Tom Jones hospitalization and return to stage after pneumonia, Digi Mart USA News (Los Angeles): Music legend Tom Jones admitted he thought he was going to die after being rushed to the hospital by paramedics last week.
The 86-year-old “What’s New Pussy Cat” singer took the stage at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday night and told the crowd that he had been rushed to UCLA Medical Center after contracting pneumonia. “I thought this was it, you had a wonderful life Tommy but it’s over now,” the singer told the audience.
Jones said what he initially thought was the flu turned into pneumonia. “And then they had to get the paramedics in, and I was like I can’t breathe,” he said of the frightening moment.
The singer said he spent two days in the intensive care unit and was in the hospital for a week in total. “UCLA did a wonderful job, so I’m here,” he continued.
According to Jones, when doctors asked what he wanted to do, he replied, “I have to get back on the stage, that’s where I belong,” prompting cheers from fans. He then reflected on his first performance at the Greek in 1969 before launching into his first number one hit, “It’s Not Unusual.”
Jones’ original Los Angeles concert was scheduled for October 26 at the Greek Theatre but was rescheduled to Wednesday night. In a post, he wrote, “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.”
The singer performed before a sold-out audience, belting out hits including “Sex Bomb,” “She’s a Lady,” and “Delilah.” Jones is currently in the middle of his “Come Gather Round” tour, whose North American leg launched September 18 in Highland Park, Illinois, after he kicked off his worldwide tour in England in June.
He is scheduled to play at Yaamava Resort and Casino in Highland, California, on Friday. Jones was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2006.
