Country musicians the world over are in collective mourning over the passing of John Prine. The singer/songwriter, whose unique style made him a favorite of some of the industry’s most prominent performers, passed away at the age of 73 on Tuesday from complications resulting from COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus.
Prine was initially hospitalized on March 26 after coming down with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, and later intubated on March 28. Just two days later, Prine was listed as being in “stable” condition. While some fans took that as a sign of hope, his wife, Fiona, posted an update to social media indicating that wasn’t necessarily the case. “[Stable] is not the same as improving,” she began. “There is no cure for Covid-19. He needs our prayers and love – as do the thousands of others who are critically ill. Stay at home. Wash your hands. We love you.”
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On April 3, she revealed Prine was still on a ventilator and assured everyone that he was “receiving excellent medical care and being treated with kindness and compassion by the entire team looking after him day and night. I cannot be with him which makes this nightmare all the more distressing.”
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We love you John.
โ Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) April 8, 2020
It hurts so bad to read the news. I am gutted. My hero is gone. My friend is gone. We’ll love you forever John Prine.
โ Margo Price (@MissMargoPrice) April 8, 2020
Born in 1946, Prine first picked up a guitar at age 14. By the late 1960s, he began establishing himself as a performer in the Chicago area while he was still working as a mailman.ย
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As if we didn’t have enough devastating news
โ Ron Sexsmith (@RonSexsmith) April 8, 2020
The great John Prine has died & I am heartbroken.
I always saw him as a sort of Mark Twain figure
A humorist but mainly a humanist. He could make you laugh one moment and rip your heart open in the next.
He always very nice to me RS pic.twitter.com/qUqrkRYjZs
My heart is broken. One of my favorite songwriters of all time passed away today due to Covid19 .. โAngel From Montgomeryโ was my blind Audition song on @NBCTheVoice a few years back. The song that gave me so many amazing opportunities in my career #JohnPrine https://t.co/YnmpHhuFFk
โ Audra Mclaughlin (@AudraLynn21) April 8, 2020
In 1971, Prine released his self-titled debut album, which includes his beloved songs “Sam Stone,” “Paradise” and “Angel From Montgomery.”
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I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of @JohnPrineMusic he was such a gentle soul and kind human to all of us. I will miss his smile and his timeless music.
โ Joe Kwon (๊ถ์์ ) (@joekwon80) April 8, 2020
Goodbye and rest easy John Prine. World won’t be the same without you. I know I won’t.
โ Drew Holcomb (@drewholcomb) April 8, 2020
Prine’s music quickly earned him fans like Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson, and by 1975, he released Common Sense, his first album to enter the Billboard charts.ย
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We are heartbroken to hear about the passing of John Prine. His life and music will be celebrated by us as long as we are able .. we send prayers and condolences to his family at this time.. ~ Lukas and POTR pic.twitter.com/nw72SDEjHq
โ Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real (@lukasnelson) April 8, 2020
The great John Prine has passed away from the virus. He showed me how to “let it rip” when it comes to songwriting. There’s a huge hole in the music world tonight. John did it best. RIP. -T
โ Toby Keith (@tobykeith) April 8, 2020
In 2018, Prine told NPR that he “had a difficult time listening back to them because I was so nervous,” about his early work, despite the acclaim it’d earned him.ย
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There better be a rain of redneck hell gonna pour down on the bastards that made this virus that took John Prine from us. I’m fuckin’ pissed. And very saddened for this los of an American icon.
โ Shooter Jennings (@ShooterJennings) April 8, 2020
RIP to our brother the greatest @JohnPrineMusic we are so lucky to have known you. thank you. ๐@johnprinemusic https://t.co/zKQgdUF7G7
โ jim james (@jimjames) April 8, 2020
“I didn’t expect to do this for a living, being a recording artist,” Prine explained. “I was just playing music for the fun of it and writing songs. That was kind of my escape, you know, from the humdrum of the world.”
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RIP John Prine ๐ pic.twitter.com/vbAryYDTeW
โ Ryan Bingham (@RyanBingham) April 8, 2020
I have no words. I am heartbroken. The world won’t ever be the same and no one will ever be like him again. ๐ #rip @JohnPrineMusic @ Newcastle, New South Wales https://t.co/YDDgIRo7rg
โ Catherine Britt (@catherinebritt) April 8, 2020
On March 19, Fiona Prine posted a video to Instagram where she pleaded with fans and followers to “please stay home” to help slow the spread of coronavirus. “The government can help, and I think they are really starting to really figure out that this is serious, this is life and death for God knows how many Americans. They can help, but, honestly, it is truly in our hands.”
