I am sharing three songs I have written and recorded, inspired by my love of Prince, or his influence on me. (1) Goodnight Sweet Prince — I wrote it the day the world learned of his passing. It was my attempt at honoring him and his incredible music, and I've always loved that line from Shakespeare. (2) Same Lifetime — inspired by a meme I once saw that basically said, 'Whenever you're sad, remember the Earth is 4.5 billion years old, and you got to exist in the same lifetime as Prince.' That moved me and the first verse references the Purple One specifically, but then I use the vehicle to honor other musicians and my own relationships in this life. (3) Pretty Much Purple — inspired by what I know of Prince's values of humanity, caring for others, and not being overtly political...not red or blue, but politically purple, so to speak.
I'm a guitar playing, singing, songwriting psychologist who has been inspired by Prince since my college days in the 1980s. His fearless creativity, genre-defying musicianship, and spiritual intensity have shaped not only my music, but my understanding of artistry itself. I perform across multiple projects, including rock, yacht rock, and disco bands — most notably The Yachties, voted Best Tribute Band in Kansas City last year. I've had the privilege of participating multiple times in Kansas City's largest Prince celebration, Purple Jam at Knuckleheads, as well as Purple Grain in Springfield, Missouri. Our home even includes a purple Prince tribute room — complete with artwork and a purple Cloud guitar. Choosing a favorite song feels impossible, but The Most Beautiful Girl in the World will always hold a special place in my heart.
At the Museum — Roberts Gallery
Photo credits
- Artwork images courtesy of the contributors. All rights reserved.
- Installation: Kirk Thoren
