US country-folk singer John Prine died on Tuesday due to coronavirus complications, according to news reports. Speaking to US Cable News Network on Tuesday, his publicist said: "Yes, we can confirm on behalf of the Prine family — John died today due to complications of Covid-19." Prine had been in hospital since last week with coronavirus symptoms, with his wife and manager, Fiona Whelan Prine, posting updates about his condition online. Leading the tributes to late Grammy-winning songwriter who influenced legions of musicians in a career that spanned five decades, US singer Bruce Springsteen said that he is "crushed by the loss" of Prine. "Over here on E Street, we are crushed by the loss of John Prine. John and I were "New Dylans" together in the early 70s and he was never anything but the lovliest guy in the world. A true national treasure and a songwriter for the ages. We send our love and prayers to his family, Springsteen tweeted. Prine never had a hit single or a blockbuster album. But he built a devoted following, won several Grammys and overcame two bouts of cancer to record and tour into his 70s. "He is singing with the angels," singer Sheryl Crow wrote on Twitter. "You will be missed but your songs will live on." Prine was revered by his peers including Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. Johnny Cash, in his memoir, named Prine as one of his four key songwriting inspirations. Bob Dylan, in a 2009 interview, said, "Prine's stuff is pure Proustian existentialism ... and he writes beautiful songs." "There's a huge hole in the music world tonight. John did it best," country singer Toby Keith wrote on Twitter. Rolling Stone once called Prine "the Mark Twain of American songwriting." "I didn't expect to do this for a living, being a recording artist," Prine told NPR in 2018. — Agencies
