PRINCE: Despite legal issues, collection of unreleased recordings doing well
Prince's Deliverance EP is off to a fast start, despite the fact that Paisley Park and the Prince estate has filed a lawsuit to halt its release.
The collection of unreleased studio recordings ranks number-one on iTunes' pre-order chart and number-two on Amazon's album chart. The title track -- a bluesy, gospel flavored number -- is already number-one on iTunes’ Rock Songs chart, and broke onto iTunes’ Top 100 song downloads.Deliverance, consisting of six new, unreleased studio recordings recorded between 2006 and '08 will be released digitally this Friday. The physical CD will be available June 2nd at major brick and mortar stores.
MORE PRINCE HEADLINES THIS WEEK:
A year after the star's death, there are new allegations concerning Prince's fatal use of a painkiller.
Dr. Michael Schulenberg denies the suggestion that he prescribed opioids to Prince. Newly unsealed search warrants indicate that he wrote an oxycodone prescription the day Prince's plane made an emergency plane due to an overdose. That was a week before the fatal OD.
But it was not written to Prince. The Carver County Sheriff's office says Schulenberg wrote the script for Kirk Johnson, a member of Prince's personal staff, who claimed to be suffering from hip pain -- which was Prince's ailment. Johnson's lawyer also denies that he had any role in the mis-use or procurement of prescription drugs. (People.com)
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Friday has been declared Prince Day throughout Minnesota.
Marking the first anniversary of the funk rocker's death, Governor Mark Dayton announced, "Prince and his phenomenal talents led an era of music and showcased Minnesota to the world. This day, we honor a magnificent artist, celebrate his great legacy, and thank him for always making Minnesota his home."
One aspect of the tribute will be lighting the I-35 Bridge in Minneapolis in purple.
And a four-day multi-event celebration begins tomorrow (Thursday) at Paisley Park. (MNN)
MORE BIG MUSIC NEWS HEADLINES THIS WEEK:
Sammy Hagar, who is vacationing at his home in Maui, jammed onstage Sunday with Mick Fleetwood, who also lives there.
Joe Cocker’s version of “With a Little Help From My Friends” is featured in a new Walmart commercial.
Showtime at the Apollo will become a weekly series this fall on FOX. After a pair of recent specials, the show -- which once boosted the careers of such icons as James Brown and Stevie Wonder -- will return with Steve Harvey hosting.
Allan Holdsworth, the influential British guitarist acclaimed by Carlos Santana, Eddie Van Halen, Peter Frampton and others, died Saturday at age 70.
It will be two generations of Ross July 18th in a suburb of Cleveland when Rhonda Ross opens for her mother, Diana Ross, at the Hard Rock Rocksino.