PRINCE on the Tavis Smiley TV Show

[protectionist]

I was flipping the channels on TV just now and I came upon a Tavis Smiley late-night talk show with Prince as the guest. I'd say most of what Prince had to say was not really interesting to me. Stuff about the music industry, contracts, deals, and stuff like that. The guest doesn't really pick the conversation though, it's more like Smiley asks the questions, and guest answers.

First though, I was impressed with how Prince was dressed. He was wearing a black suit, with a white shirt and a tie (an ordinary one). His shoes were black and white, and slightly flamboyent, but that's normal for a rock star, and especially one of high stature. He was clean shaven, hair combed neat, and generally very well groomed. This ought to be a good example for rock musicians, movie stars, and celebrities in general, who think it's cool to wear grubby clothes, like jeans with big holes in the knee area. It also says that you don't have to walk around with a 5 day growth of whiskers, looking like a bum.

Secondly, and this is for anyone who aspires to take up playing the guitar. If anyone doesn't know this, I can assure you that Prince was one of the best guitarists ever to come down the pike. When asked about the kid's game, guitar hero, Prince said he would suggest that kids really learn how to play the guitar. I think the same way. I'm not saying that people who have the guitar hero game should not play it, or go out and buy it. Buy all means, do anything you enjoy (as long as it's legal & causes no harm), including guitar hero, and have fun with it.

But if a kid or adult really has an affinity for the guitar, then in addition to the guitar game, go out and buy an acoustic guitar, and learn how to play it. Prince said the guitar is a tough instrument to play. Learning it isn't really easy. He said he struggled with it in the beginning. As a former professional guitar player myself, I can attest that his words are true. Prince said it was frustrating at times, but time (years) and continuous playing and practicing, does bring about positive results.

Also, nowaday we have scores of free youtube instructions for playing the guitar generally, as well as exactly how to play certain songs, note by note. I wish those would have been available to me years ago, but "You can't always get what you want". It's always better to have a live teacher, so you can get answers to questions, but the youtubes and DVD videos are excellent, as is guitar tablature (available in books and on the internet).

Don't be discouraged. Even top notch guitarists like Prince struggled with the guitar. It's just the nature of the beast, but you plod your way through it, and as Prince said on the show, being able to play a musical instrument is one of the greatest things you can do in life. It make you feel so good doing it, and if you create songs or tunes, that is especially rewarding as well.
Feeling a little bored ? Visit your local music store and pick up a beginner guitar (about $100) or if you can afford it, a more expensive one with very good action (distance between strings and fingerboard), and a solid top. The acoustic-electric guitars also have built in electronic tuners which are quite nice.

If you really like music like I do, you might eventually find yourself playing in a band, as I did, and having a collection of guitars as well as other instruments. I have 14. Even though I no longer play in a band, I still enjoy just picking up my instruments and playing them. Prince wasn't kidding.

 

[protectionist]

Check out this video at the 2004 Rock n Roll Hall of Fame (when Prince was inducted), and see Prince do one of the greatest guitar solos of all time, on the classic George Harrison (Beatles) song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" The Prince solo begins at 3:28 on the time bar.

 

[waltky]

Judge appoints a corporate trust company to oversee Prince's multimillion-dollar estate...

Prince's estate to be temporarily managed by trust company
April 27, 2016 — A Minnesota judge appointed a corporate trust company on Wednesday to temporarily oversee Prince's multimillion-dollar estate, saying the emergency appointment was necessary because the superstar musician doesn't appear to have a will and immediate decisions must be made about his business interests.

Judge Kevin Eide granted a request from Prince's sister to appoint Bremer Trust as special administrator, giving the company authority to manage and supervise Prince's assets and identify his heirs. Eide said Prince had no appointed personal representative but had substantial assets and owned businesses that require immediate attention and ongoing management. The judge also noted that identities and addresses of Prince's heirs need to be determined. Prince's only full sibling, Tyka Nelson, requested the move Tuesday, telling the court she believed her brother didn't have a will. Prince also has five surviving half-siblings who could share in the estate.

Eide wrote that Prince died "intestate," meaning he did not have a valid will, and said there was no pending application or petition for probate of a will in any court. However, someone could still come forward with a will or trust document, which happened after Michael Jackson died in June 2009. Jackson's longtime lawyer John Branca filed a will six days after his death, upending moves by Jackson's mother to become his estate's executor based on her assumption there wasn't a will. For now, Bremer Trust will act as special administrator for six months or until a personal representative is appointed, whichever is less.

Later Wednesday, the estate already had its first claim against it, with a filing from a California man who claimed that Prince had transferred ownership of his music catalog to him in 1995. Prince, 57, died last week at Paisley Park, his famous home and recording studio complex in suburban Minneapolis. His cause of death hasn't been released. An autopsy was conducted Friday, but results aren't expected to be released for weeks. The value of his estate isn't known. Prince made hundreds of millions of dollars for record companies, concert venues and others, and the outpouring of grief and nostalgia after his death prompted fans to buy 2.3 million of his songs in just three days.

Prince also owned a dozen properties in Minnesota, most of it undeveloped land and some houses for relatives, worth about $27 million, according to public records. He also sold more than 100 million albums, and concert industry magazine Pollstar reported that in the years Prince's tours topped the charts — 10 years over four decades performing — they raked in $225 million in ticket sales. But it's not clear how much money Prince had when he died, given that he had to pay record labels and staff and cover other expenses.

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Prince's band The Revolution to reunite
Wed, 27 Apr 2016 - Members of Prince's former backing band The Revolution are to reunite for live shows following his death.

Members of Prince's former band The Revolution have announced they will reunite for a series of concerts. The announcement was made in a video on bass player Brown Mark's Facebook page. Guitarist Wendy Melvoin said "after spending days together grieving", they had decided to "do some shows".

The band, who disbanded in 1986, had several line-ups, but the concerts are likely to feature Mark, Melvoin, keyboard players Lisa Coleman and Matt Fink and drummer Bobby Z. While no dates have been announced, Melvoin added: "We'll be there soon."

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The Revolution served as Prince's backing band at the launch of his career, although they did not officially receive their name until their appearance in Prince's 1984 film, Purple Rain. They appeared with Prince on four albums - the Purple Rain soundtrack, Parade, 1999 and Around The World In A Day - and played on some of the star's biggest hits, including When Doves Cry, Let's Go Crazy and Kiss.

The group split in 1986 after the singer's Parade tour. Prince was found dead in his Paisley Park recording studio last Thursday. A private memorial service was held for the rock star on Saturday, attended by about 20 of his closest friends and family.

Prince's band The Revolution to reunite in his honour - BBC News

 

[waltky]

Did O.D. kill Prince?...

Investigators consider overdose in Prince death
April 28, 2016 — The Latest on the investigation into the death of music superstar Prince (all times local):

6:30 p.m.

A law enforcement official tells The Associated Press that investigators are looking into whether Prince died from a drug overdose and whether a doctor was prescribing him drugs in the weeks before his death. The official says that among the things investigators are looking at is whether a doctor was on a plane that made an emergency landing in Illinois less than a week before Prince died. The law enforcement official has been briefed on the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The official says investigators are also looking into what kind of drugs were on plane and at Prince's house in suburban Minneapolis where the musician was found dead April 21.

4:30 p.m.

A rundown of calls to police from Prince's Paisley Park estate in recent years is dominated by incidents like suspicious activity, trespassers or tripped alarms. But the five-year summary released Thursday by the Carver County Sheriff's Office also includes four calls classified as medical. One of those came on April 21, the day the 57-year-old musician was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead. The sheriff's office didn't immediately respond to a request for incident reports on the other three calls. But two of those calls came in the past year, when Carver County authorities say they received no medical calls to help Prince himself from his suburban Minneapolis home and recording studio complex. The last call classified as medical came on Oct. 23, 2013.

Prince presents the award for favorite album - soul/R&B at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles. ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN, citing unidentified law enforcement sources, reported that prescription painkillers were found on the musician and in his home. The Star Tribune, also citing unnamed sources, reported that prescription pills were found but that it wasn't clear whether they had been prescribed to Prince. Prince was found dead in his Paisley Park home in suburban Minneapolis on April 21, 2016. He was 57.​

11:40 a.m.

A Minnesota judge has sealed a search warrant in the investigation of Prince's death after authorities argued that making it public would hamper their work. The search warrant is for Paisley Park, the musician's home and recording studio complex in suburban Minneapolis. Prince died at the complex on April 21, and the search was carried out that day. The local sheriff and prosecutor filed papers Thursday requesting it be sealed. They cited the intense media scrutiny following Prince's death. The singer was found unresponsive in an elevator at Paisley Park, and was soon pronounced dead. No cause of death has been determined, and results from an autopsy aren't expected for three to four weeks.

9:16 a.m.

Several news organizations are reporting that prescription drugs were discovered with Prince when he was found dead in his Paisley Park home. ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN, citing unidentified law enforcement sources, have reported that prescription painkillers were found on the 57-year-old Prince and in his home. The Star Tribune, also citing unnamed sources, reported that prescription pills were found but that it wasn't clear whether they were prescribed to Prince. Prince died April 21. Autopsy results aren't expected for three to four weeks. Several outlets also reported Minnesota investigators have asked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for help. Carver County Deputy Sheriff Jason Kamerud discounted those reports late Wednesday, saying the DEA "is not part of the investigation at this time." A DEA spokesman in Chicago declined comment.

The Latest: Investigators consider overdose in Prince death

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AP Exclusive: Prince's 'Purple Rain' coat is up for auction
April 29, 2016 — A rare piece of movie memorabilia from Prince's 1984 classic film "Purple Rain" is hitting the auction block.

Prince donned the black-and-white blazer with leather sleeves while riding a motorcycle with co-star Apollonia Kotero. "It's definitely the most important piece of screen-worn Prince clothing that's ever come up for auction," said Joe Maddalena, president of the Calabasas, California-based auction house, Profiles in History. "This is a signature piece of wardrobe worn from an iconic movie in his most famous role."

The coat is a unique find from the typically reclusive artist, who was found dead last week at his Paisley Park complex just outside of Minneapolis. "Prince memorabilia in general, it just really doesn't exist. It seems like he controlled it all," Maddalena said. "This is the first time ever for something like this, and it might be the only time because the rest of the costumes may be in his (personal) wardrobe." The original seller said her sister, a makeup artist, received the piece from Prince after they worked together on "Purple Rain."

This image released by Profiles in History shows a black and white blazer with leather sleeves, worn by Prince in the 1984 film, "Purple Rain." The item will be auctioned on June 29, along with costumes worn by Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Alicia Keys and a Swarovski crystal studded glove from Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous world tour.​

The June 29th auction will also include costumes from Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Alicia Keys and a Swarovski crystal studded glove from Michael Jackson's 1992 "Dangerous" world tour. Maddalena said he believes the "Purple Rain" blazer will be the "star of the show" and expects it to sell for much more than the asking price, $6,000 to $8,000. "Hopefully it will reach a price that is equivalent to his stature as a musician," he said.

AP Exclusive: Prince's 'Purple Rain' coat is up for auction

 

[waltky]

Prince's team called addiction doctor...

Prince death: Addiction specialist was called by singer's team
Wed, 04 May 2016 - Prince's team requested emergency support from a leading addiction specialist just a day before the singer died, the doctor's lawyer reveals.

The specialist, Dr Howard Kornfeld, was unable to make it from California to Minnesota immediately but sent his son. In a strange turn of events, it was his son, Andrew Kornfeld, who called police after joining Prince's staff to search for the missing singer. The Kornfelds' lawyer said neither had met Prince before his death.

William Mauzy told reporters on Wednesday that Prince's team contacted Dr Howard Kornfeld on 20 April, the day before Prince died. Unable to make it to Minnesota, the doctor dispatched his son and called a local doctor, who cleared his morning schedule but never saw the singer.

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Prince performs at Coachella in 2008[/center]

Emergency call

When Andrew Kornfeld, who works with his father but is not a doctor, arrived at Prince's Paisley Park home, he was told that the singer was missing. He joined members of staff to search the property and made the emergency call when Prince's unresponsive body was found.

Mr Mauzy said the plan was to stabilise him in Minnesota, before flying him to California to seek treatment at Dr Kornfeld's Recovery Without Walls rehab centre in Mill Valley. The lawyer confirmed that Andrew Kornfeld had been interviewed by police, but was protected by Minnesota's Good Samaritan law. The law offers some legal protections to those who make emergency calls, to encourage them to do so.

More on Prince legacy

 

[waltky]

Prince was good to orphaned Afghans...

Pop Icon Prince Quietly Helped Afghan Orphans for Years
May 05, 2016 - For half a dozen years until his death last month, American musician and pop star Prince privately sent thousands of dollars to support Afghan orphans, a humanitarian organization in Afghanistan told VOA.

The pop star helped Kabul-based PARSA, an international aid organization that works with orphans and the disabled in Afghanistan, rebuild a training center for orphan boy and girl scouts in Kabul. “We received a check for $15,000,” Marine Gustavson, executive director of PARSA, told VOA in Kabul. “It created for my staff a place to bring the kids together, a place to have a five-day workshop where the scoutmasters can stay and can do camp activities and works.”

Kabul-based PARSA, an international aid organization that works with orphans and the disabled in Afghanistan, rebuilt a training center for Afghan orphan boy and girl scouts in Kabul, Afghanistan.​

Because of Prince's donation, the number of children in the PARSA scouting program rose from 30 to about 2,000. "He was instrumental,” Gustavson said. “He donated to something we needed." “He continued to donate to the Afghan scout program until the end of his life,” she said, adding that Prince donated $6,000 a year after his initial gifts. The late pop star, however kept his philanthropy a top secret. “Because of the kind of man he was, he did not want people to know about his philanthropy,” Gustavson said. “It was his secret. I just wanted to tell people to honor him. It is a side of him that most people do not know. “I think it was special to him, and it was outside of the public domain.”

Unknown to youths

The young scouts who benefited from Prince's largesse were equally ignorant of his identity. “It is a rock star group,” one of the girl scouts told VOA. “I do not know his name.” The history of scouting in Afghanistan goes back to 1931, under the founding leadership of King Nadir Khan. The program, however, diminished into nonexistence after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1970s and the emergence of the militant Taliban into power.

According to PARSA, the organization’s scouting program is designed to empower Afghan children and steer them away from the lure of extremist groups. The program currently has over 1,800 registered youths across 14 provinces. “When he was alive, we did not know about the assistance he had provided,” said Kamaal Sadat, Afghanistan’s deputy minister for youth affairs. “We came to know about it after he passed away. We are saddened by his death. We are thankful to him. Be there more people like him in the world.”

Pop Icon Prince Quietly Helped Afghan Orphans for Years

 

[waltky]

Gettin' to the bottom of who gave him the drugs...

Medical records search warrant carried out in Prince case
May 10 2016 - A search warrant affidavit obtained by the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday revealed that a doctor who saw the late pop star Prince twice just weeks before his death and was at the musician's home when Prince's body was found had prescribed him medication.

The document said Dr. Michael Todd Schulenberg was at the star's Paisley Park Studios compound in suburban Minneapolis to drop off test results when Prince's body was found in an elevator on April 21. The affidavit said Schulenberg had also prescribed Prince medication, but did not specify what those medications were or whether the prescription had been filled. The search warrant was carried out on May 5 at North Memorial Medical Center.

Health system spokeswoman Lesa Bader told the Los Angeles Times that Schulenberg no longer works for the system. Barb Stevenson, a spokeswoman reached by Reuters, said she could provide no information on the case. Schulenberg, whose name was misspelled in the documents according to the Los Angeles Times, also could not be reached for comment on Tuesday night.

U.S. musician Prince performs for the first time in Britain since 2007 at the Hop Farm Festival near Paddock Wood, southern England​

Detectives also revisited Paisley Park on Tuesday as "a component of a complete investigation," the Carver County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Twitter, without providing further details. Prince died one day before he was scheduled to meet another doctor who specializes in addiction treatment for a "life-saving mission," that doctor's lawyer said at a news conference last Wednesday.

California doctor Howard Kornfeld was first contacted by Prince's representatives on April 20, one day before the singer's body was discovered at his home, attorney William Mauzy told reporters. Prescription opioid medication was found at the scene, according to a law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation but who is not authorized to speak publicly.

Medical records search warrant carried out in Prince case