Watkins: Friend recalls Prince in Jackson
Immediately, I thought of a longtime friend upon hearing that Prince — the 57-year-old iconic singer, songwriter and musician — had died Thursday at his recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
Joe Culpepper, a co-worker of mine at The Meridian Star and here at The Clarion-Ledger, is a huge Prince fan. He also was in the audience Aug. 20, 1997 when Prince performed at the Mississippi Coliseum.
Here is the set list from the show, according to setlist.fm:
Concert: Jam of the Year, Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing (James Brown cover), Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette, Get Yo Groove On, Six (Madhouse song), The Most Beautiful Girl in the World, Face Down, When You Were Mine, Delirious, The Cross, One of Us (Joan Osborne cover), Do Me, Baby, Adore, Insatiable, Scandalous, Sexy M.F., If I Was Your Girlfriend, Piano set, When Doves Cry, Girls & Boys, Diamonds and Pearls, How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore, Take Me With U, Raspberry Beret
Encore 1: Kiss, Sleep Around
Encore 2: Baby I'm a Star, 1999
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When I was able to reach Joe late Thursday at his home in Pensacola, Florida, this was his recollection of the concert:
"I was excited about the show because I was a big fan of Prince's guitar playing. 'Purple Rain' and 'Let's Go Crazy' were my favorite Prince songs. My wife, Renee, and I sat in the chair back seats probably 10 rows up in the south end of the Coliseum. I remember the crowd was very large, probably a sellout, and everyone was so excited. ....
"Not to disparage Prince, but the show was filled with profanity from the stage, including the f-word probably 20 to 30 times. I have to admit that it was cringe-worthy, but I guess the young people of the time didn't care so much. We winced our way through the show. I must say, the musicianship was outstanding."
Joe and Renee had another Prince moment three days later in Memphis, where he played at The Pyramid. Joe recalled:
"Renee and I were walking near the east garage entrance into the Peabody Hotel when we were stopped on the sidewalk by security personnel. A motorcade of vehicles approached with a police escort, and we learned that it was Prince arriving. We could not see Prince through the windows, but his limo stopped about 50 feet away in the garage, and out he came to squeals and screams by hordes of female fans. He waved our way, and it was quite exciting. We could see him clearly for about 5 to10 seconds, and we yelled in an attempt to get him to acknowledge us."
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Were you at The Dock in 1997 when Prince appeared? Or do you have another Prince memory to share? Please let us know by using the form below.