Television stations broke into their afternoon programming today to announce the death of Prince Rogers Nelson, the 57-year-old exuberant, creative, innovative musician who was almost as famous for his love of personal privacy as he was for incredible peformances. As of this writing on Thursday afternoon, there was no announcement of cause of death.
President Obama issued a statement that said:
Today the world lost a creative icon. Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent. As one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time, Prince did it all.”
When the famous DJ/Host Dick Clark talked about the hardest interview he ever had with a pop/rock/soul star, the answer wasn’t a tough one for him. It was his interview, if that’s what you can call it, with a 21-year-old Prince (who claimed to be 19). Prince’s music on the show was fantastic. His interview – difficult. Sorry I can’t embed it here, but follow this link to to Deadspin for a replay of Purpleness’s segment on American Bandstand.
Prince’s pouring rain 2007 Super Bowl halftime show.
Personally, I don’t see the point of ever having another music act at the Super Bowl ever again after this one. A great behind-the-scenes look at Prince playing his halftime show during a massive rain storm. I knew at the time I wondered how he and the rest of the band weren’t getting electrocuted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NN3gsSf-Ys
Purple World
With guitar and hair full of curls.
Prince made this a purple world.
People are crying sounds sadful to the ears.
And it’s raining purple tears.
At the drop of a hat he was taken away.
There will be less happiness in the world today.
Up to heaven his soul did fly.
Where he is still singing and dancing above a purple sky.