“Prince, I will always Adore you!”

Mattie remarried, and Prince had a tumultuous relationship with his stepfather.  Prince eventually went to live with his dad who wound up kicking him out at age 12 when he discovered him in bed with a girl. ‘I sat crying at the phone booth for two hours’, he told Rolling Stone in a 1985 interview. ‘That’s the last time I cried.’  Prince found solace in a schoolmate’s basement, where he could practice his music on the piano and perfect his sexual prowess with girls.

John gave Prince his first guitar, and in 1975 he joined a band called 94 East.  A year later, Prince produced his first demo tape which led to a contract with Warner Bros. Records. He released a debut album, For You, in 1978 which was also the name of his first hit single.  All of the album’s tracks were produced, composed and performed by Prince. He reportedly played all 27 instruments on the album as well.

In 1979, Prince created a band that came to be known as The Revolution with members Andre Cymone, Dez Dickerson, Doctor Fink, and Bobby Z.  Prince’s second album appropriately titled, Prince, contained the iconic hits, Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad, and I Wanna Be Your Lover.  Prince, without a doubt, wrote his very own gender rules!  He was pretty and unabashedly strutted his macho and lady-like style.  The man had folks speculating about his sexuality, and he could care less that his gender defiance fueled gossip that he was perhaps gay or bisexual.

In 1981, Prince released his third album, Controversy, which is definitely one of my favorites. The album featured the cut,  Sexuality, and the erotic, Do Me Baby. In 1982, the album, 1999,  was the first album to feature his band The Revolution. The first time I saw him was during the 1999 tour at Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena where he had seven sold out concert nights. I remember the throngs of fans who attended the concert, all wearing purple, Prince’s favorite color because it made him feel regal.  The concert attendees were singing the lyrics to his songs, while at the same time, entranced by his high-energy stage presence, black kohl-lined eyes, long leather coat, and thigh high leather boots.  Prince gave his all on stage and his audiences were ready to accept anything.

He formed another group, The Time, with homeboy Morris Day that included the dynamic producing duo, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis. It was in 1984 that Prince starred in the loosely autobiographical film, Purple Rain that catapulted his career globally. The film became an instant cult classic and its soundtrack had a meteoric rise to the top of the charts selling over 13 million copies. He also won an Academy Award for best original song score. The album is ranked number 72 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”

Over the next few decades, Prince’s monumental career included both highs and lows. He battled with Warner Bros. Records, and this resulted in acts of rebellion on his part like using a symbol as his name which confused many fans. He also wrote “slave” on his cheek indicating that he was a mere servant for his record company. In 1996, Prince released his final album for Warner Bros. Records, and in 2000, he went back to using his name, Prince.

During Prince’s illustrious career he was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, won eight Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar. Prince’s legendary headlining half time performance during a  Super Bowl XLI in 2007 is considered one of the best in Superbowl history.  Prince’s signature song, Purple Rain, which was performed during a downpour and is still a never-to-be-forgotten event!