Prince's Private Nature Will Be Honored, Friends Say
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – In life, Prince commanded the spotlight on stage, but when the lights dimmed, he was mysterious and private.
Now, in death, it's much the same.
The singer's family and close friends said goodbye to the artist at Paisley Park Saturday afternoon in a private memorial service.
Larry Graham, a Jehovah's Witness, is credited with introducing Prince to the faith. As a musician and songwriter himself, he collaborated with Prince many times over the years.
"He was a very spiritual man," Graham said. "As a musician, he pushed us."
Sheila E., a singer and percussionist who worked with Prince in the mid-80s, said people couldn't help but fall in love with his music.
Still, she stressed, the public didn't really know the Purple One.
"They didn't know him like we did," Sheila said. "So, we want to keep it at that. It's all about his music, and how he lived, writing songs for us."
Just as Paisley Park was a sea of purple over the weekend, so was First Avenue, the downtown Minneapolis venue featured in the film "Purple Rain."
As a tribute to the artist, First Avenue has held all night dance parties since the singer's death.
Even when the club reached capacity, fans waited outside to get their feet through the same door that Prince put on the cultural map more than three decades ago.
When the dancing finally ended Sunday morning, fans said the party was worth the wait.
"Oh, my God. They played all the old school cuts, the new school cuts and everything," fan Leonard Taylor said. "Everyone was vibing, doing their thing, dancing. This is his life, his legacy."
The Carver County Sheriff's Office reported that Prince was last seen Wednesday night, when an acquaintance dropped him off at Paisley Park.
After a 911 call on Thursday morning, paramedics found Prince unresponsive in an elevator. Medics performed CPR, but were unsuccessful.
Authorities say there were no obvious signs of trauma and that Prince was alone when he died.
In the coming days and weeks, fans are expected to continue honoring the music legend, who made who an impact on and off the stage.
There are still many questions surrounding how Prince died, especially since he had been fighting an illness and canceled shows in the weeks before his death.
After returning to the stage in Atlanta on April 14, his private jet made an emergency landing in Illinois.
Airport officials said emergency personnel responded to an "unresponsive subject" who was then taken to a local hospital.
Prince's publicist later said he was treated for flu-like symptoms.
An autopsy was conducted Friday, but authorities say it could be weeks before the cause of death is determined.
