Prince Remembered

Sarah Marks: Artistic inspiration from Prince

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.'

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.

Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson spoke briefly about his working relationship with Prince within the Chanhassen, Minn., community.

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.

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.

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.

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.