With legendary singer, Tom Jones, in the spotlight for headlining Belfast, here's a look back at his 59-year marriage with his late-wife, Melinda Trenchard.
Tom Jones, born Thomas John Woodward, is a legendary Welsh singer. His music career began in 1963 after he became the frontman for Tom Scott and the Senators, a Welsh beat group. The group did not take long to gain a local following and reputation in South Wales. Later, when Gordon Mills became his manager, it was he who named the singer “Tom Jones” to capitalise on the popularity of the Academy Award-winning 1963 film of the same name. After signing with Decca, Tom released his first single, Chills and Fever.
Some of Tom Jones' other hits over the years include It's Not Unusual, What's New Pussycat?, She's a Lady, Delilah, and Green, Green Grass of Home, to name a few. At present, Tom is in the spotlight after it was revealed that he will headline Belfast summer gigs. According to reports, Tom will play at the Palmerstown House in Naas, Co Kildare, on Sunday, August 9, 2026. With the spotlight on him, many have also started to wonder about the 85-year-old's personal life. So without further ado, here's everything we know about his 59-year marriage to his wife, Melinda Trenchard.
In 1957, Tom Jones tied the knot with his childhood sweetheart, Melinda (known as Linda) Trenchard. At the time, Tom was only 17 years old. Apparently, he and Linda were only 8 years old when Tom fell for her. The legendary singer detailed the same in his autobiography, Over the Top and Back. He kept pursuing Linda for years, and at 15, Linda finally caved and agreed to go on a date with him.
Two years after their marriage, in 1959, Tom and Linda fell pregnant with their first and only child. The couple lovingly named their son, Mark. In order to support his family, Tom started working at a glove factory. However, soon after this, Tom's singing career took off. In a rare interview, Linda, referring to Tom, said, "I feel alive when [Tom] comes through the door, whatever time of the day or night it is." Later, during an appearance on Radio 2, Tom recalled the first time he saw Linda. He jokingly said that he remembered her playing marbles and thought, "My God, what great legs she's got." He added:
And then she stood up, and she was as pretty in the face as her legs were. We started playing kiss-chase. I felt different when I kissed her, and she felt the same way. We started dancing together when we were 15. She would look great."
Owing to his profession and success as a singer, Tom Jones used to spend months away from his wife, Linda. Eventually, during the time he spent away from her, he had multiple affairs. Tom himself, in the past, has spoken about the same and how his infidelity impacted his wife. In fact, he has confessed to being intimate with “over 250” other women while he was married to Linda and at the height of his fame. In his autobiography, Tom wrote:
"When you're a performer, and you find something that works, you work it - so it grew, and it built. When I stooped, mid-song, to kiss the women who had forced their way to the edge of the stage, it wasn't just a peck on the cheek. It was full-on, mouth-to-mouth. I was going over as some kind of love god, and I was going over so strongly that occasionally I was even persuaded of it myself.
Later, during a 2016 appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, Tom briefly talked about his affairs once again. He claimed that “the road will set temptations in front of you,” and these temptations, according to the singer, are hard to resist. He said that Linda never discussed his affair and put him “on the spot.” Tom added that this was because she was a wonderful person and loved being married to him like he loved being married to her.
For the majority of her life, Linda had been an avid smoker. According to a report by Hello Magazine, Linda had overcome lung cancer twice. Unfortunately, in 2016, she succumbed to the disease at the age of 75 after a “short but fierce” battle. In the wake of Linda's death, Tom was left absolutely devastated. He once told the Sunday Mirror, "When my wife passed away – God bless her – I didn't know whether I would make it.” He said there were days when he felt like he couldn't get out of bed.
After Linda passed away, Tom moved out of their 6.5 million pound mansion, which was located in Los Angeles. He decided to return to the UK, where he bought a flat in London. According to Tom, this was something Linda had wanted to do in her final years; however, she was unable to do so due to her fear of flying.
What are your thoughts on Tom Jones' nearly 6-decade marriage to his wife, Linda Trenchard? Let us know.
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