"It's been a tough year": Jimmy Barnes reveals very different Christmas plans
Jimmy Barnes has shared how he and his family will be spending Christmas after a tumultuous year of family losses.
Talking to Australian Women's Weekly, the legendary singer shared how this festive season will be a poignant one for the Barnes family.
"It's been a tough year," Jimmy said simply.
The Barneses have lost many of their closest friends and family over the last few months, including Jimmy's great mates from the music business, Mushroom Records founder Michael Gudinski, Warren Costello (Mushroom executive and true friend with whom Jimmy worked closely, daily for decades) and Pierre Baroni (friend, photographer and creative co-conspirator).
Then they lost Jimmy's sister, Linda, and Jane's mother, Kusumphorn Visuthipol.
"It all started with Michael," he explains. "When Michael left, it was such a shock. Since then, we've lost about seven people who were really close to us, who we weren't expecting to lose, including Warren, one of the nicest people in the world, and Pierre, who was like part of our family."
"We were just so close. Warren and Linda and Jane's mum died within two weeks of each other. It was just horrendous. It sort of took the wind out of my sails."
As a result of the devastating losses, Jimmy said their family Christmas will look very different this year.
In years prior, the Barnes family would host extravagant celebrations where everyone was welcome, and would party into the night.
This year however, they are planning something much more low-key.
"Jane and I are going away for Christmas, by ourselves. It's because we lost Jane's mum and I think the idea of her not being here for Christmas is very difficult for us to deal with. So, we're going to Thailand to visit the temple where we left her ashes, but also to get a bit of air. Our kids are big now. They're doing their own Christmases. I just need to sit on the beach and hold my girl."
Unfortunately, since Jimmy made the plans for his trip abroad, he was diagnosed with serious back and hip injuries that have forced him to cancel his summer touring schedule and his holiday in Thailand, meaning he will be forced to spend some of his Christmas break in hospital.
Image credits: Australian Women's Weekly