Introduction
It’s 2025, and the question still echoes among fans: Where is Tom Jones now? At 85, the Welsh legend behind It’s Not Unusual and What’s New Pussycat? has lived through six decades of fame, reinvention, and heartbreak. Today, beyond the glitter of Las Vegas and sold-out arenas, his life is defined by a simple promise he once made to his beloved wife, Linda.
Born Thomas John Woodward in June 1940, Tom grew up in Pontypridd, South Wales, during a time of poverty and hardship. His father worked in the coal mines while his mother struggled to keep the family together. Music, however, was everywhere — in churches, on the streets, and on the BBC radio that brought him the sounds of American blues and gospel. Even as a young boy, his powerful voice turned heads in local choirs.
Tom’s early years were marked by struggle. At 12, he battled tuberculosis, spending two years isolated at home. It was during this lonely period that he deepened his connection to music, listening to Mahalia Jackson, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley. When he recovered, his life took another sharp turn. At 16, he married his childhood sweetheart, Linda Trenchard, after she became pregnant. Suddenly, Tom was not just a boy chasing dreams but a husband and father trying to provide.
He worked odd jobs by day and sang in clubs at night, his voice carrying him through smoky rooms and working-class bars. In 1965, after his first single failed, he recorded It’s Not Unusual. Within weeks, it hit number one in the UK and top ten in America. Tom Jones had arrived. With his booming voice and magnetic stage presence, he became a global sensation, conquering Las Vegas, television, and beyond.
Yet, fame carried shadows. His wild lifestyle and countless affairs strained his marriage. Linda, once his greatest supporter, withdrew from public life. Despite scandals, she remained the center of his world until her death in 2016 from cancer. On her deathbed, she made him promise not to crumble. Those words became his anchor.
In grief, Tom leaned on music. His 2021 album Surrounded by Time showed a reflective, vulnerable side. Even hip surgeries and illness could not stop him from performing. He often says, “The only time I’ll stop is when I die.”
In 2025, Tom Jones is still standing — not just as a knighted icon, but as a man who kept his promise. The son of a coal miner, who turned hardship into music and loss into strength, continues to sing for the world, and for Linda.