I dont know how to put into words how i felt when i heard that Prince had passed, it rocked me to the very core of my soul. It was as if a piece if me was gone too. He was the most amazing musician, artist, and person on the planet.
I dont have a cool story about going to a concert or meeting him in person because i was never that lucky, he was supposed to perform in my hometown of St. Louis but he had the flu and had to cancel but promised to reschedule and never got the chance.
I did feel like we had a connection even though we never met because he has always been there for me though some good and bad times in my life.
As a young girl growing up, my home life for the most part was good until my parents started fighting and turned our home into a war zone for my sister and I. Purple Rain had come out and when I watched the movie and heard the sound track it really hit home and i felt like i wasnt alone anymore. His songs touched all the right chords in my life so i ran out and bought it with my allowance. When things got rough at home I would go in my room and blast my Purple Rain tape through my headphones, close my eyes and he helped me escape reality so i could drift away to another place listening to his lyrics and every riff of his guitar. I was hooked and couldn't get enough of him.
This didnt stop as i got older either because as i grew so did he as an artist, with his lyrics and his music it seemed like every situation i had good or bad i could always find a song that could match how i was feeling at that time. I could go on and on about my devotion to him and his music.
He was ever evolving and brillant and i always admired that in him, he never let anyone tell him he couldn't do something or he had limits or had to act a certain way, he just did what made him feel good and did it all for the love of the music.
The day of his death i felt sick, it just couldn't be real not my idol, my inspiration, my rock God it just couldn't be true and here i am, 2 weeks later i still can't get past it hoping its all a bad dream.
For me and many others April 21, 2016 at 10:07am will always be the day the music died. I am thankful for all the music he left us singing about funk, love, and God. I know heaven got a little funkier on that fateful day. I am not a fan because he didnt like that word, he said its short for fanatical and that wasnt a good thing, he preferred calling everyone friend so i just want to say to my friend, Thank you for everything and always being there when i needed you and i will always love and miss you....
"Now cracks a nobel heart. Good night sweet Prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."
Until we meet again friend....
A devasted and devoted friend,
Sandi Hayes