Prince Memories
By Tina and Melissa Huntsberry (Big Chick’s daughters)
Thinking back to when you first met Prince… your first impressions.
TINA HUNTSBERRY: Prince moved us to Minnesota in July of 83, so dad (Big Chick) would be closer to him. We lived 5 minutes away from each other. I remember the first night in our new house…dad told all 6 of us kids that the mosquito’s would carry you away in Minnesota. So when we went in and out to spray raid around the door. (we were busy moving stuff inside from the uhaul). Well, there was a knock at the door and I figured one of the kids locked themselves out. I quick opened the door while spraying Raid and there stood Prince. With Raid all over him. I wanted to run and hide. lol! All he said was “Chick here?!” My first impressions? I thought he was hot as hell! Sexy Mother F*c#er! Man could he dance, too!
MELISSA HUNTSBERRY: I agree. We all crushed on him. I was a freshman in high school. I thought he was amazing! He was a great musician that could make his guitar sing. I talked to him like he was one of our family. He liked that. I asked him what his favorite pizza was and he said Chalet Pizza. It was located in Chanhassen.
Prince loved mom’s cooking and would come over for picnics, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.
TINA HUNTSBERRY: There were many fond memories of the Purple Rain times. I’d watch his house while he was out of town, and my sisters would come stay with me once in awhile. We watched The Grammys and Award shows while sitting in his living room. We thought that was THE greatest thing EVER. One time I had to go over to Prince’s house to watch for the limo driver and let him into the gate while Prince was getting ready. I was mowing grass at the time and had the sniffles (allergies). So, I let myself in and went up to the office and sat watching for the limo. Prince came into the office. He started cutting up a t-shirt to wear out that night. We sat in silence, me staring out the window and him cutting away at the shirt. He said “Whats wrong with you?!” I said “Allergic to grass”…..big long silent moment goes by and he says “The kind you smoke?” I said, “The kind you mow”. lol! He just gave one of his cute grins and away he went to finish getting ready.
Prince decided to take us girls with him to ballet class during Purple Rain production one day. It was Prince and the Revolution, Jill Jones, Vanity 6 maybe? It was so long ago, can’t remember. I know the Time might have taken the class afterwards because they’d be out in the hallway making faces and watching through the glass door. Making fun of each other. The teacher would get so mad and scold all of them for acting up and not taking things seriously. He even threatened to quit and walk out. It was quite humorous. They had us doing leaps across the floor and stuff. Embarrassing! Some of the guys and gals were good, some not so good.
MELISSA HUNTSBERRY: Prince had the best leaps in that class by far. The band goofed around a lot, as did Prince. We got to take the class too, dad’s daughters. It was a lot of fun to grow up around Prince and the experiences. We got to go to concerts galore, and rode on his tour bus, limousines, and stayed in hotels all VIP. We also attended many parties. I wouldn’t trade those days for anything.
TINA HUNTSBERRY: When my husband and I first got married, I walked into the rehearsal warehouse and Prince was rehearsing. He saw me and broke into “Tina Kahn, Tina Kahn, let me rock ya, let me rock ya Tina Kahn” (in place of Chaka Kahn). Lol
They use to love to pull pranks on each other while out on tour. I guess that was a way to ease the tension and keep the stress down. I do know Prince would call dads room and prank him on the phone a lot. Ha! They would also put a fake name on the front of their tour bus. (another band name). My stomach would always hurt from laughing so much.
MELISSA HUNTSBERRY: Prince also came to the dinner theater just to hear me sing in the junior Miss pageant. I sang “Let’s hear it for the boy” and got a standing ovation. Prince whistled and left after I sang. I was in awe that he came. Paul Peterson from the Time attended as well. He did my track for the song and Jerome helped with the choreography. So cool.
Big Chick was a towering figure, were there ever any other artists who tried to get him to leave Prince’s employment so they could have him?
TINA: One person that tried to get dad from Prince was Michael Jackson. They both were recording at Sunset Sound in CA at the time and on breaks would go out and play basketball. The ball was headed right for Michael’s face (you know that would have done serious damage to his nose!). Dad blocked it. After that he was after dad and offered him double the salary and a house in CA. Dad, being the loyal person he was, refused and stuck with Prince.
MELISSA: Michael Jackson wanted dad. They liked to shoot hoops. One time they were shooting hoops with Michael, and dad blocked a ball from hitting Michael’s face. Michael was in awe. Dad had huge hands. Prince wasn’t having it. Dad thought of Prince as family – so did we.
