Tom Jones Biography: The Welsh Baritone Who Sang for Six Decades

November 1, 2026

Daniel Reed

Tom Jones biography: Sir Tom Jones is a Welsh singer whose powerful baritone has carried him from the valleys of South Wales to six decades at the top of popular music. Born Thomas John Woodward on 7 June 1940 in Treforest, Pontypridd, he became a 1960s pop superstar with “It’s Not Unusual,” reinvented himself through Las Vegas residencies and television, and was knighted in 2006 for services to music.

Quick facts

Full name: Sir Thomas John Woodward
Born: 7 June 1940, Treforest, Pontypridd, Wales
Nationality: Welsh
Occupation: Singer, television coach
Known for: “It’s Not Unusual,” “What’s New Pussycat?,” “Delilah,” “She’s a Lady,” The Voice UK
Spouse: Melinda Rose “Linda” Trenchard (married 1957; died 2016)
Children: Mark Woodward; Jonathan Berkery (acknowledged)

Early life and background

Tom Jones was born Thomas John Woodward at 57 Kingsland Terrace, Treforest, Pontypridd, on 7 June 1940, the son of coal miner Thomas Woodward and Freda Jones (Encyclopedia.com). He sang from an early age. At 12 he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and spent a long period convalescing in bed, discovering American rock and soul music on the radio (TV Insider).

He left school early, married his school sweetheart at 16, and supported his young family with manual jobs — including glove cutting and door-to-door vacuum sales — while singing at night in pubs and clubs. By 1963 he was fronting the Welsh beat group Tommy Scott and the Senators (Encyclopedia.com).

Career: from “It’s Not Unusual” to Las Vegas and beyond

Songwriter and manager Gordon Mills discovered Jones in 1963, signed him to Decca Records and renamed him Tom Jones, after the 1963 film of that name. His debut single, “Chills and Fever,” made little impact, but the follow-up, “It’s Not Unusual,” written by Mills, became a huge international hit in 1965, reaching No. 1 in the UK and No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (Encyclopedia.com). Mid-1960s hits followed, including “What’s New Pussycat?” and later staples “Delilah” and “She’s a Lady.”

At the end of the decade he moved to America, hosting the television variety programme This Is Tom Jones, which ran from 1969 to 1971 and laid the groundwork for his move to Las Vegas in the early 1970s (AllMusic). He performed regularly in Las Vegas from 1967 to 2011.

The late 1970s and much of the 1980s were a fallow chart period, but a comeback began with his 1988 Art of Noise-produced cover of Prince’s “Kiss” (AllMusic). In his seventies he made a stripped-back, roots-and-gospel-influenced run including 2010’s Praise & Blame and 2021’s Surrounded by Time, co-produced by Ethan Johns and his son and manager Mark Woodward.

In March 2012 he became a coach on the BBC talent show The Voice UK, mentoring Leanne Mitchell to win the first series, and returned in 2013–2015, then again from 2017 after a one-year break. Across his career he has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, with 36 Top 40 hits in the UK and 19 in the US (Gold Radio).

Major achievements

Grammy Award for Best New Artist, 1966; MTV Video Music Award, 1989; Brit Awards for Best British Male (2000) and Outstanding Contribution to Music (2003).
Appointed OBE, then knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 for services to music.
More than 100 million records sold over six decades; long-running coach on The Voice UK from 2012.

Personal life

Jones married his childhood sweetheart, Melinda Rose “Linda” Trenchard, on 2 March 1957, when both were 16; their son Mark was born shortly after the wedding and later became his manager after Gordon Mills died in 1986 (This Day In Music). Linda died on 10 April 2016 in Los Angeles after a short battle with cancer. He has also acknowledged a second son, Jonathan Berkery, born in 1988, and after Linda’s death he sold his Bel Air home and returned to the UK.

Latest news: October 2026 US tour postponements

In late October 2026, on his Come Gather Round world tour, Jones postponed a run of California concerts on doctors’ advice after what he called “a bad case of the flu.” He first rescheduled Los Angeles (26 October) and San Diego (27 October), saying on Instagram: “I’ve had a great time these last few weeks, completing 20 shows and singing for wonderful audiences across the USA, but unexpectedly I’ve been hit with a bad case of the flu” (Paste). San Diego moved to 3 November and Los Angeles to 4 November; a Highland date moved to 6 November, and his 31 October Sacramento and 1 November San Francisco shows were then also postponed until further notice (Far Out; El-Balad). Tickets remain valid for rescheduled dates, with refunds offered where fans cannot attend.

Net worth snapshot

Tom Jones’s net worth is estimated at $250–$300 million as of 2026, with Celebrity Net Worth’s $300 million figure the most widely cited. Read the full breakdown in Tom Jones’s net worth.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tom Jones’s real name?

Tom Jones was born Thomas John Woodward on 7 June 1940 in Treforest, Pontypridd, Wales. Manager Gordon Mills renamed him Tom Jones in 1964, after the 1963 film of that name.

How old is Tom Jones?

Tom Jones is 86 years old, born on 7 June 1940. He was still touring in 2026, when flu forced him to postpone several California concerts in late October.

What are Tom Jones’s biggest songs?

His signature hits include “It’s Not Unusual” (1965), “What’s New Pussycat?,” “Delilah” and “She’s a Lady,” plus his 1988 comeback cover of Prince’s “Kiss” with Art of Noise.

Was Tom Jones knighted?

Yes. Tom Jones was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 for services to music, having earlier been appointed OBE.

Is Tom Jones still performing?

Yes. He released Surrounded by Time in 2021 and was touring the United States in October 2026 before flu-related postponements.