It's been a rough week for Minnesotans as we're all still trying to come to terms with Prince's death. Prince revolutionized the Minneapolis music scene and became a legendary recording artist winning seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. If you were looking for a place to pay tribute to the icon, here are four places you can go to keep Prince's spirit alive.
1. First Avenue
&h=346&w=600&tbnid=Lok9B64bymZ28M:&tbnh=160&tbnw=278&docid=4_XPmEjxAjZnqM&itg=1&usg=__uEaKexucWG0HTUKS7cjZsHPTn2E=)
First Ave is an iconic landmark for all local musicians in Minnesota, but no one had a bigger impact on the venue than Prince. First Ave was Prince's playground during the 80's. According to First Avenue's website, he made the club his regular venue and his testing ground for new material, and it was where his movie "Purple Rain" was recorded. To this day, you can head to the venue and touch Prince's star on the outside of the building.
Location: 1st Avenue & 7th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota
2. Paisley Park
Located in Chanhassen, Paisley Park Estate was Prince's recording studio, where he lived and worked most of his life since its opening in 1985. The complex cost 10 million dollars to build and Prince recorded eight albums at the studio along with a plethora of other up-and-coming artists. This is where Prince ultimately died in April 2016. According to TIME, a large glass pyramid on top of the building glowed purple whenever Prince was in the building.
Location: 7823, 7847 Audubon Rd, Chanhassen, MN 55317
3. Central High School
Prince graduated from Central High School in 1976 where he was active in music and basketball. According to the Central High School website, when the school closed in 1982, the students published one last book to honor students and alumni of the school. This is what they said about Prince:
"Prince Nelson/Roger Nelson: Singer, Musician. Graduated, 1976. While attending Central he was very active in music, taking as many of these classes as possible. He was a member of the sophomore basketball team and he showed off his talent at the many talent shows. Prince didn't pay much attention to his academic subjects because, he thought, he didn't need to because he was going to be a star. He was absolutely right." -Tribute to Triumph: Central High School 1860-1982
Location: 3416 Fourth Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota
4. MoonSound Studios
According to Minnesota Fun Facts, MoonSound Studios was where Prince began his recording career. Operated by Chris Moon, a recording engineer and aspiring entrepreneur, MoodSound Studios was located in the basement of a single-family home in south Minneapolis. It was here where Prince learned multi-track recording and how to mix instruments. Chris helped Prince record his first demo at MoonSound Studios, which launched his career with Owen Husney, his first manager. Husney was the one who led Prince to a record deal with Warner Brothers.
Location: Roughly 57th and Stevens Ave, Minneapolis, Minnesota
