Purple Rain becoming Broadway musical

Four decades after Purple Rain topped the box office, dazzled audiences with its epic soundtrack, and cemented Prince’s status as the High Priest of Pop, the classic film is getting a second life on the stage. A Broadway-bound adaptation of Purple Rain is in the works, based on the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn, and featuring the iconic music of Prince.

“It's been almost 40 years since Prince’s legendary film, Purple Rain took the world by storm and we can’t think of a more fitting tribute than to honor Prince and the Purple Rain legacy with this stage adaptation of the beloved story,” said L Londell McMillan (Chairman of The NorthStar Group) and Larry Mestel (Founder & CEO of Primary Wave Music) in a joint statement. “We are thrilled with our Broadway partners and creative team, who are bringing a theatricality to the film’s original fictional story. We can’t wait for a new generation to discover Purple Rain and for lovers of the original film and album to experience its power once again, this time live.”

The stage version will feature a book by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, the two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist who made his Broadway debut this season with the blistering family drama, Appropriate, featuring Sarah Paulson, Elle Fanning, and Corey Stoll.

Lileana Blain-Cruz, the Tony Award nominee who recently oversaw Lincoln Center’s acclaimed revival of The Skin of Our Teeth, will direct the show.

[SOURCE: EW]

Minnesota delegation looks to honor Prince with Congressional Gold Medal

Minnesota’s Congressional delegation on Monday is introducing a resolution to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Prince, citing his “indelible mark on Minnesota and American culture.”

The resolution for Prince is led by Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat who represents Minneapolis in the House. The full Minnesota delegation serves as original cosponsors, including Sen. Tina Smith and Reps. Jim Hagedorn, Angie Craig, Dean Phillips, Betty McCollum, Tom Emmer, Michelle Fischbach, Pete Stauber and Omar.

“Prince is a Minnesota icon,” said Omar in a statement. “He showed that it was OK to be a short, Black kid from Minneapolis and still change the world. He not only changed the arc of music history; he put Minneapolis on the map.”

The bill also puts into the Congressional record the glyph he used instead of his name for a time that Prince called “The Love Symbol.”

Under the rules, Congressional Gold Medals require the support of at least two-thirds of the members of both the Senate and House of Representatives before they can be signed into law by the president. The Prince legislation will be introduced in the House and Senate.

If the gold medal is approved and made, the bill asks that it be given to the Smithsonian Institution, which should make it available for display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture or on loan.

Prince has 20th top 10 album with ‘Welcome 2 America’

Even in death the Purple One is still hitting milestones.

Prince’s posthumous album “Welcome 2 America” landed at No. 4 on this week’s Billboard 200 chart, making this record the late singer’s 20th top 10 album. He’s the twelfth artist to reach the milestone. Prince recorded and shelved the album in 2010 but after his death in 2016, it was welcomed out of the archives. “Welcome 2 America” was released last month.

Welcome 2 America marks Prince’s first debut in the Billboard 200’s top 10 since 2014 and his highest entrance since 2009, when Lotus Flow3r/MPLSound/Elix3r debuted at its No. 2 peak.

Morris Day book: On Time A Princely Life In Funk

A memoir by Morris Day of The Time centering around his lifelong relationship and association with Prince.

Brilliant composer, smooth soul singer, killer drummer, and charismatic band leader, Morris Day, has been a force in American music for the past four decades. In On Time, the renowned funkster looks back on a life of turbulence and triumph. He chronicles his creative process with an explosive prose that mirrors his intoxicating music. Morris' story is a fast-paced page-turner replete with unexpected twists and shocking surprises.

A major and fascinating theme is his lifelong friendship and years of musical partnership with Prince, from their early days on the Minneapolis scene to selling out stadiums and duking it out as rivals in Purple Rain. Eventually, Morris went on to release four albums with a new band of his very own, the legendary Time. He battled his addictions and came out victorious. But not before increasing tensions and embittered rivalry between Prince and the Revolution and Morris Day and the Time led the two performers towards separate paths. Through the years, the fierce brotherly love between Morris and Prince kept bringing them back together, over and over again-until pride, ego, and circumstance interfered. Two months before Prince's untimely death, the two finally reconnected and started to make amends. But Morris could've never imagined it would be the last time he'd ever see his friend again.

This is Morris Day's singular story in which the magic of music is the ultimate healer. On Time is also a deep meditation on friendship, Morris' poetic method of reconciling the loss of his close friend and longtime collaborator, and a way to commemorate an incendiary life cut short. But this book is more than just a walk down memory lane-it's a metaphorical means to bring Prince back to life. Throughout the narrative, Morris allows Prince's "voice" to protect his own legacy, to counter Morris's interpretations of events, and to essentially breathe new life into a tale as old as time-of two brothers, two bands, and a musical culture that even today pulsates with fresh energy.

BUY THE BOOK

Prince Estate tells Trump campaign not to use his music again

A year ago, the estate overseeing the affairs of the late Minneapolis rock star Prince said they would not give President Trump permission to play any Prince music at any campaign event.

When Trump appeared in Minneapolis Thursday night, “Purple Rain” could clearly be heard playing from speakers prior to the arrival of the evening’s speakers.

The estate released the following statement in response to the song being played at the campaign event via Twitter:

President Trump played Prince’s “Purple Rain” tonight at a campaign event in Minneapolis despite confirming a year ago that the campaign would not use Prince’s music. The Prince Estate will never give permission to President Trump to use Prince’s songs. pic.twitter.com/FuMUPzSWOe

— Prince (@prince) October 11, 2019

Ava DuVernay making Prince documentary for Netflix

Ava DuVernay the director of both 13th and Selma is now making a documentary about music legend Prince for Netflix.

“Prince was a genius and a joy and a jolt to the senses,” the Oscar-nominated filmmaker told Deadline tonight of the Purple Rain star who died in April 2016. “He was like no other,” DuVernay added of the Oscar winner and eight-time Grammy recipient. “He shattered every preconceived notion, smashed every boundary, shared everything in his heart through his music. The only way I know how to make this film is with love. And with great care. I’m honored to do so and grateful for the opportunity entrusted to me by the estate.”

As part of the development of the film, the estate has granted the ARRAY founder full access to the vast trove of archives recordings and, perhaps most immediately important to Prince’s global fanbase, the unreleased material by the prolific musician. The early stages of the project already have seen DuVernay, editor Spencer Averick and other members of her core production team visit Prince’s Paisley Park home and studios repeatedly during the past several months.

[SOURCE: DEADLINE]

Purple Rain Re-Release to be released June 23,2017

Prince’s “Purple Rain” is finally getting the royal reissue treatment it deserves. As expected, Warner Bros. and NPG Records will re-release the landmark 1984 movie soundtrack with bonus material on June 23, based on a deal that Prince made with his former record label about a year before his death.

Both the “Deluxe” and “Deluxe Expanded Edition” will feature a remastered version of the original album -- the refurbishing of which Prince himself purportedly oversaw -- along with a second disc featuring other studio tracks recorded around the same time but never formally released, including “Electric Intercourse,” “Our Destiny / Roadhouse Garden” and the instrumental “Father’s Song,” all of which have been hot bootleg tracks for Prince completists over the years. Six of the tracks were supposedly unearthed from the Paisley Park vault for the project and never before heard, including studio versions of “Possessed” and “Katrina’s Paper Dolls” and a 10-minute track whose title, “We Can F---,” probably explains why it never saw daylight.

The “expanded edition” will also feature a third disc, “Single Edits & B-Sides,” plus a DVD of a concert on the “Purple Rain” tour recorded March 30, 1985, in Syracuse, N.Y. The former features alternate cuts of tracks like “Let’s Go Crazy” and “When Doves Cry” alongside such beloved B-sides as “Erotic City” and “17 Days.”

Fans can pre-order the album starting today and will receive a download of “Electric Intercourse” if they do. The full track listings are below.

PURPLE RAIN DELUXE
 Disc One:  Original Album (2015 Paisley Park Remaster)
1. Let's Go Crazy
2. Take Me With U
3. The Beautiful Ones
4. Computer Blue
5. Darling Nikki
6. When Doves Cry
7. I Would Die 4 U
8. Baby I'm A Star
9. Purple Rain
 
Disc Two:  From The Vault & Previously Unreleased
1. The Dance Electric
2.  Love And Sex
3.  Computer Blue ("Hallway Speech" version)
4.  Electric Intercourse (studio)
5.  Our Destiny / Roadhouse Garden
6.  Possessed (1983 version)
7.  Wonderful Ass
8.  Velvet Kitty Cat
9.  Katrina's Paper Dolls
10. We Can F--k
11. Father's Song
 
PURPLE RAIN DELUXE - EXPANDED EDITION
Includes Disc One and Disc Two as Listed Above
Disc Three:  Single Edits & B-Sides
1.  When Doves Cry (edit)
2.  17 Days
3.  Let's Go Crazy (edit)
4.  Let's Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix)
5.  Erotic City
6.  Erotic City ("Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive")
7.  Purple Rain (edit)
8.  God
9.  God (Love Theme From Purple Rain)
10. Another Lonely Christmas
11. Another Lonely Christmas (extended version)
12. I Would Die 4 U (edit)
13. I Would Die 4 U (extended version)
14. Baby I'm A Star (edit)
15. Take Me With U (edit)
 
DVD:  Prince And The Revolution, Live at the Carrier Dome,  Syracuse, NY, March 30, 1985
1. Let's Go Crazy
2. Delirious
3. 1999
4. Little Red Corvette
5. Take Me With U
6.  Do Me, Baby
7.  Irresistible Bitch
8.  Possessed
9.  How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
10. Let's Pretend We're Married
11. International Lover
12. God
13. Computer Blue
14. Darling Nikki
15. The Beautiful Ones
16. When Doves Cry
17. I Would Die 4 U
18. Baby I'm A Star
19.  Purple Rain

We don't need another Prince movie!

There have been some funny memes about not letting Lifetime do a Prince movie. That's cute and all but we don't need another Prince movie. We already have the ultimate Prince movie and it's called Purple Rain!

‘Purple Rain’ Returning to U.S. Theaters This Weekend

AMC Theaters is teaming with Warner Brothers. to screen “Purple Rain” in 87 AMC locations this Saturday, April 22, through Thursday, April 27. Carmike Theaters will also screen the movie in 80 theaters. Here is a list of cities and theaters where Purple rain will be shown.

AMC THEATERS:

Atlanta
AMC North Dekalb Mall 16
AMC Phipps Plaza 14
AMC Sugarloaf Mills 18

Baltimore
AMC White Marsh 16

Baton Rouge
AMC Baton Rouge 16

Boston
AMC Loews Boston Common 19
AMC Liberty Tree Mall 20
AMC Methuen 20

Charlotte
AMC Carolina Pavilion 22

Chicago
AMC 600 North Michigan 9
AMC Naperville 16
AMC South Barrington 30
AMC Schererville 16

Cincinnati
AMC Newport on the Levee 20

Columbus
AMC Easton Town Center 30
AMC Lennox 24

Dallas
AMC Grapevine Mills 30
AMC Mesquite 30
AMC Stonebriar Mall 24
AMC Parks @ Arlington 18

Denver
AMC Highlands Ranch 24
AMC Westminster Promenade 24

Detroit
AMC Forum 30
AMC Great Lakes 25

Hartford
AMC Plainville 20

Houston
AMC Gulf Pointe 30
AMC Studio 30
AMC Willowbrook 24

Indianapolis
AMC Indianapolis 17

Jacksonville
AMC Regency 24

Kansas City
AMC Barrywoods 24
AMC Town Center 20

Los Angeles
AMC Atlantic Times Square 14
AMC Broadway 4
AMC Covina 17
AMC Norwalk 20
AMC Ontario Mills 30
AMC Orange 30 W/IMAX
AMC Promenade 16
AMC Rolling Hills 20

Miami
AMC Aventura Mall 24

Minneapolis
AMC Arbor Lakes 16
AMC Coon Rapids 16
AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18
AMC Inver Grove 16
AMC Rosedale 14
AMC Southdale Center 16

Montgomery
AMC Festival Plaza 16

New Orleans
AMC Elmwood Palace 20

New York
AMC 19th St East 6
AMC Empire 25
AMC Jersey Gardens 20
AMC Kips Bay 15
AMC New Brunswick 18
AMC Palisades 21 And Imax
AMC Stony Brook 17

Norfolk
AMC Hampton 24

Oklahoma City
AMC Quail Springs Mall 24

Omaha
AMC Oak View 24

Orlando
AMC Disney Springs 24
AMC Universal Cineplex 20

Philadelphia
AMC Cherry Hill 24
AMC Hamilton 24
AMC Neshaminy 24

Phoenix
AMC Ahwatukee 24
AMC Arizona Center 24
AMC Westgate 20

Pittsburgh
AMC Waterfront 22

Raleigh
AMC Southpoint 17

Salt Lake City
AMC West Jordan 12

San Diego
AMC Mission Valley 20

San Francisco
AMC Mercado 20
AMC Metreon 16

Seattle
AMC Alderwood 16
AMC Oak Tree 6
Southcenter 16
AMC Pacific Place 11

Spokane
AMC River Park Square 20

St. Louis
AMC Chesterfield 14
AMC West Olive 16

Tallahassee
AMC Tallahassee Mall 20

Tampa
AMC Veterans Expressway 24
AMC Woodlands Square 20

Tulsa
AMC Southroads 20

Washington D.C.
AMC Hoffman 22
AMC MJ Capital Center 12

West Palm
AMC Indian River 24

CARMIKE LOCATIONS:

Alabama:
Wynnsong 14 Auburn AL
Jubilee Square 12 Daphne AL
Carmike 12 Dothan AL
Patton Creek 15 Hoover AL
Valley Bend 18 Huntsville, AL
Wynnsong 16 Mobile, AL
Chantilly 13 Montgomery, AL
Wharf 15 Orange Beach, AL

Arizona:
Carmike 14 Fort Smith, AR
Central City 10 Hot Springs, AR

Colorado:
Carmike 7 Grand Junction, CO

Delaware
Carmike 14 Dover, DE

Florida:
Royal Palm 20 Bradenton, FL
Hialeah 12 Hialeah, FL
Avenue 16 Melbourne, FL
Carmike 10 Panama City, FL
Bayou 15 Pensacola, FL
Broward 18 Pompano Beach, FL
Lakeshore 8 Sebring, FL
Sundial 19 + IMAX St Petersburg, FL
Starlight 20 Tampa, FL
Parisian 20 West Palm Beach, FL

Georgia:
Wynnsong 16 Albany, GA
Ovation 12 Athens, GA
Movies ATL Atlanta, GA
Riverstone 15 Canton, GA
Carmike 12 Cartersville, GA
Carmike 15 Columbus, GA
Crossroads 16 Conyers, GA
Movies 400 Cumming, GA
Movie 278 Hiram, GA
Carmike 10 Newnan, GA
Wynnsong 11 Savannah, GA
Carmike 12 Snellville, GA

Iowa:
Wynnsong 12 Cedar Rapids, IA
Wynnsong 16 Des Moines, IA
Southern Hills 12 Sioux City, IA

Illinois:
Carmike 13 Champaign, IL
Grand Prairie 18 Peoria, IL
Rosemont 18 Rosemont, IL

Indiana:
Encore Park 14 Elkhart IN
Jefferson Pointe 18 Fort Wayne, IN
Carmike 18 Plainfield, IN

Kentucky:
Stonybrook 20 Louisville, KY

Michigan:
Fashion Square 10 Saginaw, MI
Cherry Blossom 14 IMAX Traverse City, MI

Minnesota:
Carmike 15 Apple Valley, MN
Cinema 6 Mankato, MN
Wynnsong 15 Mounds View, MN
Oakdale 20 Oakdale, MN

Montana:
Shiloh 14 Billings, MT

North Carolina:
Carmike 10 Asheville, NC
Wynnsong 15 Durham, NC
Marketfair 15 Fayetteville NC
Carmike 18 Greensboro, NC
Carmike 15 Hickory, NC
Carmike 16 Jacksonville, NC
Park Place 16 Morrisville, NC
Carmike 15 Raleigh, NC

New Jersey:
Ritz Center 16 Voorhees, NJ

Ohio:
Carmike 12 Findlay, OH
Solon 16 Solon, OH

Oregon:
Carmike 12 Corvallis, OR

Pennsylvania:
Carmike 16 Allentown, PA
Carmike 15 Greensburg, PA
Carmike 10 Pittsburg, PA

South Carolina:
James Island 8 Charleston, SC
Carmike 14 Columbia, SC
Broadway 16 Myrtle Beach, SC

Tennessee:
East Ridge 18 Chattanooga, TN
Bradley Sq. 12 Cleveland, TN
Thoroughbred 20 Franklin, TN
Carmike 14 Johnson City, TN
Wynnsong 16 Knoxville, TN
Wynnsong 16 Murfreesboro, TN

Texas:
Lufkin Mall 9 Lufkin, TX
Carmike 14 Tyler, TX
Sikes 10 Wichita Falls, TX

Virginia:
Apple Blossom 12 Winchester, VA

Washington:
Carmike 12 Kennewick, WA
Oakwood Mall 12 Eau Clair, WI

Cast of The Color Purple perform Purple Rain

Jennifer Hudson, Cynthia Erivo, and the cast of The Color Purple paid an amazing tribute to Prince at the end of Thursday Night's show. The cast performed an amazing version of "Purple Rain", a version so good that I believe it should be released as a single. Check it out below.

Morris Day statement on death of Prince

Morris Day, lead singer of The time released the following staement after the death of of his friend and mentor Prince.

What's your favorite Prince song?

By George L. Cook III

Prince Rogers Nelson passed away this morning stunning me and many of his long time fans. The man was one of the greatest songwriters, musicians, producers, and performers EVER! You could argue he was the ONE.

I've been playing every Prince song I have but there are my favorites that I have played several times. Some of you may know these songs but I'm sure many don't. My favorite songs are "Baby", "Free", "Let's pretend were married" and "If you were my girlfriend."

What is your favorite Prince song? Sorry but unlike me you only get to pick one. There is also an option to add a song if you don't see one you like.

President Obama's statement on passing of musical legend, Prince

President Obama released the following statement about the sudden death of musical icon, Prince.

Today, the world lost a creative icon. Michelle and I join millions of fans from around the world in mourning the sudden death of Prince. Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent. As one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time, Prince did it all. Funk. R&B. Rock and roll. He was a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader, and an electrifying performer.

“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.

Recipients of donations from Prince's 'Rally 4 Peace' concert announced

Proceeds from Prince’s “Rally 4 Peace” last month at Royal Farms Arena — the surprise concert announced in the wake of Freddie Gray’s death and the unrest that followed — will be donated to the NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) and the city’s YouthWorks and OneBaltimore programs, according to a press release sent by Prince's publicist and first obtained by the Baltimore Sun on Monday afternoon.

The amount of money to be donated was not disclosed. Emails and calls have been made to Prince’s publicist and officials from each organization asking for specific donation figures.

The NAACP ACT-SO is “a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students,” according to its website.

Read more: Recipients of donations from Prince's 'Rally 4 Peace' concert announced

Prince releases new protest song, BALTIMORE.

Prince has released a new protest song entitled BALTIMORE in support of Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, the protesters, and the people of Baltimore. Check out the track below.

Prince to Old 'Rally 4 Peace' Concert in Baltimore on Mother's Day

[SOURCE] Prince will play a surprise "Rally 4 Peace" concert at Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore on Sunday, following the unrest last week over the death of Freddie Gray.

Other music stars are expected to join Prince and his 3RDEYEGIRL band at the Mother's Day concert, which they hope will be a "catalyst for pause and reflection following the outpouring of violence that has gripped Baltimore and areas throughout the U.S.," the announcement said.

Tickets for the show, which was announced Tuesday night, go on sale at LiveNation.com Wednesday at 5 p.m.

"As a symbolic message of our shared humanity and love for one another, attendees are invited to wear something gray in tribute to all those recently lost in the violence," the announcement said.

According the press release, Prince will also take this opportunity to give back to the city hosting him. "A portion of the proceeds will be directed to the benefit of local Baltimore based youth charities," according to the announcement.