life without it. I've always been singing since I was a kid ... They told me that it's number one. I couldn't believe it. I was thrilled to bits. After all this time," he said, according to a report in femalefirst.co.uk.

In an interview on ITV's The Jonathan Ross Show, he said that he has no plans of retiring anytime soon.

"People have always been positive and said don't retire. I've said I'm not going to, I won't. Hopefully at the end of the day the people are going to like it (my music) and thank god, they do," he said.

(Source: IANS)