Underrated musicians who collaborated with Prince onstage and in the recording studio, showcasing his exceptional guitar skills and diverse musical influences.
Revamped Article:
Hot damn! Who's the axe-slinging virtuoso that ruled Prince's musical empire, you ask? Why, ol' Purple himself, that's who! With a whooping 22 studio albums under his belt and plenty more where they came from, Prince was his own six-string maestro. On those albums where he wasn't the sole guitarist, he was still the dominant force. Take his tours from 1994-1996 and 2000-2010, where the Prince show was all about that guitar lick, and guess who was handling every last one of those solos? You got it – Prince himself!
Now, hold your horses, 'cause I ain't sayin' Prince's backup guitarists were anything less than a pile of talented dudes. With Prince already commanding the six strings with such ability, he only recruited musicians who could seriously add something valuable to the band. So let's talk about some of the incredible cats who got the chance to lay their fingers on a Prince guitar – ten lucky sons of guns, to be exact.
Dez Dickerson – (1979-1983)
Dickerson was the lead guitarist for Prince's band before it transformed into the revolutionary Revolution. His shining moment came with 1999 (1982), where he provided those iconic guitar solos for Little Red Corvette that had everyone talking and got him a spot at #64 in our list of all-time greatest guitar solos. That kinda fame ain't too shabby!
This guy stuck by Prince through his controversial rise to superstardom, even performing for audiences that weren't exactly friendly. Remember those infamous Rolling Stones gigs in '81? Yep, they were Dickerson's too!
But things eventually soured between them, mostly because Prince wanted the band to get all shiny and polished on stage while Dickerson wasn't feeling it so much. "I said to him, 'This isn't what we are, and I'm just not as comfortable anymore,'" Dickerson explained in an interview this year. Sounds like a tough break, but Dickerson went on to have a successful career in Contemporary Christian Music, natch!
Wendy Melvoin – (1983-1986)
This gal's got mad fretboard skills, and she's a familiar face if you've caught Purple Rain. Her remarkable dexterity and impressive ability to tackle those legendary chords made her the perfect fit for the Revolution.
She was still a regular collaborator for Prince even after she left the Revolution, contributing to Sign o' the Times (1987) and Graffiti Bridge (1990). She re-joined Prince in 2007 to play guitar on Planet Earth, and she performed with him again from 2004 onwards, including a rockin' set at the 2006 Brit Awards.
After leaving the Revolution and Prince, Wendy teamed up with Lisa Coleman to form the duo Wendy and Lisa. They found success composing music for TV, including the scores for the first season of Heroes (2008) and an Emmy-winning theme tune for Nurse Jackie. Wendy also managed to sneak in some studio time with other artists, like Madonna, Neil Finn, and Glen Campbell.
Melvoin, man – she sure did alright for herself after leaving the Prince train!
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We ain't done yet, folks – there's more to cover about the other cool-as-hell cats who got their hands on a Prince guitar, so stick around for part two! 🐱👓 🎸
Have a burning question about anything guitar-related? Drop it in the comments, and I'll do my best to provide some lightning-fast answers! ⚡️🔥🎸🎤🎹
- The acoustic guitar jams light up Prince's album '1999' (1982), with Dez Dickerson providing the iconic solos, which landed him a spot at number 64 on our list of all-time greatest guitar solos.
- Wendy Melvoin, a skilled guitarist known for her powerful fretboard techniques, was a standout in the Revolution, showcasing her impressive ability to handle legendary chords in Prince's music.
- In the world of entertainment, celebrities are drawn to the technology and gadgets in music, notably the Prince guitar, which attracts talented musicians like Dez Dickerson and Wendy Melvoin.
- Prince's amp blared the electric guitar's licks during his tours from 1994-1996 and 2000-2010, showcasing Prince's dominant control over guitar techniques.
- Guitars and music have been a source of entertainment and personal expression for Prince and his collaborators, including guitarists like Dez Dickerson and Wendy Melvoin, who have gone on to excel in different genres, such as Contemporary Christian Music and TV scoring.
