Tom Jones: The Life Story Behind the Welsh Singing Legend
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Tom Jones is the singer with the voice that fills a room before he has even finished the first line. He was born in a small mining town in Wales, spent a year in bed with tuberculosis as a boy, and then became one of the most famous singers in the world. His songs, It’s Not Unusual, What’s New Pussycat?, Green, Green Grass of Home and Delilah, are still sung in pubs, at weddings and at football matches. He has performed in Las Vegas, he has coached singers on The Voice, and he has been knighted by the Queen. He is a Welshman who took his voice to the world, and the world has never given it back.
He was born Thomas Woodward in Pontypridd, a town in the South Wales valleys where coal mining was the main work. His father was a miner, his mother worked at home, and music was part of everyday life. He sang in the choir, he sang at home, and he sang wherever people would listen. He left school at sixteen, he worked in a factory, and he sang in clubs at night. He was not a rich boy, and he was not a trained singer. He was a working-class boy with a powerful voice, and that voice changed his life.
What makes Tom worth writing about is the power and the longevity of that voice. He has been singing for more than sixty years, and his voice is still strong. He has sung pop, rock, soul, country and gospel, and he has made them all sound like Tom Jones. He has also lived a life of great happiness and great sadness, losing his wife Linda after nearly sixty years together. His story is about a voice, a town, a family and a man who never forgot where he came from, even when he was singing in Las Vegas.
Pontypridd, Coal and a Year in Bed
Thomas John Woodward was born on 7 June 1940 in Pontypridd, a town in the South Wales valleys. His father, Thomas Woodward senior, was a coal miner, and his mother, Freda, was a housewife. The family lived in a modest house in a street of miners’ houses, and life was shaped by the coal industry. Men went down the mines, women looked after the homes, and music was a central part of community life. People sang in choirs, in chapels, in pubs and at home. Tom grew up hearing those voices, and he joined in as soon as he could.
When he was twelve years old, Tom became ill with tuberculosis, a serious disease of the lungs. He spent almost two years in bed, recovering at home. It was a long, lonely time for a boy who loved to be outside, playing and singing. He listened to the radio, he read, and he thought about music. The illness left him with a sense of how fragile life can be, and it gave him time to listen to singers on the radio. He listened to American singers such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, and he copied their voices. He also listened to Welsh choirs, and he learned how to sing with power and with feeling.
He left school at sixteen and took a job in a glove factory, and later he worked as a builder’s labourer. He also sang in clubs in the evenings, first with a band called Tommy Scott and the Senators. He was a young man with a strong voice, a good look, and a lot of energy. He married Linda Trenchard in 1957, when he was sixteen and she was also sixteen. They had a son, Mark, in 1957, and they stayed together for the rest of Linda’s life. It was a young marriage, made in a small Welsh town, and it became one of the longest marriages in show business.
Tom’s early life in Pontypridd gave him something that no amount of fame could take away. He knew what it was to be poor, to be ill, to work with his hands, and to sing for his neighbours. He carried that knowledge with him when he became famous, and it kept him grounded. He was not a singer who had been to a fancy school. He was a singer from the valleys, and he was proud of it. That pride is still in his voice, in his accent, and in the way he talks about Wales.
It’s Not Unusual and the Night the World Noticed
In the early 1960s, Tom was singing in clubs in South Wales, and he was spotted by Gordon Mills, a London manager who had also come from Wales. Mills saw something in Tom’s voice and his stage presence, and he took him to London. Mills changed Tom’s name to Tom Jones, after the hero of a famous novel and film, and he began to look for a record deal. Tom recorded his first single, Chills and Fever, in 1964, but it was his second single, It’s Not Unusual, released in 1965, that changed everything.
It’s Not Unusual was written by Gordon Mills and Les Reed, and it was a bright, upbeat pop song with a strong brass section. Tom sang it with power and with joy, and it became a number one hit in Britain. It also became a hit in America, and Tom was suddenly famous. He appeared on television, he toured, and he became known for his tight trousers, his open shirts, and his powerful voice. Women in the audience threw their underwear at him, a strange custom that became part of his legend. Tom took it in his stride, with humour and with a grin. He was a young man from Pontypridd, and the world was throwing things at him. He laughed, and he kept singing.
He followed It’s Not Unusual with more hits, including What’s New Pussycat? in 1965, a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for a film, and Green, Green Grass of Home in 1966, a sad, beautiful song about a man who dreams of home. Green, Green Grass of Home became one of his most loved songs, and it is still sung in Wales today. It tells the story of a man who is in prison, dreaming of the green grass of home, and it ends with a sad twist. Tom sang it with feeling, and audiences loved it. It showed that he could sing a sad song as well as a happy one, and that his voice could carry a story.
In 1968, he released Delilah, a dramatic song about a man who kills his unfaithful lover. The song was a huge hit, and it became one of his signature songs. It is still sung at football matches in Wales, and it is still played on the radio. The song is dark, and some people have criticised it for its story, but Tom has always sung it with passion. It is a song about jealousy, about love and about loss, and it shows the power of his voice. He could take a strange, dark story and make it into a song that millions of people wanted to hear.
Las Vegas, the Television Show and a Star in America
In the late 1960s, Tom moved to America, and he became a star in Las Vegas. He performed in the big hotels on the Strip, singing to audiences who came to see a show. He wore bright suits, he sang with a big band, and he made the audience laugh and cheer. Las Vegas was a different world from Pontypridd, a world of bright lights, big money and famous people. Tom fitted in well. He was a showman, and he loved the stage. He performed in Las Vegas for many years, and he became one of the most famous singers in America.
He also had his own television show, This Is Tom Jones, which ran from 1969 to 1971. The show featured Tom singing with guests such as Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and many other stars. It was a popular show, and it showed Tom’s warmth, his humour and his voice to a wide audience. He was not only a singer. He was a television star, a man who could talk, joke and sing in front of a camera. The show helped to make him famous in America, and it gave him a new kind of career.
His friendship with Elvis Presley was an important part of his life. Elvis admired Tom’s voice, and Tom admired Elvis. They sang together, they spent time together in Las Vegas, and they became close friends. Tom has often spoken about Elvis with love and respect, and about the sadness of Elvis’s early death in 1977. The friendship showed that Tom was respected by the greatest singers of his time. He was not just a pop star. He was a singer’s singer, a man whose voice other singers admired.
In the 1970s, Tom’s career slowed a little, as pop music changed and new stars came along. He kept touring, kept recording, and kept performing in Las Vegas. He released albums, he sang on television, and he stayed loyal to his fans. He was no longer at the top of the charts every week, but he was still a major star. He had a loyal audience, and he had a voice that did not fade. He was a working singer, and he kept working. That steady work would pay off in the years to come, when a new generation discovered him again.
Sex Bomb, The Voice and a New Generation
In 1999, Tom had a surprising comeback with the song Sex Bomb, a dance song made with the German producer Mousse T. The song became a hit around the world, and it introduced Tom to a new generation of listeners. Young people who had never heard It’s Not Unusual danced to Sex Bomb in clubs, and they discovered that the old singer with the powerful voice was still here. Tom enjoyed the comeback, and he laughed about it. He was fifty-nine years old, and he was having a hit with a dance song. It was a joyful moment, and it showed that his voice could work in many kinds of music.
He followed Sex Bomb with more work, including the album Reload in 1999, which featured duets with younger artists such as Robbie Williams, Stereophonics and the Cardigans. The album was a success, and it showed that Tom could work with new musicians and make new music. He was not a museum piece. He was a living singer, still learning, still collaborating, still enjoying the work. He toured the world, playing to audiences of all ages, and he became a beloved figure in British music.
In 2012, he became a coach on The Voice UK, a television singing competition. He sat in a big red chair, listened to young singers, and turned his chair around when he liked what he heard. He was a popular coach, known for his warmth, his humour and his knowledge of singing. He helped young singers to find their voices, and he gave them advice from his long career. He stayed on the show for many years, and he became a familiar face on British television. The Voice gave him a new audience, and it showed a new generation that Tom Jones was not only a singer from the past. He was a teacher, a mentor and a friend to young artists.
His later albums, including Praise and Blame in 2010, Spirit in the Night in 2011 and Surrounded by Time in 2021, showed a more serious, reflective side of him. He sang songs about age, about loss, about Wales and about life. The albums were well received, and they showed that Tom, in his eighties, could still sing with power and with feeling. He was not trying to be young. He was singing about being old, and about the life he had lived. That honesty made the records special, and it gave his fans a new way to love him.
Linda, Loss and a Voice That Keeps Singing
Tom’s wife, Linda, was the centre of his life for nearly sixty years. They married when they were both sixteen, they had a son, Mark, and they stayed together through fame, touring, and all the pressures of show business. Linda stayed mostly out of the spotlight, living in Los Angeles and looking after the family, while Tom toured the world. She was his anchor, the person who knew him before he was famous, and who loved him for who he was, not for his voice. Tom has often said that Linda was the most important person in his life, and that he could not have done it without her.
In 2016, Linda died of cancer, at the age of seventy-five. Tom was devastated. He has spoken about the loss with great sadness, saying that he felt lost without her, and that he did not know how to go on. He cancelled shows, he grieved, and he slowly returned to work. He has said that singing helped him to cope, and that his fans helped him too. The loss of Linda was the hardest thing he ever faced, and it changed him. He became more reflective, more serious, and more aware of how short life can be. His later songs, especially on Surrounded by Time, are full of that feeling.
He was knighted in 2006, becoming Sir Tom Jones, for his services to music. It was a great honour, and he accepted it with pride. He said that it was a dream come true for a boy from Pontypridd, and that he was grateful to his family, his fans and Wales. He had already been awarded an OBE, and he had been inducted into many halls of fame. The knighthood was a public sign of what people in Britain already knew. Tom Jones was not just a pop star. He was a national treasure, a Welshman who had taken his voice to the world and made his country proud.
Tom is now in his eighties, and he still sings. He tours, he records, and he appears on television. His voice is still strong, still warm, still full of power. He lives in London and in Los Angeles, and he keeps in touch with his family. His son Mark has managed his career for many years, and his grandchildren are a joy to him. He has faced illness, he has faced loss, and he has kept singing. From a boy in Pontypridd who spent two years in bed with tuberculosis, to a man in his eighties still singing on stage, he has lived a life that is full, joyful and sad, all at once. His story is not finished, and his voice is still being heard by new listeners every day.
Praise and Blame, Surrounded by Time and Singing About Age
In 2010, Tom released the album Praise and Blame, a record of gospel and spiritual songs that showed a more serious, reflective side of him. The album featured songs such as What Good Am I?, a song about asking what you are worth, and Did Trouble Me, a song about faith and doubt. The album was well received, and it showed that Tom, at seventy, could still sing with power and with feeling, and that he could sing about serious subjects with honesty. He followed it with Spirit in the Night in 2011, an album of songs by other writers, and with Surrounded by Time in 2021, an album that became his first number one in Britain in more than twenty years. Surrounded by Time featured songs about age, about loss, about Wales, and about the life he had lived. It was a remarkable achievement for a man in his eighties, and it showed that he was still relevant, still singing, and still loved.
Surrounded by Time is a special album, because it is about being old, and about looking back on a long life. Tom sings songs by Bob Dylan, by Cat Stevens, by Michael Kiwanuka, and by other writers, and he makes them his own. He sings about time passing, about friends who are gone, about the valleys of Wales, and about the joy of still being here. The album is not a young man’s record. It is an old man’s record, and it is beautiful because of that. Tom does not pretend to be young. He sings about being old, with honesty and with grace, and his fans love him for it. It is a brave thing to do, and it is a rare thing in pop music, where most singers try to stay young for ever.
He also continued to coach on The Voice UK, helping young singers to find their voices, and he toured the world, playing to audiences who had loved him for decades. He performed in Britain, in America, in Europe, and in many other places, singing his greatest hits and his new songs. He was in his eighties, and he was still singing with power. His voice had changed a little, becoming deeper and warmer, but it was still strong. He looked after his voice, he looked after his health, and he kept working. He was a man who loved to sing, and who could not imagine a life without it.
Tom has also spoken about his Welsh identity, and about how important Wales is to him. He was born in Pontypridd, he grew up in the valleys, and he carries Wales with him wherever he goes. He sings in Welsh on occasion, he talks about Wales with pride, and he has represented Wales around the world. He is a Welshman, and he is proud of it. That pride is a good thing, and it is part of why Welsh audiences love him so much. He is not a singer who forgot where he came from. He is a singer who remembers, and who honours his home. From a boy in Pontypridd who spent two years in bed, to a man in his eighties still singing, he has never left Wales behind.
Tom’s voice has also been heard in films, in advertisements and on television, in ways that show how deeply his songs have entered everyday life. It’s Not Unusual has been used in films and in commercials, Delilah is sung at football matches in Wales and around the world, and Green, Green Grass of Home is sung in pubs and at gatherings. He has also been covered by younger artists, and his voice has been heard by listeners who were not born when he first sang. That is a sign of a singer whose work has lasted, whose songs have become part of the shared memory of many people. He is not only a star from the 1960s. He is a singer whose music is still alive, still played, still loved, and still finding new listeners who hear his powerful voice for the first time and want to hear more.
My Take:
When I think about Tom Jones, I think first about the power of his voice. It is a big voice, a warm voice, a voice that fills a room. When he sings Green, Green Grass of Home, I can feel the sadness of a man dreaming of home. When he sings Delilah, I can feel the anger and the passion of a man who has lost control. When he sings It’s Not Unusual, I can feel the joy of a young man who is in love. His voice can do all of those things, and it can do them with honesty. I admire that range, and I think it is a lesson for anyone who sings. A good voice is not only loud. It is also flexible, and it can carry many feelings.
I also think about his childhood in Pontypridd, and about the two years he spent in bed with tuberculosis. That is a long time for a boy of twelve to be ill, and it must have been lonely. He listened to the radio, he dreamed of singing, and he waited to get better. I think that waiting taught him patience, and it taught him to value his health. When he finally got better, he sang with a new energy, as if he were making up for lost time. I find that moving. It tells me that a hard start does not have to be the end. A boy who was ill for two years became one of the most famous singers in the world. That is a hopeful story.
What saddens me most in his story is the death of his wife Linda. They were married for nearly sixty years, from the age of sixteen until her death in 2016. That is a lifetime together, and losing her must have felt like losing a part of himself. I feel sad when I think about Tom singing without Linda in the audience, without her waiting at home. He has spoken about the loss with honesty, saying that he felt lost, and that singing helped him. I respect him for that honesty, and I think it helps other people who have lost a partner. Grief is a lonely thing, and hearing a famous man talk about it makes it feel less lonely.
I respect his loyalty to Linda, because it is rare in show business. He was famous, he was adored by women, and he stayed married to the girl he met in Pontypridd. He did not leave her for a younger woman, he did not hide her, and he did not pretend that his marriage was perfect. He stayed, and he loved her, and he grieved for her when she died. That loyalty is a sign of character, and it is one of the things I admire most about him. In a world where marriages often end quickly, a marriage of nearly sixty years is a remarkable achievement.
I also admire his work on The Voice, because it shows a generous side of him. He could have retired, he could have stayed at home, but he chose to sit in a chair and listen to young singers, to help them, to encourage them. He was kind to them, he gave them honest advice, and he shared his experience. That is a good use of fame. A famous singer can help young singers by listening, by encouraging, and by telling the truth. Tom did that, and I think it made a real difference to the young people on the show. He was not a harsh judge. He was a teacher, and a kind one.
If I have a criticism, it is that some of his songs, especially Delilah, tell stories that are hard to hear today. Delilah is about a man who kills a woman because she was unfaithful, and some people feel that the song should not be sung any more. I understand that feeling, and I think it is right to talk about it. Tom has continued to sing Delilah, and he has said that it is a song, not a real event. I think both sides have a point. A song can tell a dark story without saying that the story is right. But I also think it is fair for people to ask whether a song about killing a woman should still be celebrated. I do not have a simple answer, and I respect the people who raise the question.
I also think about his comeback with Sex Bomb, and about how funny and joyful it was. He was fifty-nine, and he was having a hit with a dance song. That takes a sense of humour, and a willingness to look a little silly. Many older singers would have refused to do a dance record. Tom did it, and he enjoyed it. I admire that. It shows that he does not take himself too seriously, and that he is willing to try new things. That willingness has kept his career alive for sixty years, and it is a good lesson for anyone who wants a long career. Do not be afraid to look silly. Be afraid of being boring.
For a young reader, I think the lesson of Tom’s life is about a voice and a home. His voice took him around the world, but his home stayed in Wales, in Pontypridd, in the valleys. He never forgot where he came from, and he never pretended to be someone else. He is a Welshman, he speaks with a Welsh accent, and he is proud of it. That pride is a good thing. You do not need to lose your roots to succeed. You can carry them with you, and they will make you stronger. Tom carried Pontypridd with him to Las Vegas, to London, to television, and it made him who he is.
I also think about his friendship with Elvis Presley, and about what it means to be respected by the greatest. Elvis admired Tom’s voice, and Tom admired Elvis. That mutual respect is a sign of a real artist. Tom did not try to copy Elvis. He sang in his own way, and Elvis recognised the quality in it. I find that encouraging. You do not need to copy the greatest. You need to be yourself, and the greatest will recognise you. Tom was himself, and Elvis saw it. That is a good lesson for any young singer.
There is also something about his later albums that I love. On Surrounded by Time, he sings about age, about death, about the life he has lived. He does not pretend to be young. He sings about being old, and he sings with honesty. That is brave, and it is beautiful. Many singers try to stay young for ever, and they end up looking sad. Tom sings about being old, and he sounds wise. I want to remember that. Age is not something to hide. It is something to sing about, with honesty and with grace.
In the end, I think Tom Jones teaches us that a voice can be a gift, and that a gift should be used with care. He used his voice to sing happy songs, sad songs, love songs and songs about home. He used it to make people dance, to make them cry, and to make them feel proud of Wales. He used it for sixty years, and he is still using it. When I hear It’s Not Unusual now, I do not just hear a song from 1965. I hear a boy from Pontypridd who was ill for two years, who worked in a factory, who married his childhood sweetheart, and who became a knight. That is a full life, and it is a life worth learning from.
One more thought stays with me, and it is about the green grass of home. The song is about a man who dreams of home, and who wakes up to find that home is far away. Tom sang that song for millions of people who had left home, who missed their families, and who dreamed of going back. I think that is why the song is so loved in Wales, and around the world. Home is a powerful idea, and Tom sang it with feeling. I am glad that he is still singing, still remembering home, and still making people feel less alone.
I also think about what will happen when Tom finally stops. The records will remain, the songs will remain, and young singers will keep learning from his voice. That is a legacy that few people achieve. Tom has already achieved it, and he is still adding to it. I am glad that he is still here, still singing, still coaching, and I hope he keeps going for as long as he wants to. The stage is his home, and I think he knows it.
I also think about Surrounded by Time, because it is a brave album for a man in his eighties. He sings about age, about loss, about time passing, and he does it with honesty. Many singers try to stay young for ever, and they end up looking sad. Tom sings about being old, and he sounds wise. I admire that, and I think it is a good lesson. Age is not something to hide. It is something to sing about, with honesty and with grace. Tom does that, and his later albums are all the better for it. I want to remember that when I get older. I do not need to pretend to be young. I can be honest about my age, and still make good work.
I also think about his work on The Voice again, because it shows a generous side of him that is easy to miss. He sat in a chair, he listened to young singers, he turned around when he liked what he heard, and he gave them honest advice. He was kind to them, he encouraged them, and he shared his experience. That is a good use of fame. A famous singer can help young singers by listening, by encouraging, and by telling the truth. Tom did that, and I think it made a real difference to the young people on the show. He was not a harsh judge. He was a teacher, and a kind one. I admire him for that.
There is also something about his friendship with Elvis that I keep coming back to, because it shows mutual respect between two great singers. Elvis admired Tom’s voice, and Tom admired Elvis. They sang together, they spent time together in Las Vegas, and they became close friends. That mutual respect is a sign of real artists. Tom did not try to copy Elvis. He sang in his own way, and Elvis recognised the quality in it. I find that encouraging. You do not need to copy the greatest. You need to be yourself, and the greatest will recognise you. Tom was himself, and Elvis saw it. That is a good lesson for any young singer.
I also think about his son Mark, who has managed his career for many years, and about what it means to work with your son. Mark knows Tom, he knows his voice, he knows his fans, and he has helped him to have a long career. That partnership is a good thing, and it shows a family working together. Tom trusts Mark, Mark trusts Tom, and together they have built a career that has lasted for decades. I find that moving, because it shows that family can be a source of strength in show business, not only a source of pressure. Tom and Mark have worked together well, and I am glad for them.
I also think about his Welsh language, and about how he sings in Welsh on occasion. He was born in Pontypridd, he grew up speaking English with a Welsh accent, and he has learned Welsh songs. That is a sign of a man who is proud of his home, and who wants to honour it. I admire that pride, and I think it is a good example. You do not need to forget where you came from to succeed. You can carry your home with you, in your language, in your songs, in your heart. Tom carries Wales with him, and it makes him who he is.
I also think about his health, and about how he has kept his voice strong into his eighties. He looks after himself, he exercises, he eats well, and he sings regularly. That care is a lesson. A voice is an instrument, and it needs to be looked after. Tom looked after his, and it has repaid him with a career that has lasted for decades. I want to remember that. Whatever skill I have, I need to look after it, and to use it regularly. Tom shows that it is possible to keep a voice strong for sixty years, if you care for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Tom Jones born, and what illness did he have as a boy?
Tom Jones, born Thomas Woodward, was born on 7 June 1940 in Pontypridd, South Wales, and he spent almost two years in bed with tuberculosis when he was twelve. He listened to the radio during that long recovery, and it deepened his love of singing.
What was Tom Jones’ first huge hit?
Tom’s first huge hit was It’s Not Unusual, released in 1965 and written by Gordon Mills and Les Reed. It became a number one hit in Britain and a hit in America, and it made him famous around the world.
Which Tom Jones songs are most loved in Wales?
Green, Green Grass of Home, released in 1966, and Delilah, released in 1968, are two of his most loved songs in Wales. Green, Green Grass of Home is a sad song about a man dreaming of home, and Delilah is a dramatic song that is still sung at football matches.
How did Tom Jones make a comeback in 1999?
Tom made a comeback in 1999 with Sex Bomb, a dance song made with Mousse T, which became a hit around the world and introduced him to a new generation. He followed it with the album Reload, featuring duets with younger artists.
What did Tom Jones do on The Voice UK?
Tom became a coach on The Voice UK in 2012, sitting in a big red chair and turning around when he liked a young singer’s voice. He gave warm, honest advice from his long career, and he stayed on the show for many years.
Who was Linda, Tom Jones’ wife, and when did she die?
Linda Trenchard married Tom in 1957, when they were both sixteen, and they stayed together for nearly sixty years, with a son Mark. Linda died of cancer in 2016, at the age of seventy-five, and Tom has spoken openly about his grief.
