Legendary folk singer and songwriter John Prine was hospitalized on Thursday following a “sudden onset of COVID-19 symptoms,” according to a statement by his family.
Prine, 73, has been receiving care after he was intubated on Saturday, and his “situation is critical,” the statement posted to Twitter added.
“This is hard news for us to share. But so many of you have loved and supported John over the years, we wanted to let you know, and give you the chance to send on more of that love and support now. And know that we love you, and John loves you.”
The announcement that Prine has been hospitalized comes after his manager-wife, Fiona Whelan Prine, took to Instagram on March 17 to post a video (see below) in which she announced she had been diagnosed with coronavirus.
Prine was also tested, but the results were described at the time as “indeterminate.”
She explained it was possible Prine did not have the virus and that they were being quarantined separately.
An update on John pic.twitter.com/fPQbv0tLyB
— John Prine (@JohnPrineMusic) March 29, 2020
“There’s a chance he may not have this virus… We are quarantined and isolated from each other and members of the family. It’s hard, I won’t lie, but it’s absolutely important.”
Prine has been through serious health crises in the past
Prine is a two-time cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1999 and underwent surgery to remove the affected tissue from his neck.
He was also diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013 and had to undergo surgery to remove parts of a lung.
Prine is known for songs such as Sam Stone, Angel from Montgomery, Paradise, Please Don’t Bury Me, Six O’Clock News, and Grandpa Was a Carpenter.
He co-founded the independent record label Oh Boy Records in 1984 and released many of his albums under the label.
Prine is a two-time Grammy winner and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
Several musicians have contracted COVID-19
Prine is the latest singer to be diagnosed with coronavirus after several other musicians announced their diagnosis.
In an interview with Willie D live-streamed on YouTube, Geto Boys’ Scarface (Brad Jordan) revealed that he recovered his health after a battle with coronavirus illness. The illness was so serious that, at a point, he “felt like he was going to die.”
While Scarface survived the ordeal, others have tragically lost their lives.
Monsters and Critics reported that country music legend Joe Diffie passed away on Sunday at the age of 61 due to coronavirus complications.