This has been a difficult year for our musical heroes. The loss of Prince has the world mourning, once again, an artist whose work gave listeners the strength and permission to be as different, exceptional, and free as they wished. It’s a lot to handle, especially following so soon after Bowie’s passing.
But as with Bowie, celebration of the talent and the work seems the only way to deal. The outpouring of tribute material and unearthed footage is prolific: as chronicled by Pitchfork, artists ranging from Jennifer Hudson to Sufjan Stevens and Donnie Trumpet have offered covers and dedications to the artist. Stevie Wonder shared his heartbreak openly, as did Aretha Franklin and Erykah Badu, okayplayer. reports.
President Obama released a statement, saying:
“A strong spirit transcends rules,” Prince once said—and nobody’s spirit was stronger, bolder, or more creative. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his band, and all who loved him.
The list goes on: the Guardian published an article highlighting the innovation of Prince’s early career, and Pitchfork featured a piece on Prince’s contribution to society’s evolving view of gender. WIRED compiled an incredible selection of Prince videos available to stream on YouTube. We could go on forever… but instead, let’s watch Prince sing “Purple Rain” on the Arsenio Hall Show, below. Like all that Prince did, it’s amazing.
https://youtu.be/F8BMm6Jn6oU&w=580
