FILE – In this April 26, 2008 file photo, Prince performs during the second day of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Prince’s publicist has confirmed that Prince died at his home in Minnesota, Thursday, April 21, 2016. He was 57. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
The Latest: Superstar singer, songwriter Prince dies at 57
3 p.m.
President Barack Obama is lamenting the loss of a “creative icon” with the death of rock superstar Prince.
In a statement, the president called Prince “one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time.”
Obama also said “nobody’s spirit was stronger, bolder or more creative” than Prince’s.
The 57-year-old musician was found dead Thursday at his home in a Minneapolis suburb. Sheriff’s deputies say they found Prince unresponsive in an elevator after they were summoned to the scene for a medical call.
___
2:35 p.m.
Sheriff’s officials in Minnesota say deputies found music superstar Prince unresponsive in an elevator after they were summoned to his suburban Minneapolis compound.
Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson says first responders tried CPR but couldn’t revive the 57-year-old musician. Olson says Prince was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m. Thursday, about half an hour after deputies arrived.
Olson says the death is under investigation.
Hundreds of fans have gathered outside Prince’s Paisley Park studio to mourn his death.
___
2:15 p.m.
Sales of Prince’s music have soared since news broke of the pop star’s death.
Three of his songs — “Purple Rain,” ”Little Red Corvette,” and “When Doves Cry,” — surged to 7th, 9th and 10th on iTunes’ Top Songs chart.
Four of his albums — “The Very Best of Prince,” ”Purple Rain,” ”The Hits / The B-Sides,” and “1999” — jumped to 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 8th on iTunes’ Top Albums chart by Thursday afternoon.
Price’s publicist tells the AP he was found dead at his suburban Minneapolis home earlier Thursday.
The singer’s music catalog, including last year’s “HITNRUN Phase One & Two,” was streaming on Tidal, another high-profile exclusive for the Jay Z-backed service. Other streaming services like Spotify and Rhapsody did not offer Prince’s songs.
A Warner Music spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the latest state of his contract with the record label.
___
1:10 p.m.
Reaction is pouring in from fans and celebrities following the death of music superstar Prince.
Many celebrities took to Twitter to express their sadness Thursday. Basketball star Magic Johnson wrote that he was “so devastated by the passing of my good friend Prince.”
Director Spike Lee remembered Prince as “A Funny Cat” with a “Great Sense of Humor.”
The Rev. Jesse Jackson praised Prince for fighting for the freedom of artists and for himself, recalling the rocker’s skirmishes with the recording industry. Jackson says Price “was a transformer.”
Price’s publicist told The Associated Press that the music icon was found dead at his home Thursday in Chanhassen, a suburb of Minneapolis.
___
12:40 p.m.
A small group of fans has gathered in the rain on a hillside opposite Prince’s home and studios at Paisley Park, some taking photos with their cellphones.
The music superstar’s publicist tells the AP that Prince died at his home Thursday at the age of 57.
Thirty-two-year-old Steven Scott of Eden Prairie said he was at Paisley Park last Saturday for Prince’s dance party. He called Prince “a beautiful person” whose message was that people should love one another.
One woman cried hysterically as she waved away an Associated Press reporter.
[Not a valid template]
_____
CHANHASSEN, Minn. (AP) — Pop music superstar Prince has been found dead at his home in suburban Minneapolis.
His publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, told The Associated Press the music icon was found dead at his home Thursday in Chanhassen.
The singer, songwriter, arranger and instrumentalist was widely acclaimed as one of the most inventive musicians of his era, drawing upon influences ranging from James Brown to the Beatles to Jimi Hendrix. His hits included “Little Red Corvette,” ”Let’s Go Crazy” and “When Doves Cry.”
The Minneapolis native broke through in the late 1970s with the hits “Wanna Be Your Lover” and soared over the following decade with such albums as “1999” and “Purple Rain.”
The title song from “1999” includes one of the most widely quoted refrains of popular culture: “Tonight I’m gonna party like it’s 1999.”
_____
A number of musicians have expressed their sadness over the passing of Prince:
And just like that…the world lost a lot of magic ✨ Rest in peace Prince! Thanks for giving us so much…
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) April 21, 2016
R. I. P to the King Prince thank u for inspiring me to be a Musician First and using this tool to heal people
— Wyclef Jean (@wyclef) April 21, 2016
Dang it… Truly hate hearing we lost Prince. Sad day..
— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) April 21, 2016
Numb. Stunned. This can’t be real.
— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) April 21, 2016
PRINCE, sad to say, has passed on!!! He was a Giant. My deep condolences go out to his family, friends and fans.
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) April 21, 2016
Prince….there’s no way
— Zendaya (@Zendaya) April 21, 2016
About CapeCod.com NewsCenter
Speak Your Mind