Sir Tom Jones told a Los Angeles audience Wednesday night that he believed he was dying during a recent bout with pneumonia that put him in the hospital for a week.
The 86-year-old singer made the remarks on stage at the Greek Theater, performing a show that had been postponed from late October because of his illness.
“I thought this was it. You had a wonderful life, Tommy, but it’s over right now,” Jones told the crowd, according to the New York Post and BBC.
Jones was rushed to UCLA Medical Center after what he initially thought were flu symptoms turned out to be pneumonia. “And then they had to get the paramedics in, and I was like, ‘I can’t breathe,'” he said.
He spent a full week in the hospital, including two days in the ICU. When doctors discharged him, they asked what he planned to do now that he had recovered.
“I have to get back on the stage,” Jones recalled telling them. “This is where I belong. I can’t live without it, believe me. This is true.”
The crowd cheered at that, and Jones went on to reflect on his history at the venue, where he first performed in 1969 just before “It’s Not Unusual” became his first No. 1 hit. “This song really changed my life,” he said.
The Los Angeles show, along with a San Diego date, had originally been scheduled for late October but was postponed when Jones fell ill. “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,” he wrote online at the time. “Following doctor’s advice, I unfortunately have to reschedule tonight’s show in Los Angeles and tomorrow’s show in San Diego.”
“I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience caused,” he added. “I look forward to seeing you all soon.”
Jones launched his 25-date Come Gather Round tour in September after a run of shows in England over the summer. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1998 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2006.
