Jimmy Barnes hospitalised with pneumonia, cancels festival ...

Musician Jimmy Barnes says he's been in hospital getting treatment for a case of bacterial pneumonia but is expected to make a full recovery. 

The 67-year-old explained his absence from the Rock the Boat 2023 cruise festival, which he was slated to headline, in a social media post. 

"I’m sorry to let you know that I’ve been receiving intravenous antibiotics over the last 36 hours to treat bacterial pneumonia," he said.

"Unfortunately, this has stopped me travelling to Noumea to join Rock The Boat 2023 as planned. My band will still perform on board, together with my daughter Mahalia and other special guests."

The Cold Chisel frontman informed fans that doctors had put him on two days of bed rest.

"The timing couldn’t be worse," he said.

Barnes said he was "expected to make a full recovery in time to perform live at By The C" which kicks off on December 2.

He'll then set off for a month of festival dates in January and February.

What is bacterial pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an inflammatory disease of the lungs that is caused by infection with any one of a number of micro-organisms, particularly bacteria.

It often follows a cold or bout of flu that has allowed infection to enter the lungs.

While Barnes has specified that his case is bacterial, other bugs, including viruses, fungi and parasites, can also cause pneumonia.

The first signs are often a cough and fever, but other symptoms can include:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breathChest pain that fluctuates with breathingHeadache or muscular painBlue colouring of skin around the mouth (cyanosis) caused by lack of oxygenLoss of appetite, fatigue or a general feeling of being unwell

Bacterial forms of the disease can be treated with antibiotics and with treatment, most people will recover from pneumonia in a week to 10 days.

Barnes's health recovery continues

Barnes's daughter posted a photo of the singer in a hospital bed along with an x-ray in December.(Twitter: Jimmy Barnes)

This isn't the first time that the Working Class Man singer has had to cancel shows due to health problems.

Barnes was forced to abandon a planned tour in late 2022 to undergo emergency back and hip surgery due to "constant and severe pain".

"I've been jumping off PAs and stomping around stages for nearly 50 years, but it's finally caught up with me," Barnes said at the time.

In February this year, Barnes told his social media followers that he had gotten the "all clear" from his doctors after her surgery.

A family affair to keep alive

While Barnes's daughter Mahalia is stepping up for her dad to perform while he recovers from pneumonia, another one of his talented offspring, Elly-May Barnes, recently spoke to Australian Story about her own health struggles.

The 34-year-old singer has cerebral palsy but that hasn't stopped her from following her dad into the bright lights of the stage.

Elly-May and her siblings Mahalia, Eliza-Jane and Jackie were known as The Tin Lids.(Supplied)

 "I don't disappear. I wear sparkly boots and have a light-up cane … I'm going to find a cape that lights up and I'm going to pop out of a cake," Elly-May told Australian Story.

For his part, Jimmy is in awe of his daughter's triumphant musical performances.

"It's breathtaking," he says. "It's like a window into her life.

"There were moments where I had to really breathe deep. I wanted to walk out because it was so painful to watch. But at the same time, it was so joyous.

"I know it's more than theatre. She uses the emotion that she's held in – she lets it all out when she sings."