Deacon Blue’s James Prince admitted to hospital after falling “seriously ill”
Scottish group Deacon Blue’s co-founder and keyboardist James Prince is said to be “seriously ill” in the hospital, the band have announced.
The health update was posted on social media. Bandmates Ricky Ross, Lorraine McIntosh, Dougie Vipond, Gregor Philp and Lewis Gordon wrote online, “Dear friends, we wanted to share some news with you about our brother, Jim.”
They continued, “Unfortunately, he is seriously ill and undergoing care in hospital. We would like you to join us in wishing him well and to share your love with him.”
Deacon Blue are set to kick off their upcoming tour ‘The Great Western Road Trip’ in September with a number of UK tour dates lined up. They will begin with a slot at the Liverpool Arena on September 19th and will finish on October 11th, where the tour ends with a show in Glasgow.
As per the keyboardist’s wishes, the band will embark on the tour without Jim for the time being. They wrote, ““We spoke to Jim yesterday about Deacon Blue’s plans for the rest of the year, and he encouraged us to continue with love in our hearts and with his full blessing that the shows go ahead, even if it means replacing the irreplaceable James Miller Prime for the time being.”
They did not explicitly disclose what illness had put the 64-year-old in the ICU, nor the exact severity of the illness. However, the band also thanked the staff providing care to the musician, writing, “Together with Jim’s family, we want to thank all the nurses, doctors and ICU staff for their ongoing care, professionalism and compassion.”
Deacon Blue released their new album, The Great Western Road, in March, marking four decades since their formation.
Over their career, Deacon Blue has released a total of 19 albums including 11 studio albums, two live albums, seven compilation albums, and one album that’s both a studio and compilation. Prior to their new release, Riding on the Tide of Love was released in 2021.
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