John Prine dies from coronavirus | The Music Universe

Sean Furtado

Prine was in critical care since mid March

Americana and songwriting legend John Prine has died from the coronavirus at the age of 73. Billboard and Rolling Stone confirm the news from his family. Prine died at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he had been in “critical care” and on a ventilator since March 21st.

Prine was initially tested a couple of weeks ago when his wife Fiona — who tested positive and fully recovered — was, but his results came back “indeterminate.” However, the couple isolated themselves out of an abundance of caution since Prine’s age of 73 put him at a higher risk of contracting it.

Although Prine was known as a underground singer for much of his career, he earned 11 GRAMMY nominations and received two GRAMMY Awards for Best Contemporary Folk Album, one for The Missing Years at the 34th GRAMMYs and another for Fair & Square at the 48th GRAMMYs. His self-titled debut album was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2015, and just recently he was announced as a 2020 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for his contributions to music during his nearly five-decade career.

Prine was a storied songwriter with admiration by Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson, and others. He was a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Prine is one of many celebrities and musicians who’ve contracted the virus. He follows Jackson Browne, Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan, Oli Lane, Asleep at The Wheel’s Ray Benson, and 90’s country star Joe Diffie, who passed away on March 28th from the virus, among others.

Celebrities have taken to social media to share their thoughts on Prine’s passing.