By Salma El-Sakka
Sir Tom Jones, the 86-year-old Welsh singer, told fans he believed his life was over after being admitted to a Los Angeles hospital with a severe case of flu.
Hospitalization and recovery
Jones spent a week at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, forcing him to cancel or reschedule several concerts.
On Wednesday night, he returned to the stage at the Greek Theatre and described the ordeal, saying he thought, "You've had a wonderful life, Tommy, but it's over right now."
He praised the medical staff for their care and said he insisted on getting back to performing because he cannot live without it.
Career and recent departure
The singer recently made headlines after revealing that ITV had decided to remove him from the coaching panel of The Voice UK, where he had served since the show's debut in 2012. In his final series, he mentored Welsh singer Cate McHugh to victory.
Known for hits such as "Delilah" and "It's Not Unusual," Jones has achieved three UK number-one singles and four chart-topping albums over a career spanning more than six decades. He received a knighthood in 2006 for services to music.
Jones is next scheduled to perform at the Yaamava' Theater in San Bernardino, California, on Friday.
