He was a legend, it time it party like it's 1999 in his honor.

Thanksgiving 1979 - My girlfriend wanted to see this new artist she'd been going crazy over performing at The Roxy Theatre on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. The artist of course, was Prince, and it turned out that show was the first date of his first tour.  

Didn't think too much more of it at the time, but by 1988 he was a Superstar promoting his new album and concert and came to do a promo interview at the radio station I was working at. There were no camera's, no internet or twitter feed or instagram or even paparazzi. It was just the radio broadcast studio located in a very industrial not at all glamorous part of town called Culver City. One of my functions at the station was to escort any visiting interviewees from the secured entrance back to the production studios.

Must have been 10 limousines right outside the door. Prince is sitting there holding the leash to these two beautiful Afghan hounds and it was like his entourage was creating a protective circle around him. Talk about making an entrance!

I honestly do not recall anyone, including former President Jimmy Carter or First Lady Nancy Reagan having such a huge entourage. It would have humbled today's posse's. And he did it with such panache.

Amazing talent taken too soon. RIP

RIP..This is a very sad day...

I was just talking to my mom yesterday about prince being sick with the flu and in the hospital.
Now today he has passed.I can't believe it I am completely shocked and saddened.
An icon he will be missed.

Prince - Top Tracks

R.I.P.

Even people who weren't fans of his can't deny his talent.

Too many artists die young:

Karen carpenter
Elvis
MJ
Prince
John Lennon
Kurt CObain
Whitney Houston
Amy Winehouse

...my first solo trip to Vegas as a single man was in 2008. My main goal was to see Prince in residence at the Rio. Prince is a fellow Minnesota native who kept his roots. We don't get many superstars from Minnesota and he was one of the world's biggest; I love and was a fan of his music for years so this was a huge deal for me. He had a reputation for being a bit quirky. His show was scheduled to start at 12 a.m. and I had read that he rarely starts on time and it might be 3 a.m. or later before he starts, if at all.  

He took the stage sometime between 12:30 and 1 am. and rocked us silly for the next couple of hours. He's all about female power and featured a female drummer (the Lenny Kravitz drummer), a female bassist and The Twins! Beautiful identical exotic female twins who danced, mirroring each other throughout the set. He had two sax players in his lineup and when they performed a solo duet, I practically climaxed right there on the dance floor!  

Prince got down from one of the pedestals on which he performed and walked through the crowd on the floor. I was starstruck when he and I were not more than 10 inches apart and he and I looked into each others' eyes for a brief moment. The energy I felt still remains today.  

Such a painful loss  

 
MnDOT bathed the I-35 bridge in purple light in his honor

Prince

I grew up in the MTV generation when it was the 5 VJ's on MTV.  When I was in Jr HS, one of the videos they used to play on MTV often (which turns out is my favorite Prince song) is When Doves Cry. Boy the first time I saw that video, I froze. As much as I loved his other songs, that song holds a dear place in my heart and always will. They even played it at my Senior Prom.  I also remember everyone on NYE 1999 playing his song 1999 after midnight very often.  I was hoping to catch one of his concerts before he passed away but I wont be able to. I was reading all the tweets and facebook posts about this, even if someone didnt like him or his music, they still showed their respect for him as I did and always will. I knew when Vanity (one of his prodigy's) passed away earlier this year, that really affected him. I broke down in tears while watching the When Doves Cry video this morning.  Such a wonderful person & beautiful soul inside and out, RIP Prince.