A postmortem examination will take place on Friday on the body of Prince, who died at his Paisley Park home aged 57, leaving behind him a gaping hole in musical genres as diverse as R&B, rock, funk and pop.
The Guardian
Prince was found collapsed in a lift at the premises outside Minneapolis, which doubled as his music studio. According to a transcript of a 9.43am emergency call released on Friday, an unidentified male caller said he was dead and replied: “Yes, it’s Prince” when asked if he was with the person. Prince was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.07am on Thursday.
No details were immediately given for the cause of death, though last week he was rushed to hospital apparently recovering from a bout of flu that had forced his private jet to make an emergency landing in Illinois.
At the time, a representative for Prince assured fans he was feeling much better and was resting at home in Paisley Park. Just five days ago the singer made an appearance at a dance party held at the estate where he told fans: “Just wait a few days before saying your prayers.”
The sudden death of the diminutive man who became such a towering musical figure, selling more than 100m records in a career of virtually unparalleled richness and unpredictability, prompted an emotional response across the music world. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, former members of Prince’s band, the Revolution, said they were “completely shocked and devastated by the sudden loss of our brother, artist and friend, Prince”.
On Twitter, fellow musicians and celebrities vented barely contained grief. Boy George called Thursday “the worst day ever”; Katy Perry said: “And just like that … the world lost a lot of magic.” The Minneapolis-St Paul radio station 89.3, The Current, played his music on a permanent loop.
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Barack Obama, who was flying from Saudi Arabia to London on Air Force One when the news broke, said he was mourning along with millions of fans. “Few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly, or touched quite so many people with their talent. As one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time, Prince did it all.”
