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An announcement that music legend Van Morrison had become a father again aged 64 was a hoax, apparently due to hackers targetting his website, a statement issued in his name said Thursday.
The brief announcement on his official website earlier this week said veteran singer, famous for songs like "Brown Eyed Girl" and "Moondance," was the proud father of a new son, George Ivan Morrison III.
It added that the newborn was the "the spitting image of his daddy" and was a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United States. The news was published around the world.
But on Thursday, a statement issued on his behalf said he had asked his management "to carry out an immediate investigation into a hacking attack which took place on my website on December 29th last.
"Claims were made relating to my personal life in a 'statement' purporting to come from me. Once these claims were brought to our attention, they were taken down from the site.
"The comments... did not come from me. They are completely and utterly without foundation," said the statement, issued by public relations company Fleishman-Hilliard International.
The original announcement said the child was born to Morrison and his wife and manager Gigi Lee on Monday.
But a senior Fleishman-Hilliard executive described as a friend of the reclusive musician told RTE state radio that the singer had assured him the story was "completely false" -- and that he had not heard of Gigi Lee.
"None of it is true," said John Saunders, regional president of the company, adding that it was the second hacking incident in three months.
"When I spoke to Van a short while ago I said, like, do you even know this person and he has never heard the name at any stage in the past. He doesn't know who this person is."
Morrison's statement added: "For the avoidance of all doubt and in the interests of clarity, I am very happily married to Michelle Morrison with whom I have two wonderful children."
Van Morrison's website had a message on its front page Thursday saying only: "New website coming soon."
Van Morrison -- known to his fans as Van the Man -- first found fame in the 1960s with the band Them, but his solo career really took off with "Astral Weeks" in 1968, widely regarded as a groundbreaking album.
He has continued recording regularly as his youthful good looks have collapsed into a more rumpled stage persona, and last year performed "Astral Weeks" live for the first time in 40 years.
