Prince Remembered: Recent Episodes
Minnesota Public Radio
Prince Rogers Nelson left this universe behind on April 21, 2016, leaving fans worldwide in mourning. Maybe nowhere in the world has felt this loss as profoundly than Prince's home state of Minnesota. And to The Current, a radio station from Minnesota Public Radio, Prince was more than an artist, he was our friend. That's why, in memory of the Purple One, we’re sharing the many conversations we’ve had with musicians, critics, reporters and more about Prince: his life, his music and his legacy.
Jellybean Johnson is Minneapolis music royalty. The drummer for the Time also leads the Jellybean Johnson Experience. Plus, he played with Prince, and co-produced the hit song “Black Cat” with Janet Jackson. Now, he's the co-founder of the Minneapolis Sound Museum. "The Minneapolis sound is Prince," Johnson tells The Current's Jill Riley. "But [it's] also those of us who grew up with him and played with him and pushed him and one another to be great."
For more information about the Minneapolis Sound Museum, visit mplssoundmuseum.com.
Andre Cymone is an essential part of the story of Minneapolis music, and he continues to tour and release albums, and Andre's story is inextricably linked with the story of Prince and the Minneapolis sound. We took the opportunity to connect partially because it was the 40th anniversary of the release of "Controversy," and also because Andre Cymone is a legend. Around the release of "Controversy," Andre had just left the touring group that Prince had put together. Looking back at that time gives us a fruitful way to understand the relationship between these two Minneapolis icons.
On the 30th anniversary of Prince's "Diamonds and Pearls" album, Sean McPherson had the chance to talk to drummer Michael Bland and keyboardist Tommy Barbarella of the New Power Generation to compare notes and to share memories of recording the album, of working with Prince, and about being part of a great band and the lively Minneapolis music scene.
Taja Sevelle was one of the first artists on the Paisley Park record label. She recorded the Prince-penned "Wouldn't You Love To Love Me?" (on her self-titled 1987 release); Prince's version was on the recently released Prince 'Originals' album. Sevelle, whose birthday is today, January 7, spoke with The Current's Andrea Swensson about Prince's mentorship and his fervent belief and support in her second career: urban farming.
Matt Fink - aka Dr. Fink - was one of Prince's first keyboard players and is a member of the Revolution. In conversation with Andrea Swensson, Dr. Fink reflects on performing, recording and touring with Prince. 'He was always transforming himself into something different with every record,' Fink says. 'There was always something new and original and exploratory.'
Actor, comedian and musician Fred Armisen ('Saturday Night Live'; 'Portlandia'; 'Late Night with Seth Meyers') discovered Prince shortly after the release of '1999.' In a conversation with The Current's Andrea Swensson, Armisen talks about how he discovered Prince and became an instant fan for life. 'Prince really became my favorite artist,' Armisen says. 'I really soaked up every lyric, every little drumbeat, everything about him.'
Production/lighting designer LeRoy Bennett began working with Prince in 1980 and continued working with him until 1994. 'I was blessed that I started my life and this career with him,' says Bennett, who has gone on to work with such artists as Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande. 'Prince pushed you knowing that you were giving all that you could.' Listen to Andrea Swensson's full conversation with Bennett.
Drummer and guitarist Jellybean Johnson came up as a musician in North Minneapolis, playing with - and competing with - Prince. Johnson is a founding member of The Time, and in this conversation with The Current's Andrea Swensson, Johnson reflects on Prince's influence in shaping the iconic sound and look of bands like the Time, the Revolution, Vanity 6 and more.
Bobby Z first met Prince in the mid-'70s when the two were teenagers, and Bobby went on to become drummer for the Revolution. In conversation with Andrea Swensson, Bobby Z offers a philosophical look at Prince's incredible life and career. "Prince was hearing all the music in his head like Beethoven or other classical musicians," Bobby Z says. "He was kind of reborn in all these characters throughout the ages."
Prince's longtime collaborator and keyboard player, Lisa Coleman, joined Prince's band in the early 1980s and became a member of the Revolution. Coleman spoke to The Current's Andrea Swensson about her time working with Prince, both in the studio and on the road. "Hang around Prince, and stuff was going to happen," Coleman recalls. "And it did. I never met anybody that really followed through on everything they said like that." Listen to Andrea's full conversation with Lisa Coleman.
Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and musician Nile Rodgers talks to Andrea Swensson about his friendship with and the influence of Prince. 'Prince made such an impression on the world,' Rodgers says, 'that it was one of those magical forces that was undeniable.'
Over the course of his career, Prince worked with many talented musicians, but one of the closest relationships he had with any of his musicians was with Sheila E. An iconic drummer, singer songwriter and performer Sheila E. has had an incredible career with Prince and on her own.
Brittany Howard, solo artist and frontwoman of Alabama Shakes, talks to Andrea Swensson about discovering Prince as a youngster and about how much Prince continues to inspire her work to this day. Howard also tells the story of the time Prince jumped onstage with Alabama Shakes at a show at Paisley Park and played 'the most epic solo.'
Prince's first guitarist, Dez Dickerson, talks with The Current's Andrea Swensson, taking us back to the early days, into the recording studio, and from the smallest clubs to the biggest stages. "From the very beginning, Prince had a clear idea of what he wanted, how he wanted it, how he wanted us to coalesce as a band, what he wanted to say, and what message that would send," Dickerson says. Listen to the complete interview.
In the early 1980s, Audio Engineer Peggy McCreary contributed significantly to several projects from the massively creative mind of Prince, including Vanity 6's self-titled debut album, The Time's sophomore effort 'What Time is It,' and Prince's '1999,' 'Purple Rain' and 'Parade.' The Current's Andrea Swensson connected with McCreary for a fascinating conversation about McCreary's time working with Prince, their professional relationship and their mutual respect for each other.
The Los Angeles Times' music critic Robert Hilburn was the only journalist to interview Prince about the 1999. In fact, Prince would not grant interviews to journalists again for several years after that, making Hilburn one of the last to speak to Prince before a lengthy period of silence from the artist. In researching Prince: The Story of 1999, Andrea Swensson had a chance to talk to Robert Hilburn, who spoke about meeting Prince in October 1982 and about seeing Prince perform leading up to the album 1999 -- most notably, at a 1981 show at the Los Angeles Coliseum where Prince opened for the Rolling Stones and was met with boos and hostility from the audience. It was an experience, Hilburn surmises, that further motivated Prince to take the music world by storm.
Film director Albert Magnoli describes the events that led to his first meeting with Prince, and the making of the film 'Purple Rain.'
Legendary drummer Bobby Z of The Revolution sat down with Jim McGuinn to talk about working for Prince and what made the 1982 album '1999' an essential masterpiece that catapulted Prince to megastardom. Bobby Z also describes the early years getting to know Prince.
Sharon Smith-Akinsanya managed marketing of the Prince-inspired nightclub Glam Slam at all three of its locations: Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Miami. In 2017, she sat down with Jay Gabler and Andrea Swensson to talk about running the clubs, working with Prince, and remembering the icon's legacy in Minnesota.
Michael Holtz was one of Paisley Park's house DJs starting in 2014, and he still plays Paisley Park After Dark events. He tells Erianna Jiles about his time at Paisley Park from his first visits in the '90s up through the present.
Steve Perry, former frontman of the band Journey, tells the story of how Prince wrote to the band to say he may have been inadvertently inspired by the song 'Faithfully'
Just before the release of her father's posthumous album 'Don't Play With Love,' Prince's half-sister Sharon Nelson tells The Current how she found their dad's old sheet music, who wrote the "Purple Rain" melody, and why Prince's costumes may have resembled a stripper's.
Robyne Robinson, former TV news anchor and current MSP Airport director of arts and culture, talks with The Current's Jim McGuinn about her working relationship with Prince, including what it was like to receive new music from the artist, to interview the artist, and when it was time to speak truth -- or not -- to Prince.
Adam Weiner of the band Low Cut Connie met then-President Barack Obama in May 2016. During the visit to the White House, Weiner saw photographer Pete Souza's photos of President Obama and Prince, and Weiner learned of Obama's admiration of Prince. Weiner also shares the story of why Prince's "Controversy" became an important part of Low Cut Connie's live set list and a part of their latest album.
Mayte Garcia was married to Prince from 1996 to 2000. She spoke with The Current's Jill Riley and Brian Oake about her new memoir, 'The Most Beautiful: My Life With Prince.'
One of Prince's first bandmates, Andre Cymone talks with The Current in front of Paisley Park on the anniversary of Prince's passing.
Shelly Lehner is an American Sign Language interpreter and a longtime Prince fan. Lehner was one of the ASL interpreters at the Prince tribute concert last October. 'If hearing people are going to a concert, and they're experiencing this loss of Prince, deaf people should be able to go to that concert as well, and have access,' Lehner says. Listen to Lehner's full story, and visit thecurrent.org to watch a captioned video of Lehner's interview, and to watch Lehner give an ASL interpretation of Prince's song, "When Doves Cry."
Minnesotan sex symbol Har Mar Superstar tells Jade what made Prince sexy, how his music varied from suggestive to explicit
Jay Gabler talks with Peyton Scott Russell, a Minneapolis artist, about the period in the '90s when Peyton worked for Prince at Paisley Park and displayed art at Prince's club Glam Slam. Peyton also describes his decision to gild Prince's First Avenue star after the icon's death in 2016.
In an interview with The Current's Jim McGuinn, Regina Spektor talks about how she came to discover and appreciate Prince later in life, watching 'Purple Rain' three times in succession on a transatlantic flight after Prince had passed. 'What an incredible artist,' Spektor says. 'People like that don't come around that often.'
Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn of Sylvan Esso join Jade at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Meath relates a story from a friend in Beck's band, who opened for Prince. The story is an example of Prince's generosity and love of music. "[Prince] filmed the entirety of their set," Meath says, "and put a DVD of it into the TV and gave them notes on their set before he went on."
Musician Jason Narducy (Bob Mould Band, Split Single, Superchunk) shares two Prince stories during an interview with Jade, recorded live at SXSW in Austin, Texas.
Britt Daniel of Spoon reflects on Prince's legacy and shares his memories of seeing Prince perform. 'He was the greatest performer of his generation,' Daniel says, 'or perhaps of many generations.' From a live interview with Jade at SXSW in Austin, Texas.
Stephen Bruner, aka Thundercat, talks about his favorite Prince song and a moment in the Prince film 'Under the Cherry Moon' that always makes him smile. Thundercat also shares a story from his brother, Ronald Bruner Jr., who worked as a session musician with Prince at Paisley Park.
El-P and Killer Mike of Run the Jewels talk about Prince's legacy on a Theft of the Dial on The Current, hosted by Sean McPherson. Killer Mike also gives respect to Morris Day and the Time, for their music and for reinventing cool in the 1980s.
Roger Linn, inventor of the LM-1 Drum Computer, talks about Prince's use of his instrument on "When Doves Cry" and more
Susannah Melvoin reflects on Prince's tenderness and how she ended up co-writing "Starfish and Coffee."
Sean Daley, aka Slug, from the hip-hop group Atmosphere, talks to The Current's Andrea Swensson about what it was like to come up in the music industry while living in the same city as Prince. Slug describes how Prince broke boundaries and set new precedents in the music industry. And Slug also tells the story of how he once performed freestyle rap onstage with Prince, who improvised on piano.
Andre Cymone is a lifelong friend of Prince and one of Prince's first bandmates. In this interview with The Current's Andrea Swensson, Cymone describes: playing at the Revolution's reunion shows at First Avenue; how he and Prince first met and became friends; and the music and events that influenced him and Prince as they were growing up in Minnesota in the 1960s and 70s. Recorded before a live audience at the Minnesota State Fair on Sept. 2, 2016.
Ida Neilsen, who performed in both New Power Generation and 3RDEYEGIRL, talks with Andrea Swensson about how she first connected with Prince and her funky new solo album.
Tech blogger and entrepreneur Anil Dash talks to Andrea Swensson about Prince's secret life as a computer nerd.
PaviElle French is a performer, singer and songwriter who visited Paisley Park at age 16. "The biggest way Prince influenced me is that he lived his life by his own rules and that's the kind of artist that I am," PaviElle says. "That's the kind of person I am, and knowing that he did it, I know it can be done."
In a report from Dec. 26, 1984, MPR's Stephen Smith (now of American RadioWorks) provides a biographical look at Prince, '26 years old, born and raised in Minneapolis, he's this year's star of the rock and roll world. He's now touring the United States, selling out every place he performs.' Smith also talks to Minneapolis StarTribune reporter and Prince biographer, John Bream.
In a report from Sept. 10, 1987, MPR News' Mike Mulcahy describes a tour by foreign dignitaries of Prince's Chanhassen, Minn., studio, Paisley Park. 'Audible gasps were detected as the visiting dignitaries walked through banks of recording equipment in Paisley Park's gymnasium-sized recording studio,' Mulcahy reports.
Singer-songwriter Steve Noonan worked as an audio engineer for Prince in the early 1990s. "It was fun," Noonan says. "As has been said a lot, he was a genius. ... It was fun to watch the songs form." Hear Noonan's stories from his days working at Paisley Park.
Steve McClellan was a co-owner of First Avenue during Prince's early days. He remembered him as a perfectionist, a workaholic -- and a kid.
Bret Thoeny, the man who built Paisley Park, is a principal with the firm BOTO Design Architects in California. He spoke with MPR News host Tom Weber about his experiences with Prince.
Neal Karlen is a Twin Cities writer who collaborated with Prince on a rock opera and covered him for years. He wrote for Rolling Stone, Newsweek and other publications in the '80s and '90s. He talked with MPR News reporter Euan Kerr about his experiences with Prince over the years.
In a conversation with The Current's Sean McPherson, legendary musician and rapper Flavor Flav, from Public Enemy, shares his memories of Prince. 'Losing Prince,' Flav reflects, 'is not like losing a finger off your body; this is like losing a whole arm.'
Music writer Greil Marcus spoke with MPR News reporter Euan Kerr shortly after news of Prince's death became public. "He has never settled for anything, either in his own music [or] in the music business," Marcus said.
Nate Kranz is a DJ and general manager of First Avenue, the Minneapolis night club where Prince made his mark -- and that he put in the map. He talked about the artist's relationship with First Avenue through the years.
Heather McElhattan worked as set designer for Prince for a decade, from 1986 to 1996. She talked with MPR News host Tom Weber the day Prince died.
Dick McCalley said he'd worked with Prince since 1980. He talked with The Current host Jay Gabler while standing outside Paisley Park on the day Prince died.
Steven Hyden is a former Grantland writer and author of the forthcoming book, "Your Favorite Band is Killing Me: What Pop Music Rivalries Reveal About the Meaning of Life." He talked to MPR News host Tom Weber about the rivalry between Prince and Michael Jackson.
Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson spoke briefly about his working relationship with Prince within the Chanhassen, Minn., community.
Richard McKernan was a sound engineer in Los Angeles when he worked with Prince on his '1999' album. (McKernan calls it the 'Little Red Corvette' album.) He told MPR News reporter Peter Cox about playing basketball with Prince.
Aaron Janse, a violinist with the Minnesota Orchestra, spoke with Classical MPR host Brian Newhouse during a live orchestra broadcast about recording with Prince, most recently on the song 'Baltimore.'
My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James reflects on his memories of seeing Prince perform at Coachella in 2008, SXSW in 2013 and the impact 'Sign O' the Times' had on his own songwriting.
People who collaborated with Prince and worked for him talked less about Prince the superstar -- and more about how they will remember him as a musician. First, producer Jimmy Jam, who was in the band The Time, which opened for Prince in his early years of touring.
Adam Scher, senior curator at the Minnesota Historical Society, joined Current Morning Show hosts Jill Riley and Brian Oake to talk Prince memorabilia -- including Prince's suit from the 1984 movie 'Purple Rain.' The Minnesota History Center in St. Paul put the suit on display the same day the news broke that Prince had died.
Garrison Keillor reflected on the loss of Minnesota's own Prince at A Prairie Home Companion's April 23, 2016 show at the Bass Concert Hall in Austin, TX.
Atom Robinson is a bassist and backing vocalist who has long admired Prince and spent a few years during the 1990s touring with a Prince tribute band called Shockadelica. He spoke with MPR News host Tom Weber and Current music reporter Andrea Swensson about his life's intersections with Prince.
Just a few days after Prince's death, MPR News host Tom Weber offers a glimpse into the musical tributes to the artist across the country.
If there was a soundtrack to her life, Suzanne O'Keefe said, Prince would be it. Standing outside Paisley Park not long after learning of the artist's death, she talked about coming of age in the Twin Cities, not far from Prince's orbit. "I guess I always thought that I would have a chance to see him here at Paisley Park," she said. She brought her camera with her. At least she'll have the pictures.
A new Prince mural on the side of a building in Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood was painted this weekend as "a nice present to the city of Minneapolis," says Bloomington-based artist Rock "Cyfi" Martinez. The mural, just over a story high, is located at 26th St. and Hennepin Ave.
The Current's music reporter and Local Show host, Andrea Swensson, covered Prince in the last few years of his life. She talked with Current Morning Show hosts Jill Riley and Brian Oake about one of her first interactions with Prince.
David Rivkin was a producer on Prince's 'Purple Rain' album. He talked to MPR News host Tom Weber about Prince's musical style, his personality and his contributions to the Minneapolis Sound.
Susan Rogers talked to MPR News host Cathy Wurzer about working as a sound engineer for Prince from 1985 to 1989, when she recorded classic albums like "Purple Rain" and "Sign of the Times." She is now an associate professor in the Music Production and Engineering Department at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Longtime Twin Cities music writer Britt Robson remembers hearing Prince's first album when it came out and was struck by how unique his sound was. He talked to MPR's Euan Kerr about Prince's legacy.
All day on MPR News Thursday, listeners, fans and former colleagues and collaborators called in to share stories of their encounters with Prince. But a woman named Victoria told host Tom Weber a story like none other: "I can't remember where we held it, but for our St. Paul Central [High School] '76, they were the band: Grand Central Station."
Jimmy Jam is best known for his work producing songs with R&B hitmakers Janet Jackson, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Usher, George Michael, Chaka Khan and others. But before all that, he was a member of the band the Time, which opened for Prince in the early days of the Minneapolis Sound. He remembered Prince as a virtuoso and a workhorse.
Peter Greenlund is chair of the live sound and show production department at the Institute of Production and Recording -- IPR College of Creative Arts in Minneapolis. Outside his academic career, Peter is involved in live show production, and he's worked with such well-known artists as Phil Collins and Willie Nelson. Peter talked with Current Morning Show hosts Jill Riley and Brian Oake about the nine years he spent touring with Prince and producing his live concerts.
At McNally Smith School of Music one of Prince's guitars sits on a chair, draped with a black shroud. Scott LeGere, the chair of the school's music business department, managed recording sessions for Prince at Paisley Park in the early 2000's. He told MPR News reporter Marianne Combs his time there taught him first and foremost just what an amazing musical talent Prince was.
Lowell Pickett is a co-owner of Minneapolis' Dakota Jazz Club. He last saw Prince Tuesday night, during R&B/jazz musician Lizz Wright's concert at the club. They didn't get a chance to chat.
Of all the journalists who have covered Prince, the one who knew him the longest and the best was Jon Bream of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Bream first interviewed Prince in 1978 when the musician just 20 years old. Over the years, the two of them had a close, sometimes contentious, relationship. Prince was anything but happy with Bream's unauthorized 1984 biography ("Prince: Inside the Purple Reign") Prince wanted control of his own story. There was the time Prince set fire to a Bream review of one of his albums on Arsenio Hall's TV talk show. But in later years, the two mended fences.
The Current's Andrea Swensson recalls the sweet, funny, quiet encounters she's had with Prince over the past few years. It all started with a doodle, she tells MPR News host Cathy Wurzer.
Minnesota has lost a legend. Prince melded the best of R&B, soul, hard rock -- and a host of other styles to create something entirely new. He died in April at the age of 57. MPR News reporter Euan Kerr looks at his legacy.