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Prince remembered for innovation and performance
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
Prince, the genre-blending rock music innovator, is as enigmatic in death as he was in life.
The man born Prince Rogers Nelson in Minneapolis was found dead in his suburban Minneapolis home Thursday. Details on the cause of death were not immediately known. He was 57.
As the stunning news spread Thursday afternoon, reaction from fans and colleagues was immediate.
In the Mahoning Valley, few people are as connected to Prince as George “Geo” Case of Youngstown.
As the leader of popular funk band Geo C and Tha Storm, Case sings Prince’s songs.
As the owner of Geo’s Music, a record store in downtown Youngstown, he sells Prince’s music.
He’s also a fan.
Case has great respect for Prince and is shaken by his death.
“It’s a sad day for what music means,” said Case. “[Prince] fought for artists’ rights and control of their music.”
Case held a copy of Prince’s soon-to-be released CD, “Hit n Run, Phase Two,” in his shop Thursday afternoon and discussed the artist. The new album will be released April 29, but Case had already received his shipment.
“I sell a lot of his albums,” he noted.
As a performer, Case said he has always felt the influence of Prince.
“My band plays a lot of his stuff,” he said. “We play funk, and I am a tenor, too. We get compared to him ... But Prince casts a shadow over anyone who plays funk. It’s a cloud, a wonderful cloud, that looms, and you always get compared to Prince.”
Case noted that Prince has been very charitable, but few people know of his generosity.
“As eccentric as he came off, he still stayed out of the limelight,” said Case. “He was all about music, not paparazzi and scandal. ... I will probably do a nod to him on our next album.”
Case has seen Prince in concert three times.
“I’ve never seen anyone do as much as an instrumentalist as him,” he said. “He would play a solo on his guitar, do a pirouette, then a split, all while playing, then jump on the piano and start playing it, while still singing and conducting his band.”
Skip Bednarczyk, general manager of Star 94.7 FM, Youngstown’s Adult Urban radio station, said his station plays a lot of Prince.
“The world has lost one of the great innovators in music,” said Bednarczyk. “His talents were rare, and he will be sorely missed but never forgotten.”
His station announced Prince’s death over the air as soon as it was confirmed.
“We play ‘star bursts’ every three hours on Star, which are two songs back to back by the same artist,” said Bednarczyk. “Today we’ll play a Prince star burst every hour as a tribute to him.”
Jeff Burke, owner of the Record Connection store in Niles, said Prince always had a high mark in his book.
“I was not a giant fan, but I always respected him,” said Burke. “He was one of the most dynamic musicians in the world. He could do anything — play, sing, dance, produce ... you name it.”
Burke said fans began coming to his store shortly after the news of Prince’s death came out to buy his music.
“We’re seeing a steady flow of people coming in to buy his music,” said Burke. “I’d say about 80 percent who came in today were for Prince. It’s been brisk. We’re just about sold out now. People are asking for ‘Little Red Corvette’ on 45.”