<\/p>\n
\n\tJimmy Barnes<\/a> is back.<\/p>\n \n\tThe legendary Australian rocker will make another comeback for the ages when he performs at Byron Bay Bluesfest on March 31, a warm-up for a full-scale tour of Australia.<\/p>\n \n\tThis is no ordinary return to the stage. The 67-year-old singer is back from a life-threatening condition. Less than two months ago, Barnes was in ICU, after undergoing open-heart surgery, following an illness that refused to budge.<\/p>\n \n\tLast November, after opening the Mushroom 50 Live concert at\u00a0Melbourne\u2019s Rod Laver Arena<\/a>, where he powered his way through \u201cNo Second Prize\u201d and his signature song, \u201cWorking Class Man,\u201d Barnes\u00a0contracted bacterial pneumonia<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tHe was admitted to hospital on Nov. 27, 2023<\/a> and became \u201cvery unwell\u201d while in hospital with the development of staphylococcal bacteraemia a few days after admission, explains a statement from reps. \u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tMedics discovered he had an abscess at an old operation site due to the infection which required surgical intervention. The staph infection undermined Barnes\u2019 health, causing endocarditis, a life-threatening condition that without urgent treatment may well have been fatal, reps say. Surgeons immediately checked-in Barnes for cardiac surgery on Dec. 13 to replace the aortic valve. The valve itself was replaced some years ago due to a \u201ccongenital defect,\u201d he has said. <\/p>\n \n\tA year earlier, Barnes revealed he would go under the surgeon\u2019s knife to correct \u201cconstant and severe pain\u201d in his back and hip, the result of \u201cjumping off PAs and stomping around stages\u201d for more than 50 years. He also underwent back surgery\u00a0in 2014<\/a>, which kept him in hospital on Fathers Days (Sept. 7).<\/p>\n