The other day an airplane he was in did an emergency landing because he had what the press called “flu-like symptoms”. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but TT’s right. It’s too soon to speculate as to what happened.
When I first moved to Atlanta in 1984, that year or next, I saw his “Purple Rain” tour with my new best friend. We had great seats and didn’t sit down the whole time. Danced and sang through his entire concert. We were pumped for weeks! What a legend. So Sad… Will be so missed…
Same here. I went every night. Not only Sheila E but also The Time and Appollonia 6 were on the bill. At the Omni. Great memories! I even caught a comb Morris used to mimic combing his hair. Still have it!
Prince’s creative genius outpaced our comprehension. For him, it seemed as though an album was the end of a journey; that the experience of making the music was what was important and he had no time to explain it to us. He was a musical magpie, always so intent on creating a new sound, new vibe and new direction and it often seemed he had moved on and was over it at precisely the same time we were first hearing it.
I haven’t always been able to keep up with Prince, overwhelmed at his change in direction (seemingly at random) but I have always loved him.
When I was a teenager I fell in love with Prince and David Bowie. Their confident enthusiasm and fierce individuality were beacons to me at a time when I was struggling to balance insecurity, conformity and curiousity.
I wept when Bowie died, I feel hollow and stunned about Prince. My musical heroes are dead and I am bereft.
I am crying purple tears. So sad and heartbroken. He just had an emergency landing of his plane due to the flu last week and then went on to perform his concert. Praying for his family.
This is effecting me much harder than I expected. All of these middle school memories are flooding my head. My dad took me and a few girlfriends to see Purple Rain at the drive-in when I was in the eighth grade. He had no idea what he was going to see and he ended up digging the shit out of it. In case anyone is interested my favorite Prince songs are “Controversy” and “Erotic City”, the raunchy sexy shit.
I was just fighting with somwe assholes on a web site.Some one dared to say he may have OD’d!!!
Prince NEVER took drugs and barely drank. He just did not believe in polluting his mind. Back in the day he used to go to some of the same clubs as me, he always had an entourage and was painfully shy. I said hello to him a couple of times and visa versa…
Lawstangel-
The trolls are the worst. I too, had to give a few cyber smacks up the head. His friends and fans knew he lived life very cleanly and was teetotal.
I fucking hate mean people who slander anyone just to get a reaction.
I can’t stop crying either. I’m playing my 1980s Erotic City mix tape. It’s the only thing that survived my college years. It’s fragile but that tape got me through some really bad times. I’m lighting a candle for him tonight.
I can’t find Erotic City on Youtube. I can’t see through the tears to type. I’m throwing up. I feel like I should be doing something. I don’t know what to do. I want to go get alcohol but I can’t drive right now.
Me too. This is all so odd. I can’t wait to hear all of the conspiracy theories. All of which I’ll want to believe because I hate the idea of someone who was so much larger than life being taken down by a common flu bug. This is all so very sad.
So sad. I can’t even believe it right now.
So many highschool memories of me and my girlfriends
riding around in that rickity car, doing stupid things we shouldn’t do,
blaring his music. Impossible to sit still when Prince was playing on the cassette.
Hugs to you, TT, and everyone else here.
Beyond sad.
devastated. I have been praying for him since I heard about his hospitalization a few days ago. I just introduced my daughter to his music this year. I’m stunned, sad. Praying for his loved ones.
hugs T.. I am a mess, I took Xanax… he represents years of escape that only his music provided.. I told my boss I need a couple of hours to get my shit together.. I am glad MTV is doing his vids
Oh, Prince, my beloved, talented, sexy, influential bright light!! I will miss him. The Purple One was a crazy, unique musical genious. He produced, wrote for, played instruments for, and sang for so many artists. What a loss….This bad-ass musician was the background music to my youth…RIP, my sweet Prince.
I actually knew him quite well in the 80s and 90s. I always had the feeling that no matter what we were talking about his mind was somewhere else, even while completely engaged in our conversation. He was a very interesting man.
His stylist was on CNN. She said he told her that he always thinks about music. He said to her that when he was conversing with people that he could hear melodies in his head, where we hear dialog. Sometimes he would just get up and leave because he needed to get a particular melody he was hearing on paper/recording or whatever he used.
I worked for a huge law firm in Minneapolis for over 20 years. He was a client of the attorney I researched for. He would have to come in at odd times because he was so famous so I was assigned to greet him and get him into the building. There were times we would be working together for hours hammering out some details. A lot of famous people came through there and I worked with most of them but the thing that always struck me about Prince was the fact that he never had demands. He never talked down to anyone. I remember him talking to the night janitor one Sunday when we were in. They talked for quite a while in the hallways while we waited for supper to be delivered. He was always kind and I looked forward to working with him whenever we had to meet.
Thank you for sharing that. I also work in the legal profession and have seen my share of high profile people. Its nice to know he was cordial to everyone. I got that feeling from him, but you never really know. I heard this morning that he gave Trayvonn Martin’s family financial support on the QT. He wanted to help them with their legal fees. Nice!
I fell in love with prince because my cool favorite aunt had his album and I remember her playing his album over and over again in her room at my grandmas house. I remember looking at the album cover to purple rain and thinking it was so cool. One summer in Charleston my brothers were into the song darling Nicki and would cover my ears so I wouldn’t hear them singing it! Lol. That was a great song! So sad he is gone way to early.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” ~Prince~
Well, he got through it, “this thing called life” and death is mysterious, but I believe he is still alive, just somewhere else that we can’t see, and I believe in an even better place, but I still feel sad, for me.
That emergency plane landing the other day had me worried for some reason. I had a bad feeling about it. There will never, NEVER, be anyone like Prince ever again.
A legend. Just stunned. He was such a huge part of my high school years. I saw him in D.C. during the Purple Rain tour and the man was electric. Heartbroken.
I know how you feel Miss TT?. It’s like a part of our childhood is gone. I’m sending you my love & hugs. Did you hear where they actually found him?? The IRONY.
?RIP PRINCE ROGERS NELSON??
An Update -12:25 PM PT — The Sheriff’s department says Prince was found in an elevator at Paisley Park. They performed CPR, but were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead on the scene at 10:07 AM Central Time.
I’m gutted. I grew up in Minneapolis. I spent a lot of time at First Ave. in the early- mid eighties. I’ve met him. He was an intimidating man. But still very kind and soft-spoken.
Nothing Compares 2 U. RIP Prince. ?
Yup. They found him unresponsive in his elevator at Paisley Park. Dude, I am just really devastated about this.
Everyone here- please have a dance party in your homes tonight and party like its 1999. That’s what we’re gonna do.
This makes me so sad – assume he was alone ! No one should die alone- I’m a firm believer in spirits since I’ve been with many people that have passed and I always open a window for the spirit to be free! I was a nurse in oncology for many years and lost a lot of patients – this death is just too much for this white little rich bitch!!
I remember singing Darling Nikki, I had no clue what the words meant. My Mama freaked and said I was no longer allowed to listen to that 1 song on his tape. I just learned not to song it out loud. I still know it word for word.
Prince brings back memories to everyone. A time when life was innocent, especially compared to today’s world. It was fun, free and happy.
I loved Pussy Control too! I just told my x bf I was going to ride him like it was 1999.
Getting older is terrible!
I am heartbroken too, can’t believe I didn’t get to see him in Sydney when he toured here. He was a musical prodigy. So gifted. Can’t stop crying too. Can’t the universe give us a break!
My freshman year in college, sometime either the fall of 1983 or early 1984, one of my girlfriends was dating a guy from Cincinnati and we decided to drive up and see him for a long weekend from Virginia. The Monday night we were there, we went to this huge bar that was having Purple Rain night to celebrate Prince’s new movie.
There were constant rumors that he was going to show up and perform and while we were all a little excited no one really believed them.
They were supposed to have a Prince imitator band (this place was like a House of Blues concert venue before there was ever a House of Blues) and the band came out and it was PRINCE!!
I think the cover was free or something stupid but everyone was dressed in Purple Rain attire and people were running for pay phones to call their friends.
We ended up getting to see a mini Prince concert with about 500 other people.
My hubby and I pulled out all our Prince record albums to play them tonight. Being from MN we all felt like Prince was “ours”. His death is so devastating for me because not only did I absolutely love his music and idolized him, it brings back so many awesome childhood memories. I grew up in in the town where the grafitti bridge resided that inspired the name of his movie. Several times real artists would paint awesome murals of Prince on the bridge and no one would paint over those for weeks. We also used to drive by his house to try and “see” him but his security guards would yell at us to get off his property. There are so many people in front of Paisley Park tonight and after an afternoon of rain, a huge rainbow emerged. I like to think Prince is telling his fans that he is at peace.
I was 10 or 11 and discovered Prince’s music at the skating rink. It wasn’t till my early 20s that I realized his musical genius. My husband and I are early 40s and Prince is usually on our playlist when taking a long road trip. Just wow.
I loved the time Prince performed in the rain during the Super Bowl halftime show. Some people thought he would bail because of the inclement weather, but like a true professional he muscled through with an incredible performance that rocked the stadium. I still smile when I think of him standing in silhouette with his phallic guitar.
For many years I owned a red corvette and loved when “Little Red Corvette”played on the radio. That song brings back memories of a car, life and girl long gone.
I am sorry for the loss of Prince but happy that he was able to do in life what he loved and to share his incredible music with us.
Did Prince complete the autobiography he had been working on?
One of my memories of The Great One was when he appeared last year on the Golden Globes as a surprise guest. The top echelon of Hollywood was blown away by his presence and it was standing ovation. Here you have the most jaded community in the world fanning out like little girls. Unforgettable.
I’ve loved prince most of my life. It feels a little weird to be crying over someone you’ve never met but I digress. .
Prince announced he was playing shows at the Rio in Vegas. …500 people max….I cried manipulated and did everything I could do as a joe average from ohio to get a ticket AND I DID!
He was amazing and I was so close I could have touched him. I cried through the whole concert, my husband still teases me about it…but thank you God that I was allowed to see him…
I tried to read the comments and had to stop, I tried to go on facebook and can’t read the comments or view the pictures. I need some time with this one! RIP Prince!
As usual TT, you were the first to bring me this news. I woke up yesterday and read your blog as usual and thought this can’t be true but you were right. I cried all day.
Cause of death has not yet been confirmed. Please have some respect for the dead. The man cannot defend himself now. Let’s wait for the official results, instead of damaging someone’s memory. Thanks.
I was born in Minneapolis and lived there until 2000. And of course, I was a huge Prince fan. In the winter of 96-97, my wife, who was a makeup artist for MAC, got a phone call in the evening from another makeup artist friend asking her to if she wanted to work on a Prince video shoot.
We went to Glam Slam after bar close at 1am and we were brought upstairs to the VIP performance area. We were instructed not to look directly at ‘The Artist’ or Mayte when they were off stage, lol. My wife and and her friend did makeup for band members and 6 or 8 backup dancers. I got to hold the brushes and sponges and watch over the makeup cases, lol! Prince and Mayte had their own makeup artist.
The video shoot was fun to watch but it wasn’t an actual live performance. It was lip synced and it stopped and started dozens of times. Prince and Mayte went to a secluded corner between takes. The band members were very friendly and fun to talk to. They ‘performed’ several songs from Emancipation but the video was never released publicly. But it was amazing just to be in his presence for such a long time. We didn’t get out until morning.
Jim, what a wonderful memory. There are a lot of great memories on here. This was the story of our youth, the time of our lives. I wish I could stay here, sit in a corner read quietly :)…forever
So I decided to visit Paisley Park today to pay my respects to Prince (I live less than 5 miles away) ….. it was a weird experience, everyone somber and quiet. I still cannot believe Prince is gone.
PJ, I wished I could have flown home to do the same! But you really should celebrate and head over to First Ave and attend one of the all-night Prince dance parties. There’s one tonight after the Bob Mould show at 1:30am. There’s also another on Sunday night.
the real prince is dead? really???
yes
So sad. Way too young. Many memories were made and will never be forgotten.
I am heart broken as well TT. ???
What? No! HOw??
I am in shock! So sad! He represents my college years! 🙁
Omg!!!! Had a bad gut feeling when they announced that flight emergency stop. Was hoping it was nothing. Soooo sad!!
I made a point to watch his last few performances as he soldiered on ~
I will always respect him.
Was he ill?
The other day an airplane he was in did an emergency landing because he had what the press called “flu-like symptoms”. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but TT’s right. It’s too soon to speculate as to what happened.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
When I first moved to Atlanta in 1984, that year or next, I saw his “Purple Rain” tour with my new best friend. We had great seats and didn’t sit down the whole time. Danced and sang through his entire concert. We were pumped for weeks! What a legend. So Sad… Will be so missed…
I bet I attended the same concert, Beignet. Sheila E opened for him if I remember correctly.
Same here. I went every night. Not only Sheila E but also The Time and Appollonia 6 were on the bill. At the Omni. Great memories! I even caught a comb Morris used to mimic combing his hair. Still have it!
In disbelief. Our legends leave way before their time. So saddened!
Omg, this is crazy bad news…it just doesn’t seem real. Very, very sad.
Rest in Purple Paradise, Prince! ?
I collapsed to my knees. At work. When I got the text from a friend. I’m hurting so deeply. On behalf of all of his fans, God help us all.
Prince’s creative genius outpaced our comprehension. For him, it seemed as though an album was the end of a journey; that the experience of making the music was what was important and he had no time to explain it to us. He was a musical magpie, always so intent on creating a new sound, new vibe and new direction and it often seemed he had moved on and was over it at precisely the same time we were first hearing it.
I haven’t always been able to keep up with Prince, overwhelmed at his change in direction (seemingly at random) but I have always loved him.
When I was a teenager I fell in love with Prince and David Bowie. Their confident enthusiasm and fierce individuality were beacons to me at a time when I was struggling to balance insecurity, conformity and curiousity.
I wept when Bowie died, I feel hollow and stunned about Prince. My musical heroes are dead and I am bereft.
Eff 2016,
Very sad here in Mpls. Can’t deal …?
http://youtu.be/MJDuGjMwsow
I’m just sitting here in disbelief!!!!! I just can’t today….My GOD this is sad….RIP
He put on the best concert I’ve ever seen. He’ll be missed.
The heavens just got a little more purple in them, and doves are crying everywhere. RIP, and thank you, Prince.
I’m devastated. I’m stunned. I’m speechless. I’m trembling. I need a moment. 🙁
Me too!! Can’t stop crying.
I am crying purple tears. So sad and heartbroken. He just had an emergency landing of his plane due to the flu last week and then went on to perform his concert. Praying for his family.
This is effecting me much harder than I expected. All of these middle school memories are flooding my head. My dad took me and a few girlfriends to see Purple Rain at the drive-in when I was in the eighth grade. He had no idea what he was going to see and he ended up digging the shit out of it. In case anyone is interested my favorite Prince songs are “Controversy” and “Erotic City”, the raunchy sexy shit.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE , Erotic City!
I really dig his first hit on his second album “wanna be your lover” they played it to death in the clubs here in Los Angeles.
God, I am, so upset…..
My middle school years were Prince and Madonna…. Music was so much more meaningful then. I feel like my tween years have died.
I can’t wrap my head around this. Too many. I have never seen a year so full of death. Wtf is going on? Is 2016 cursed?
Sure looks like it. 2016 is taking a lot of amazing artists to the hereafter. It’s just too much.
I was just fighting with somwe assholes on a web site.Some one dared to say he may have OD’d!!!
Prince NEVER took drugs and barely drank. He just did not believe in polluting his mind. Back in the day he used to go to some of the same clubs as me, he always had an entourage and was painfully shy. I said hello to him a couple of times and visa versa…
Lawstangel-
The trolls are the worst. I too, had to give a few cyber smacks up the head. His friends and fans knew he lived life very cleanly and was teetotal.
I fucking hate mean people who slander anyone just to get a reaction.
WORD.
I can’t stop crying either. I’m playing my 1980s Erotic City mix tape. It’s the only thing that survived my college years. It’s fragile but that tape got me through some really bad times. I’m lighting a candle for him tonight.
I can’t find Erotic City on Youtube. I can’t see through the tears to type. I’m throwing up. I feel like I should be doing something. I don’t know what to do. I want to go get alcohol but I can’t drive right now.
MTV is playing all his videos.
I just start sobbing and I’m scaring Banjo.
Hugs, TT. <3
Ditto on the sobbing. My three cats are crawling all over me and can’t figure out what is wrong.
Thanks for the tip on MTV. I went to E! and figured they’d be doing what they did when Michael Jackson but it is reruns of the Kardashians.
A virtual big hug TT!
I looked for it too and it’s not there. Although, we know how it goes.
My favorite verse at the time and it still resonated so strongly with me was:
Ever time I comb my hair
Thoughts of you get in my eyes
You’re a sinner, I don’t care
I just want your creamy thighs…
So here I stand 30 years later.
Guilty of different sins.
And yeah, I still don’t care.
Rest in peace, our beloved Prince. There will be no other like you, Ever.
I found Pussy Control on You Tube 😉
Erotic City was not released on any album. It was actually written for Shiela E. It was released as a 12″ single for the clubs.
Sending you a BIG pacific northwest hug!!! I found out in costco… trying to find famous amos cookies while stunned…
I’m sorry TT. Virtual hug.
When Doves Cry was the first video they played yesterday on the channel I was watching, I lost it. A huge loss for the whole world.
When Doves Cry video was playing on the channel I was watching when I heard the news, I lost it. Such a huge loss for the whole world!
Unreal, what talent. Can’t even wrap my head around it 🙁
I’m in shock I think. I can’t believe it. RIP Prince.
No words???
This is heartbreaking. I lost one of my dear friends last week and this is just compounding that pain. RIP Prince.
Sorry for your loss
Terrible…so sorry that you’re having such a brutal week.
I feel sick. I loved Prince…
Gutted.
It’s so hard to see such a creative and peaceful person gone. He will forever live in my memory.
I’m so shocked. As far as I knew he was a healthy and relatively young man. There’s an investigation into his death. I want to know what happened.
Me too. This is all so odd. I can’t wait to hear all of the conspiracy theories. All of which I’ll want to believe because I hate the idea of someone who was so much larger than life being taken down by a common flu bug. This is all so very sad.
Ditto
I am in disbelief. I am overwhelmingly sad
So many wonderful memories. RIP
So sad. I can’t even believe it right now.
So many highschool memories of me and my girlfriends
riding around in that rickity car, doing stupid things we shouldn’t do,
blaring his music. Impossible to sit still when Prince was playing on the cassette.
Hugs to you, TT, and everyone else here.
Beyond sad.
devastated. I have been praying for him since I heard about his hospitalization a few days ago. I just introduced my daughter to his music this year. I’m stunned, sad. Praying for his loved ones.
hugs T.. I am a mess, I took Xanax… he represents years of escape that only his music provided.. I told my boss I need a couple of hours to get my shit together.. I am glad MTV is doing his vids
What the actual fuck is going on??? Dearly Beloved….
Oh, Prince, my beloved, talented, sexy, influential bright light!! I will miss him. The Purple One was a crazy, unique musical genious. He produced, wrote for, played instruments for, and sang for so many artists. What a loss….This bad-ass musician was the background music to my youth…RIP, my sweet Prince.
I actually knew him quite well in the 80s and 90s. I always had the feeling that no matter what we were talking about his mind was somewhere else, even while completely engaged in our conversation. He was a very interesting man.
His stylist was on CNN. She said he told her that he always thinks about music. He said to her that when he was conversing with people that he could hear melodies in his head, where we hear dialog. Sometimes he would just get up and leave because he needed to get a particular melody he was hearing on paper/recording or whatever he used.
That makes perfect sense. I used to be fascinated by just watching him.
How did you come to know him?
I worked for a huge law firm in Minneapolis for over 20 years. He was a client of the attorney I researched for. He would have to come in at odd times because he was so famous so I was assigned to greet him and get him into the building. There were times we would be working together for hours hammering out some details. A lot of famous people came through there and I worked with most of them but the thing that always struck me about Prince was the fact that he never had demands. He never talked down to anyone. I remember him talking to the night janitor one Sunday when we were in. They talked for quite a while in the hallways while we waited for supper to be delivered. He was always kind and I looked forward to working with him whenever we had to meet.
Thank you for sharing that. I also work in the legal profession and have seen my share of high profile people. Its nice to know he was cordial to everyone. I got that feeling from him, but you never really know. I heard this morning that he gave Trayvonn Martin’s family financial support on the QT. He wanted to help them with their legal fees. Nice!
Good Night, Sweet Prince. And thank you.
I fell in love with prince because my cool favorite aunt had his album and I remember her playing his album over and over again in her room at my grandmas house. I remember looking at the album cover to purple rain and thinking it was so cool. One summer in Charleston my brothers were into the song darling Nicki and would cover my ears so I wouldn’t hear them singing it! Lol. That was a great song! So sad he is gone way to early.
The end of an era, very sad 🙁
heartbroken. feel lucky i saw him perform a few years ago. i cried then and crying now.
Been watching MTV on and off all day as they give him a tribute. One of the most talented musicians EVER!!!!
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” ~Prince~
Well, he got through it, “this thing called life” and death is mysterious, but I believe he is still alive, just somewhere else that we can’t see, and I believe in an even better place, but I still feel sad, for me.
That emergency plane landing the other day had me worried for some reason. I had a bad feeling about it. There will never, NEVER, be anyone like Prince ever again.
“Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince;
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. ”
― William Shakespeare, Hamlet
A legend. Just stunned. He was such a huge part of my high school years. I saw him in D.C. during the Purple Rain tour and the man was electric. Heartbroken.
I know how you feel Miss TT?. It’s like a part of our childhood is gone. I’m sending you my love & hugs. Did you hear where they actually found him?? The IRONY.
?RIP PRINCE ROGERS NELSON??
I am so incredibly sad. The day the music died. Loved this talented, humble, deep human being.
Such a genius with astounding and unique talent, and a beautiful spirit. This is such a loss. Why? Why?
An Update -12:25 PM PT — The Sheriff’s department says Prince was found in an elevator at Paisley Park. They performed CPR, but were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead on the scene at 10:07 AM Central Time.
I’m gutted. I grew up in Minneapolis. I spent a lot of time at First Ave. in the early- mid eighties. I’ve met him. He was an intimidating man. But still very kind and soft-spoken.
Nothing Compares 2 U. RIP Prince. ?
Local news is saying he died in an elevator on his compound. This kills me. Also I hate that I didn’t go to his last concert at the Fox in Atlanta.
Yup. They found him unresponsive in his elevator at Paisley Park. Dude, I am just really devastated about this.
Everyone here- please have a dance party in your homes tonight and party like its 1999. That’s what we’re gonna do.
I’m so sad right now?. The IRONY. I keep thinking of the line of that song…… I can’t even write it
This makes me so sad – assume he was alone ! No one should die alone- I’m a firm believer in spirits since I’ve been with many people that have passed and I always open a window for the spirit to be free! I was a nurse in oncology for many years and lost a lot of patients – this death is just too much for this white little rich bitch!!
MTV 2 has one of his concerts on
Prince was my youth– a beautiful soul — his music will live on forever ! Will be missed by all !!
This is truly the year music died. My heart hurts!
Purple Rain was the soundtrack of my early teen years, what an unbelievable talent lost too soon. Very sad ?
Purple Rain is playing on VH1.
I remember singing Darling Nikki, I had no clue what the words meant. My Mama freaked and said I was no longer allowed to listen to that 1 song on his tape. I just learned not to song it out loud. I still know it word for word.
Prince brings back memories to everyone. A time when life was innocent, especially compared to today’s world. It was fun, free and happy.
I loved Pussy Control too! I just told my x bf I was going to ride him like it was 1999.
Getting older is terrible!
Purple Rain (The Movie) is starting on MTV right now.
Just finished it on VH1. That guitar riff in Purple Rain really digs into my soul…..
Wendy? Yes Lisa.
Is the water warm enough? Yes Lisa.
Shall we begin? Yes Lisa
I watched it, he was an amazing performer. This is so sad, such a part of my youth.
I am heartbroken too, can’t believe I didn’t get to see him in Sydney when he toured here. He was a musical prodigy. So gifted. Can’t stop crying too. Can’t the universe give us a break!
I’m going to respectfully ask that you all refrain from discussing the upcoming rumors about his death. A report will happen eventually.
Instead, could you all try to do a tiny bit of good in the world, however you are able, just honor his memory? Thanks.
Shiela E was just interviewed at LAX…she is going to Minnesota for answers
I am utterly bereft. Been listening to Pirple Rain and crying all morning. I just can’t.
I’ll honor his memory!
My timing is fuzzy so please bear with me.
My freshman year in college, sometime either the fall of 1983 or early 1984, one of my girlfriends was dating a guy from Cincinnati and we decided to drive up and see him for a long weekend from Virginia. The Monday night we were there, we went to this huge bar that was having Purple Rain night to celebrate Prince’s new movie.
There were constant rumors that he was going to show up and perform and while we were all a little excited no one really believed them.
They were supposed to have a Prince imitator band (this place was like a House of Blues concert venue before there was ever a House of Blues) and the band came out and it was PRINCE!!
I think the cover was free or something stupid but everyone was dressed in Purple Rain attire and people were running for pay phones to call their friends.
We ended up getting to see a mini Prince concert with about 500 other people.
One of the coolest experiences of my life.
Wow Jojo what an incredible memory!
My hubby and I pulled out all our Prince record albums to play them tonight. Being from MN we all felt like Prince was “ours”. His death is so devastating for me because not only did I absolutely love his music and idolized him, it brings back so many awesome childhood memories. I grew up in in the town where the grafitti bridge resided that inspired the name of his movie. Several times real artists would paint awesome murals of Prince on the bridge and no one would paint over those for weeks. We also used to drive by his house to try and “see” him but his security guards would yell at us to get off his property. There are so many people in front of Paisley Park tonight and after an afternoon of rain, a huge rainbow emerged. I like to think Prince is telling his fans that he is at peace.
Spike Lee is having a massive block party on the street he lives on in Brooklyn tonight.
I can’t.
I was 10 or 11 and discovered Prince’s music at the skating rink. It wasn’t till my early 20s that I realized his musical genius. My husband and I are early 40s and Prince is usually on our playlist when taking a long road trip. Just wow.
Like the color purple in a field we noticed. Dance in purple rain. Hear the doves cry.
The artist eternally known as prince to all who loved him.
In disbelief, he was a genius. The Einstein of the music world. Gone way too soon. ???
This is what it sounds like when Doves cry. R.I.P #Prince
So sad. Great musical talent. His Purple Rain Tour was the best concert I have been to. Fabulous. May he rest in peace.
Such a creative being may have left some unreleased works not yet heard. This tea is very hard to swallow.
With an intellect and a savior-faire
No one in the whole universe
Will ever compare
I loved the time Prince performed in the rain during the Super Bowl halftime show. Some people thought he would bail because of the inclement weather, but like a true professional he muscled through with an incredible performance that rocked the stadium. I still smile when I think of him standing in silhouette with his phallic guitar.
For many years I owned a red corvette and loved when “Little Red Corvette”played on the radio. That song brings back memories of a car, life and girl long gone.
I am sorry for the loss of Prince but happy that he was able to do in life what he loved and to share his incredible music with us.
Did Prince complete the autobiography he had been working on?
Prince completed only 50 pages of his autobiography…his life will forever be shrouded in mystery. Such a cool, unique dude.
RIP, Prince Rogers Nelson.
That was the best Super Bowl halftime show EVER. Nobody will ever compare.
One of my memories of The Great One was when he appeared last year on the Golden Globes as a surprise guest. The top echelon of Hollywood was blown away by his presence and it was standing ovation. Here you have the most jaded community in the world fanning out like little girls. Unforgettable.
Great memory, Amy!
Heartbroken, such a horrible loss.
Me either TT. Sucks 🙁
I’ve lost my mind. I can’t stop crying at the Google logo.
I’ve loved prince most of my life. It feels a little weird to be crying over someone you’ve never met but I digress. .
Prince announced he was playing shows at the Rio in Vegas. …500 people max….I cried manipulated and did everything I could do as a joe average from ohio to get a ticket AND I DID!
He was amazing and I was so close I could have touched him. I cried through the whole concert, my husband still teases me about it…but thank you God that I was allowed to see him…
Prince was so much a part of my life in the eighties. He rocked my world, and may he rest in peace.
I tried to read the comments and had to stop, I tried to go on facebook and can’t read the comments or view the pictures. I need some time with this one! RIP Prince!
I’m beyond distraught. Still. The world changed forever yesterday. Thank you Prince for sharing your genius with the universe.
” Dearly Beloved, We are gathered here today for this thing called Life…. ” #RIPPrince
“to get through this thing called Life”,,,,ugh. brain not functioning at all 🙁
As usual TT, you were the first to bring me this news. I woke up yesterday and read your blog as usual and thought this can’t be true but you were right. I cried all day.
Cause of death has not yet been confirmed. Please have some respect for the dead. The man cannot defend himself now. Let’s wait for the official results, instead of damaging someone’s memory. Thanks.
I was born in Minneapolis and lived there until 2000. And of course, I was a huge Prince fan. In the winter of 96-97, my wife, who was a makeup artist for MAC, got a phone call in the evening from another makeup artist friend asking her to if she wanted to work on a Prince video shoot.
We went to Glam Slam after bar close at 1am and we were brought upstairs to the VIP performance area. We were instructed not to look directly at ‘The Artist’ or Mayte when they were off stage, lol. My wife and and her friend did makeup for band members and 6 or 8 backup dancers. I got to hold the brushes and sponges and watch over the makeup cases, lol! Prince and Mayte had their own makeup artist.
The video shoot was fun to watch but it wasn’t an actual live performance. It was lip synced and it stopped and started dozens of times. Prince and Mayte went to a secluded corner between takes. The band members were very friendly and fun to talk to. They ‘performed’ several songs from Emancipation but the video was never released publicly. But it was amazing just to be in his presence for such a long time. We didn’t get out until morning.
Jim, what a wonderful memory. There are a lot of great memories on here. This was the story of our youth, the time of our lives. I wish I could stay here, sit in a corner read quietly :)…forever
Such an original. Loved “Lets Go Crazy” lyrics. Punch a higher floor sweet Prince. ?
So I decided to visit Paisley Park today to pay my respects to Prince (I live less than 5 miles away) ….. it was a weird experience, everyone somber and quiet. I still cannot believe Prince is gone.
PJ, I wished I could have flown home to do the same! But you really should celebrate and head over to First Ave and attend one of the all-night Prince dance parties. There’s one tonight after the Bob Mould show at 1:30am. There’s also another on Sunday night.
I have been out of work for a couple of months. BUT I actually considered going to pay my respects in person……
Still on my mind, still reeling, what a man, a real performer. My youth officially over. The day the music died. Thank you Tamara.