MEMPHIS, Tenn. — He was born as Prince Rogers Nelson, but to the music world and million of fans he was simply known as Prince.
Here in Memphis and inside this downtown recording studio, producer, arranger and University of Memphis professor Kurt “KC” Clayton uses his keyboard to channel Prince and one of his biggest hits, “Purple Rain.” He’s stunned by the singer’s sudden passing.
“I’m sorry,” Clayton says, crying, “because I have a family tie to him.”
Clayton’s fiancee, R&B singer Cherrelle, is a part of the Prince family and the Minneapolis Sound working with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Clayton remembers meeting Prince and being in the studio when he worked on music.
Throughout the years, Prince brought his concert tour to Memphis many times, performing at the Mid-South Coliseum, the Pyramid arena and even an “After Jam” concert on historic Beale Street where he played Memphis music.
Clayton said Memphis music influenced Prince’s Minneapolis sound.
“He had a deep respect for Elvis, the Bar-Kays, Stax and Hi Records and Al Green, and you can see that in his music because he had gospel, rock and jazz in every song,” Clayton said.
In fact, Prince turned to the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll and the home of the blues for several of the musicians in his band.
“Back in the day when the Purple Wave was in, there were good friends of mine like Greg Sain and he went to Minneapolis and because of the Memphis family and John Blackwell who played with the Bar-Kays at one time,” Clayton said.
For fans and fellow musicians like Kurt Clayton, Prince was royalty, and his purple reign over music will continue through his songs.
“He was an architect and Elvis and Michael Jackson and James Brown, all these artists helped shaped the landscape of what we know,” Clayton said.