Welsh crooner Tom Jones has suffered a great tragedy, losing his beloved wife to cancer on Sunday.

Melinda "Linda" Woodward lost "a short but fierce" battle with cancer, passing away at Cedars Sinai Hospital on April 10, surrounded by her husband and family. Jones had cancelled the entire Asian leg of his world tour recently due to an illness in the family, but did not confirm that it was his wife who was ill.

According to Jones' 2015 autobiography, Woodward was a heavy smoker who battled emphysema and had two cancer scares. It is unknown whether her smoking habit ultimately contributed to her death.

Jones (born Thomas Jones Woodward) met Woodward when they both 12 years old and lived in Pontypridd, a small village in Wales. They began dating at 15 and were married at 16, and stayed married for nearly 60 years. During this time, Woodward dealt with Jones' fame and numerous infidelities, with one affair prompting her to physically attack her husband. She preferred to stay out of the limelight due to a crippling phobia of open spaces and large crowds, and out of fear that she would be the subject of gossip.

The couple have one son, Mark, who works as his famous father's manager.

The legendary songster and his family have asked for privacy at this sad time in their lives.