In Memoriam: Those We Have Lost from the Music Industry

[BW Manilowe]

I definitely think that a medley (like what Bowie got) would have been warranted, because the Eagles had a lot of hits (co-written by Frey). Even if they just did a 3-song medley I think it would have been a bit better than just the one song -- a song that a lot of people may only associate with Jackson Browne, if they are unaware of Frey's role in coming up with one line in it.

The thing that annoys me most, though, is that there was no introduction to the performance -- no build-up or lead in, like every other death tribute performance got! That absolutely befuddles me. And because the Eagles ended up cutting off Ed Sheeran's co-winner as she was about to speak, and then there was no intro, the audience didn't respond well at first.

I can only hope that the Eagles get a second chance to be honored at this year's Kennedy Center Honors (since it was postponed from last year due to Frey's health) -- because then there would be at least a couple of singers singing different Eagles songs, and there would at least be an intro!

I've heard the Eagles' KCH presentation was postponed until this year. They weren't removed from contention for the honor or from being a recipient.

I think they even made a point of saying, in the ceremony from this past December (when the group was originally supposed to have been among the honorees), the Eagles' presentation was switched to (what was then) next year (now this year), because of Glenn Frey's then-illness, & they had Miranda Lambert (ex-Mrs. Blake Shelton) sing Desperado in their honor, even though nobody from the group was there.

[ElDosEquis]

I was a casual Bowie fan until I saw him at the Inglewood Forum (god only knows what name that venue has today) so close to the stage that I could look up his nose and count the nose hairs. This concert was the most expensive concert ticket I ever bought - it was supposed to be for a third row seat. When my pal and I walked down to the seats, the stage was bumped out in the middle, so my 3rd row seat was right up against the stage.

 

My friend, who had seen him about 20 times told me that he thought that he was the consummate performer - a Frank Sinatra of Rock?

 

I had been to a few of his shows before and had been entertained but after that night, I had to agree. Being that close to the stage, I didn't see the band for most of the show, so my attention was on Bowie and his singing. Had I gone to see a 'band' I would have been upset, but seeing Bowie 'by himself' gave me an appreciation of his talent as a singer and entertainer, something that most musical frontmen lack.

 

He will be missed - Lazarus lives on.....

[MyAimIsTrue]

The true "fifth" Beatle, their producer Sir George Martin, passed away at the age of 90.

 

This shit is getting personal now, 2016.  You really need to stop.

[cpcathy]

Beatles music and therefore Sir George's contribution to it means a lot to me. RIP, Sir George.

[WendyCR72]

Martin was truly a big reason for the "Beatles Sound". And it says a lot that he had the talent to have Lennon/McCartney, strong personalities in their own right, actually use his considerable input and learn from it.

 

The man was simply a producing legend. May he RIP and say hello to John and George!

[MyAimIsTrue]

I love the story about the piano solo in "In My Life" and how Sir George figured out how to increase the tempo of a piano piece I believe he played to make it fit into the song and to make it sound like a harpsichord.  The man did more with four tracks than what people do these days with crap like auto tune and modern technology.

[BizBuzz]

I have been in la la land the last few days ... I just heard about George Martin ... I am sort of shocked that this icon isn't getting more of a tribute than he is ... he changed the direction of music.

 

Ugh .. Not liking 2016 at all.

[UYI]

And on his 79th birthday! How sad. One of the very best. RIP. :(

 

http://www.wsmv.com/story/31658132/country-music-legend-merle-haggard-dies-at-79

[prican58]

There should be more response than this. Merle was just one of the best, most honest songwriters ever. 

The accolades are all over Twitter but I haven't seen any from Miranda Lambert who is a real Merle junkie.

 

Maybe I'm just an old fashioned sap but the likes of Merle, Cash, Waylon, Buck Owens, Willie and Kristofferson will not be seen again for a generation or two. Or three.

[UYI]

From his final appearance at the Opry in October. 

 

Edited April 7, 2016 by UYI

[CaughtOnTape]

I just keep saying Holy Shit over and over.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Me too and I'm dealing with some serious denial.  This hurts just as much as losing Bowie.

 

Fuck you, 2016.

[TVFan17]

I am seriously stunned.  After the recent wave of musician deaths, I got very worried that the Grim Reaper was coming for one of my personal favorites.   And now it has happened.  Prince was easily among my top 5 favorites of all-time.  I was just listening to one of his CDs the other day.   I wore the purple at his concert years ago.  

 

When I heard that he was sick a few days ago I thought, "No!  Not you too!  Hang in there, Prince!"  And then it was reported that he was okay.

 

And now... Prince and Vanity will be together once again, I suppose.

[SimoneS]

I cannot fucking believe this!  Prince was so young and was still making music. His music was everything to me when I was a teenage. We lost Vanity not too long ago also. 

 

Rest in peace, Prince. 

Edited April 21, 2016 by SimoneS

[InDueTime]

When I first heard, I really hoped that it wasn't true. I thought he just had the flu. R.I.P. Prince.

This will always be my favourite song of his :

Who could forget this?

The Billboard Music Awards are in May, and the American Music Awards are in November. Who, who, who could possibly do Prince justice in a tribute? Maybe Bruno Mars?

Edited April 21, 2016 by InDueTime

[Enigma X]

There were a core group of musicians that got me through adolescence. Prince was one of them. Prince, you are definitely a star. Shine on!

[TVFan17]

When I first heard, I really hoped that it wasn't true. I thought he just had the flu. R.I.P. Prince.

This will always be my favourite song of his :

Who could forget this?

The Billboard Music Awards are in May, and the American Music Awards are in November. Who, who, who could possibly do Prince justice in a tribute? Maybe Bruno Mars?

 

I think the MTV awards are in August or September too, aren't they (not the movie awards, but the real ones)?   They'd ALL better start rolling out the tributes.  Unfortunately, the Grammys are 100 years away, so whatever time a Prince tribute might have been allotted will be seriously scaled back by Feb. 2017.  Lord only knows who else will die before then.

 

Yes, Bruno Mars.

[Gulftastic]

This is the one for me. My absolute idol. I'm in pieces and can't stop crying. RIP Prince Rogers Nelson, you brilliant bloody genius.

[JAYJAY1979]

unexpected...a major contributor and trailblazer of music.

http://www.chicagonow.com/confessions-coffeeholic/2016/04/loss-of-prince-true-innovator/

[SimoneS]

MTV is showing Price music videos, music videos are a rare MTV event these days.

[amaranta]

I pulled up Hits / B-Sides on my playlist and started listening.  I only made it for three songs.  Maybe tomorrow.  Right now all I can think is: It's too soon!  It's too soon!

 

Gonna miss you, Prince Rogers Nelson.

 

"Don't it feel good?" he said, as the rain poured down during that Super Bowl performance.  Love.

[BizBuzz]

This video was shared in the EETV thread, it's priceless ...

 

 

In the land of axe icons, Prince stands in a class all by himself.  

 

He was part of my turning into an adult.  He will be missed.

[Watcher0363]

SOMETIMES IT SNOWS IN APRIL: RIP

[Dandesun]

I can't even with 2016 anymore.

[Shannon L.]

Unbelievable.  I just loved him when I was a teenager (I still do, but he was staple in my music collection) and I can't believe he's gone.  I've never seen him in concert, but I heard he was great live (and I did enjoy his super bowl half time show).  I wish he'd been a little more public so people could understand what, by all accounts, a great guy he really was.  Am I remembering correctly that he had a son once who died shortly after birth? 

 

So tragic.....

[DollEyes]

Devastating. Just when I thought 2016 couldn't possibly get even worse ("President Trump" aside), Prince died, and yet another piece of my childhood died with him. His music blended rock, soul, blues and funk, classical and alternative, then sensual and the spiritual, the sacred and the profane. Purple Rain is not only one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, he richly deserved the Oscar he won for it. The title song is just one example of Prince's brilliance. It makes me cry almost every time I hear it and now it always will.

 

  The Super Bowl performance is another one of Prince's greatest moments. Given all the things that could have gone wrong, that it not only didn't, it turned out to be one of the most epic halftime shows of all time is a testament to the power of Prince. Another great performance was his duet with Beyoncé at the 2004 Grammys. As for who could do a Prince tribute, my suggestions would be Bruno Mars, Lenny Kravitz, Beyonce, Janelle Monae, Miguel, Maxwell, D'Angelo, Ne-Yo, The Weeknd and/or Justin Timberlake.

 

RIP, Prince.

 

Once again, because it can never, ever, be said enough- FUCK YOU, 2016!!

Edited April 25, 2016 by DollEyes

[Shannon L.]

Maybe now, for the first time since the 80s, just once in the next week or so, I can hear I Would Die 4 U with Baby I'm a Star immediately following it.  It was always played that way and I loved it. 

[beadgirl]

I started playing his songs when I heard, and the opening to "Let's Go Crazy" was hard to hear.  You suck, 2016.

[27bored]

RIP to Prince. Man, this sucks. I listened to the Beautiful Ones (one of my favorites) on the ride home and it's just...sad. I was hoping it would be a hoax. Hoped it would be.

[Readalot]

Still can't comprehend this. The first headline I saw was "Death at Prince's compound" I thought "that sucks", it never entered my mind that it could be Prince.

[SimoneS]

OMG, I am watching Insatiable on MTV. I had forgotten how much I love this song. 

Edited April 21, 2016 by SimoneS

[AD35]

I first heard about his passing when I just happened to catch the last part of a radio broadcast that mentioned his passing and then played Purple Rain.  That's when I went "uh oh" and knew something was wrong.  Like everyone else I was shocked since apart from reports of a flu-like illness/symptoms, he seemed pretty healthy and he was only a few years older than me. At this rate, the Grim Reaper might be coming for Madonna alot sooner than anyone would think.

[WendyCR72]

I'm more of an alternative rock gal, but this still sucks. Prince was a true showman. I did like some of his early stuff (1999, Let's Go Crazy, Purple Rain), and there aren't many true mainstream bonafide musicians anymore or so it seems.

 

May he RIP!

 

And it's sad it took this for MTV to remember it was once a music channel.

 

2016 is a bitch.

[Ohwell]

This was the cover of the first album I bought.

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71NSFDLQd7L._SL1073_.jpg

Edited April 21, 2016 by Ohwell

[Minneapple]

I saw a news tweet that said "Man found dead at Prince's estate in Minnesota," and I was like what, so some guy died at Prince's house. Then I saw the tweet about the man being Prince and freaked out. I was born and raised in Minnesota. When I was a teenager, we'd go to First Avenue (the club where Purple Rain was filmed) on Sunday nights, which were 16-plus nights. And we always held out hope that Prince would show up and play a set as he was rumored to occasionally do at the club. Sadly we never saw him. But still, it was always cool to go to that club because well, PRINCE. He made Minnesota cool. RIP, Prince. 

Edited April 21, 2016 by Minneapple

[ketchuplover]

Thanks for the memories young man

[Asp Burger]

"All the flowers that you planted, Mama, in the back yard, all died when you went away." 

 

So, so sad.  

[Ohwell]

Among the many things I remember Prince for, his was the first well-known band that featured women in it as musicians, not only dancers.  At least his was the only one I can remember.

 

Also, he was the first one I saw back in the 80s using "u" for "you" and "4" for "for," years before it became commonplace.  "I Would Die 4 U."

[Dandesun]

The Revolution was a multi-ethnic. multi-gendered band which was a rare thing indeed. It was one among many things that made those videos stand out.

 

The other being the fashion because, holy crap, ruffles and metallic suits and lingerie and mixed up together to be amazing. Prince was a feast for all senses... even if, as a young'un back in '83-'84, his overt sexuality rather unnerved me. Still, I was intrigued.

[annzeepark914]

Prince was a true musician.  He could pick up any instrument on a bandstand and play it.  I don't think he got the respect that he was due.

[Shannon L.]

 

The other being the fashion because, holy crap, ruffles and metallic suits and lingerie and mixed up together to be amazing. Prince was a feast for all senses... even if, as a young'un back in '83-'84, his overt sexuality rather unnerved me. Still, I was intrigued.

Me, too.    But as an adult?  Man he was sexy--and he exuded it even back then as a man who wore ruffles and lace.   I just saw the Kiss video and it just oozed sexuality.  He had a hell of a body. 

[Mya Stone]

My heart is broken. Gutted. Purple Rain is my absolute favorite song of all time. At clinical, I actually had to leave the floor and take a moment to gather myself.

Prince, you were always one of the beautiful ones. Forever.

[TVFan17]

I was saying on Facebook that even the people who didn't specifically like Prince's songs or image still thought he was a fantastic musician.  And on top of that, the man was singing, dancing and playing guitar all at the same time whenever he performed.  That takes not only talent, but timing, coordination, finesse -- and a lot of energy and stamina! 

 

Plus, some of the songs are so memorable.  I defy the people who didn't like Prince's songs to not start tapping their feet and dancing when "Kiss" starts playing.  And who doesn't sing along to "Little Red Corvette" when they hear it?

 

Prince had that mystique.  He always seemed very mysterious and elusive.  Sometimes he'd do interviews where he seemed to talk about doves and rainbows and all sorts of ethereal things, and other times he was very straightforward and down to earth.   And then, over the years, he began to show that he had a sense of humor -- which I don't think anyone expected.  He was a true enigma, on top of being an icon, legend, and extremely talented guy.

Edited April 22, 2016 by Sherry67

[MyAimIsTrue]

Among the many things I remember Prince for, his was the first well-known band that featured women in it as musicians, not only dancers.  At least his was the only one I can remember.

 

 

 

I was thinking about that earlier tonight.  Wendy Melvoin was a damn fine guitarist.

 

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing the first time I heard "When Doves Cry."  It was June, 1984 and I was home from college for the summer and on this particular morning I drove my sister to a park to meet friends.  The song came on the radio and even though I was very much a classic rock and new wave chick I was blown away by how incredible it was.  I still believe "When Doves Cry" is genius, just like the man himself.

[ebk57]

During the annual waste of time called performance reviews, I remember my last, best goal set at the end of 1998 for the next year was Party Like It's 1999!  Yes, I still have that review somewhere...  (and yes, I'm still at that job)

 

I hope it's okay that I post these here.  Two Broadway shows tonight did tributes during curtain calls:

 

 

[Simon Boccanegra]

Has anyone here seen his concert film, Sign 'O' The Times? It's one of the best ever made, in my opinion, and I don't think it is presently available on DVD or BluRay.  At least not in the North American region.  

 

This is the opening number. There is a short dramatic scene at the beginning involving dancer Cat Glover, who is very prominent in the film.  

 

[Accidental Martyr]

I remember in high school we thought "Darling Nikki" was sooooo dirty and we were so naughty for listening to it.

Ahhh, the innocence of youth.

This is pretty cool.

[AgentRXS]

In just the past week, my boyfriend dumped me seemingly out of the blue, the friendly outdoor kitty that my neighbor and I cared for had to be unexpectedly put down to illness, and now this. FUCK YOU 2016.

I can't believe Madonna is the last of the big 4 80s/MTV icons left. All 3, whether they were troubled souls or no, left us entirely too soon.

Like many others here, I am just devastated by this loss. Probably more so than losing MJ because I just assumed Prince would be around forever. My mind is just not allowing me to process the thought of him being dead.

I could ramble on about how much his music meant to me, how much I was amused by his quirkiness, but we all are sort of saying the same thing. How many felt about Bowie is exactly how I feel about Prince: I am grateful that I lived in a time when he existed and got to live in on the same planet with him, if only for a short while. I am sorry I took him for granted at times.Saying he will be missed is beyond an understatement.

 

I'll leave everyone with one of my favorite Prince stories that was repeated on the radio today that actually made me smile:  Most Prince/MJ fans know that MJ wanted Prince to duet with him on the title track of the "Bad" album. Prince declined. When asked why he turned down the opportunity to perform what could've been the biggest selling duet of all time, Prince said "Look at Wesley Snipes part in the video, then try to imagine me in it.  Look at the first line in the song: Your butt is mine. I told MJ, I'm not singing that to you, and you sure ain't singing it to me". LOL

 

ETA:  I found the video of that clip.:https://youtu.be/14n53cmKYJM

Edited April 22, 2016 by AgentRXS

[TVFan17]

It's a really amazing thing -- and kind of goosebump-inducing -- when you have reached such a level of fame, adoration and status that various monuments are going purple in your honor -- https://twitter.com/TheNEWGURU/status/723378437574922240

 

Google even changed its Doodle to a purple rain theme.  The New Yorker's cover for next week will be all purple with raindrops.

 

In all fairness, Niagara Falls would have been purple anyway tonight (for QE2), but the others... it's all for Prince.

 

It's also cool when some of our finest musicians and living legends -- McCartney, Jagger, Elton John, etc. -- sing your praises and speak of how remarkable you were.

 

The people who chime in on social media and try to make other people feel guilty for temporarily stopping to recognize someone who touched a lot of people's lives are really annoying.   I've already been seeing a lot of sentiments along the lines of, "Why aren't we seeing so-and-so and such-and-such on the News Feed?  Why is it all Prince?  Why didn't that person get this kind of attention when he/she died?"  

 

To that I say, we see other things on our News Feeds every single day.  We see other stories in the newspaper and watch them on the news every day.  Does that mean we can never take a day or two out of our lives to mourn the loss of greatness, or mourn the loss of someone who perhaps meant a lot to a lot of people?  The thing is, in most cases we don't know the famous people we admire and will probably never meet them.  But we feel like we know them because we have followed their careers -- and their work (music, movies, TV, books, art) has gotten us through our lives, good times and bad times.  Someone can still be a big part of your life even if you have never met them, and losing them warrants some attention and grieving.

Edited April 22, 2016 by Sherry67

[BizBuzz]

The video on the cast of The Color Purple singing Purple Rain ... I thought I did enough tears yesterday.

 

Not so much ...