You’ve Got A WONDERFUL Ass-Pretty MESS On My Dress

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Ta Mara And The Seen

When guitarist Jesse Johnson embarked on a solo career, he followed mentor Prince’s steps, and began to produce and compose his own protégé acts. In 1985, the same year as his album release titled “Jesse Johnson’s Revue”, the Minneapolis funk band Ta Mara And The Seen released their A&M Records, self titled album. The members would consist of lead singer Ta Mara (Margaret Cox), bassist Keith Woodson, guitarist Oliver Leiber, keyboardist Gina Fellicetta and drummer, the late Jamie Chez. They came stormin out of the box with a great dance, funk single "Everybody Dance". The following released tracks continued to capitalized on the success of the Minneapolis sound with the next album delivering more of the same great funk.

They would release two albums under Johnson’s production. Afterwards, Ta Mara And The Seen disbanded in 1989.

Ta Mara And The Seen albums:

Ta Mara And The Seen (1985)

Blueberry Gossip (1988)

The band was managed by ex Prince manager, Owen Husney.

Rest In Peace Jamie Chez.

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The Family

L-R: Susannah, St. Paul, Jerome, Jellybean and Eric.

The Family was a band based out Minneapolis, Minnesota. Formed by Prince, utilizing former members of The Time, Jellybean Johnson, Jerome Benton, St. Paul Peterson and adding saxophonist Eric Leeds and Susannah Melvoin, twin sister to Prince And The Revolution guitarist Wendy Melvoin. Susannah was romantically involved with Prince at the time. Much like his other protégé acts, the band would serve as an outlet for Prince to release more music. Prince wrote, produced and performed most of the album himself. The track “River Run Dry” was written by Bobby Z. from The Revolution. Wendy added guitar to the track “Yes”. As St. Paul takes front stage in The Family, singing lead vocals, Susannah provided co-lead vocals. Eric would contribute saxophone pieces. They released their first and only album as the Family in August 1985, becoming the first Prince act to release music on the new Paisley Park Records. The album has a sophisticated air to it, with a mixture of funk, pop, jazz and orchestral overdubs by Clare Fischer added, resulting in funky as well as elegant.

The Family played only one show at the time of the album’s release, on August 13, 1985 at downtown club First Avenue in Minneapolis. They were joined by Miko Weaver, who came from Sheila E.’s band on guitar, Allen Flowers on bass, Bill Carrothers and another Melvoin sibling Jonathan on keyboards and former bodyguards Wally Safford and Greg Brooks as dancers and background vocalists.

The Family project was short lived. Prince took girlfriend Susannah and Jerome to France to shoot the motion picture Under The Cherry Moon. The rest of the Family members were just left hanging. The Family publicly disbanded when St. Paul quit to pursue a solo career. St. Paul was approached by a other record labels to lure him from Prince which resulted in a bidding war to break out and he eventually signed with MCA Records. Prince was not happy. Prince would call him out on stage and have the audience chant "St. Paul, Punk of the Month." St. Paul was present at the First Avenue nightclub to hear this personally.

The band reformed as fDeluxe in 2011, releasing new music and performing, with the exception of Jerome.

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Jesse Johnson

Jesse Woods Johnson (born June 1, 1960 in Rock Island, Illinois is an American musician best known as the guitarist in the original lineup of The Time. Johnson began playing guitar when he was 15, playing in local rock bands throughout his teens and early twenties.

Johnson moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1981. He eventually joined the local band Enterprise which included Morris Day on drums and Sueann Carwell on lead vocals. Day introduced Johnson to Prince. As Prince and Day were working on putting members together for the Prince protégé band, The Time. Johnson became the lead guitarist for The Time without an audition. Prince was impressed with his appearance and felt he was perfect for the band. Even though Prince basically wrote and recorded all material for his protégé’s projects. Johnson was given his first publishing credit for Vanity 6’s song titled “Bite The Beat", co-written with Prince. The music for the track “The Belle Of St. Mark” on Sheila E.’s first album, “The Glamorous Life” was written by Jesse Johnson but was uncredited. Johnson contributed on The Time's third album, “Ice Cream Castle”, to the singles "The Bird" and "Jungle Love". In the height of The Time’s popularity, Johnson left The Time after appearing on the 1984, film Purple Rain and the release of “Ice Cream Castle” for a solo career. Johnson and the original The Time members would reunite and appear on the Graffiti Bridge film and soundtrack.

Under management with ex Prince manager, Owen Husney, Johnson signed a solo deal with A&M Records in 1984 and released the album titled “Jesse Johnson's Revue” the following year. Johnson included former members of The Time, keyboardist Mark Cardenas and bassist Jerry Hubbard as part of his backing band. Other members included guitarist Michael Baker, keyboardist Tim Bradley and drummer Bobby Vandell.

Jesse Johnson’s Revue

Following mentor Prince’s steps, Johnson brought out his own protégé acts. In 1985, the same year as his album released, the Minneapolis funk band Ta Mara And The Seen released their A&M Records, self titled album. The group consisted of lead singer Ta Mara (Margaret Cox), bassist Keith Woodson, guitarist Oliver Leiber, keyboardist Gina Fellicetta and late drummer Jamie Chez. They would release two albums under Johnson’s production. Afterwards, Ta Mara And The Seen disbanded. In 1988, dá Krash, a hard funk, protégé band project from Jesse Johnson, released their self titled “dá Krash” album. Members included lead vocalist Robert Jordan, drummer Gabriel Acevedo, guitarist Dee Dee James, keyboardist Bryan Tate and bassist Edgar Hinton. Shortly after the band was formed, a change of direction, a makeover and a name change turned the band into Kool Skool, by now consisting of members Bryan Tate, Edgar Hinton, DeeDee James, Gabriel Acevedo and Dion Craig who replaced Robert Jordan on lead vocals. In 1990, they released their self titled album “Kool Skool”. Kool Skool came and went, much like dá Krash did. Both of their albums were released on Capital Records.

In 1988, Johnson collaborated with Prince protégés Vanity and Sue Ann Carwell. Johnson produced Vanity tracks “Undress” and “Faraway Eyes” for the movie soundtrack, ”Action Jackson“. Johnson also provided production for Sue Ann Carwell on her “Blue Velvet” album.

The Time albums:

The Time (1981)

What Time Is It? (1982)

Ice Cream Castle (1984)

Pandemonium (1990)

Condensate (as The Original 7ven) (2011)

Jesse Johnson albums:

Jesse Johnson’s Revue (1985)

Shockadelic (1986)

Every Shade Of Love (1988)

Bare My Naked Soul (1996)

Verbal Penetration (2009)

Sue Ann Featuring Jesse Johnson “Blues In My Sunshine” (2010). 

Throughout the late 80s and early 90s Johnson was featured on several soundtracks. Johnson gained both commercial success and critical acclaim for his solo projects and collaborations with many well known artists.

Jesse Johnson continues to tour and perform music. He continues to release music to the music industry.

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Morris Day

Morris Day (born Morris Eugene Day on December 13, 1956) is an American singer, producer, musician, actor, and songwriter. Although a gifted drummer, he is best known as the charismatic lead singer of the Prince protégés group, The Time. Day contributed to the Minneapolis funk movement that exploded in the early 80’s. Day was a high-school classmate of both Prince and André Cymone. André Cymone introduced Morris Day to Prince and became band mates as Day first started playing drums in their high school band, Grand Central, later renamed Champagne while still at high school. The band’s manager was Day’s mother.

Later, Prince began his solo career when he landed a solo deal with Warner Bros. and released his first album “For You”. Prince wanted to explore other different musical styles. Under the moniker Jamie Starr, Prince began producing for protégés The Time, Vanity 6 and Sheila E. The song “Partyup”, is the eighth track on Prince’s 1980 album “Dirty Mind”. It was a groove created by Morris Day. In return for using the groove, Prince offered a choice of $10,000 or help in getting a band record deal. Day chose the recording deal so Prince helped to create The Time for Day in early 1981. The two largely created the group's first three albums. The acts went on tour and growing competitive tensions grew between Day and Prince. Mainly due to Prince’s use of mystery and control. Day landed his first of several future acting roles in the 1984 Prince film Purple Rain. The pair fell out after Purple Rain. In 1990, Morris Day and original The Time members reunited and appeared in the sequel film Graffiti Bridge, in which Day reprises his original Purple Rain role.

After selling millions of albums with The Time, Day launched his solo career on Warner Bros. with neither Prince nor any Time bandmates involvement in 1985. Day wrote, arranged, and produced the entire solo debut titled “Color Of Success” He also played drums and synthesizers on the project. As he embarked on his solo career, Day battled drug addiction.

The Time albums:

The Time (1981)

What Time Is It? (1982)

Ice Cream Castle (1984)

Pandemonium (1990)

The Original 7ven albums:

Condensate (2011)

Morris Day albums:

Color Of Success (1985)

Daydreaming (1987) Features Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Jellybean Johnson, Jesse Johnson and Jerome Benton from The Time on tracks “Fishnet” and “Love Is A Game”. A video for “Fishnet” was made with The Time members appearing.

Guaranteed (1992)

It’s About Time (2004)

Last Call (2022)

In 1990, Day formed his own girl band called The Day Zs on the Warner Bros./Reprise Records label. Day and Freeze wrote and produced the Day Zs only released, self-titled album. Day is featured on the track “Green Acres”. The band consisted of Cheri Wells (who was a part of the original line-up of the Mary Jane Girls, married and had a daughter with the late Jamie Chez from the Minneapolis band Ta Mara and The Seen), Cecelia Worrall, Kelli Gurman aka artist Remi, Tiffanie Smith and Shari Bender. The Day Zs played all of their own instruments.

In 2017, Day released the track “Over That Rainbow” in memory of Prince.

In 2020, Day released his memoir of the time centering around his lifelong relationship and association with Prince titled “On Time: A Princely Life In Funk”.

Day announced on September 13, 2022 that he will be retiring after his 2023 tour.

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Alexander O’Neal

Alexander O'Neal was born November 15, 1953, in Natchez, Mississippi, United States. At the age of 20, he relocated to Minneapolis, where he performed with several bands. He became a member of Enterprise for a brief period before joining Flyte Tyme, a band which included Monte Moir, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Jellybean Johnson. Along with Morris Day and Jesse Johnson, the band Flyte Tyme, evolved into the Prince protégés side project The Time in 1981. Prince initially recruited Alexander O'Neal as the group's frontman, yet that had fallen through. The Time songs with Alexander O'Neal singing remain unreleased.

Jam & Lewis began writing and producing songs for other artists in 1982 and 1983, while The Time was touring with Prince on the Triple Threat Tour. While producing the S.O.S. Band, they missed a flight for a gig after a blizzard stalled the planes in Atlanta . After the tour's end, Prince fired and fined Jam & Lewis. After parting ways with Prince, they established their recording studio and production company. Jam and Lewis became very successful and went on to work with many artists. One of the first artists was O’Neal. The duo made good on their word to O’Neal, if they made it, they we're going to come back and get O’Neal. O’Neal landed a record deal with the Tabu label. O'Neal, helped popularize the Minneapolis sound in the 80’s with cuts like “Criticize”, “Innocent” and “Fake”.

During his rise to fame, O’Neal battled drug addiction.

Alexander O’Neal albums.

Alexander O’Neal (1985) with production of Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Monte Moir and contributions from Jellybean Johnson.

Hearsay (1987) with production of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis with contributions from Jellybean Johnson and Jerome Benton.

My Gift To You (1988) with production of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis with contributions from Jellybean Johnson.

All True Man (1991) with production of Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Jellybean Johnson.

Love Makes No Sense (1993).

Lovers Again (1996).

Saga Of A Married Man (2001) produced by Bobby Z.

Alex Loves... (2008).

Five Questions: The New Journey (2010).

On March 9, 2013, O’Neal opened up the show for Bobby Z.'s 2nd Annual “Benefit 2 Celebrate Life”. The event was held at First Avenue & 7th St. Entry, in Minneapolis. Proceeds from the benefit went to the American Heart Association and Bobby Z's own My Purple Heart foundation. The purple lineup included: André Cymone, Dez Dickerson, Bobby Z, Dr. Fink, Alexander O'Neal and Stokely of Mint Condition. The band Princess, featuring Maya Rudolph, ?uestlove, of The Roots and other artists performed as well.

In 2017, O’Neal released his autobiography titled, “All True Man: The Official Autobiography”

O’Neal continues to release and perform musically.

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Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis

James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III (born June 6, 1959 in Minneapolis, MN) and Terry Steven Lewis (born November 24, 1956 in Omaha NE) known as Grammy Award-winning Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and songwriting/production team as major record producers. Funk band, The Time’s (aka The Original 7ven), keyboard player Jimmy Jam and bassist Terry Lewis played together in local Minneapolis bands while in high school. Later came the band Flyte Tyme, which evolved into the Prince protégés side project The Time. In 1981, they toured with Prince as his opening act for the Dirty Mind tour. By 1982, the group had already established itself as one of the hottest bands working the live circuit. They toured the 1999/Triple Threat Tour with Prince and Vanity 6. As members of The Time, they often showed Prince up and they played instruments for Vanity 6 performances behind a pink curtain before they were scheduled to perform their set. Jam & Lewis began writing and producing songs for other artists in 1982 and 1983, while The Time was still touring with Prince, they missed a flight to a San Antonio gig after a blizzard stalled the planes in Atlanta. After the tour's end, Prince fined and fired Jam & Lewis. Jam & Lewis had produced the SOS Band’s hit “Just Be Good To Me” when the gig was missed and they broke Prince’s rule that no member of The Time do outside work. Producing, “Just Be Good To Me”, became a big hit and sealed the duo’s reputation. After parting ways with Prince, they established their recording studio and production company, Flyte Tyme Productions. Jam & Lewis went on to work with Cherelle, Alexander O’Neal (who was originally to be the lead singer for The Time) and other legends, earning 100 gold, platinum, multi-platinum and diamond albums. However, their historic collaborations with Janet Jackson, which started off with her 1986 album “Control,” was the game-changer.

The Time albums:

The Time (1981)

What Time Is It? (1982)

Pandemonium (1990)

The Original 7ven albums:

Condensate (2011)

Jam & Lewis albums:

Jam & Lewis: Volume One (2021) - Morris Day and Jerome Benton are featured on the track “Babylove”.

1n 1990, the duo reunited with the other five original The Time members and appeared on Prince’s film Graffiti Bridge and its soundtrack.

In 1991, they founded a record label, Perspective Records. Mint Condition became an official group in 1989 after being discovered during a performance by Jam & Lewis, at the downtown Minneapolis historic music venue, First Avenue. The duo signed Mint Condition to Perspective Records soon afterward. The group is made up of lead singer and studio drummer Stokley Williams, guitarist Homer O'Dell, keyboardist Larry Waddell, keyboardist/saxophonist Jeff Allen, keyboardist/percussionist/guitarist Keri Lewis, and bassist Rick Kinchen. Their debut album, “Meant To Be Mint”, was released on June 11, 1991 on Perspective Records. The label has been closed and then reactivated by Jam & Lewis.

Jam & Lewis are known for their trademark black suits, shades, and fedoras.

In 2020, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis along with Sheila E. were nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction for the TV special Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince.

The duo were inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for Musical Excellence in 2022.

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Jill Jones

Jill Jones was born in Lebanon, Ohio on July 11, 1962. Jill's mother Winnie Jones was a model and a singer and her stepfather was Fuller Gordy, brother of Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records. Jill‘s mother managed then Motown artist Teena Marie.

At a very young age she was exposed to a lot of music. She lived with her grandparents up until her early teens when she moved with her mother to California where she got a bit more into the music business. She often observed studio sessions and became familiar with the way recording sessions are organized and how producers and engineers worked.

Jones performed as backing vocalist on a number of Teena Marie's Motown albums in the early 80s and also co-wrote the songs "Young Girl In Love" from the 1980 Lady T album and "The Ballad of Cradle Rob and Me" from the 1981 It Must Be Magic album. When she was 18, she met Prince in 1980, when Teena Marie was the opening act during his Dirty Mind tour. Prince encouraged her to sing, and the two stayed in touch. She became a backup singer for Prince when he invited her to the Sunset Sound recording studios in 1982, to sing backing vocals for several tracks on the 1999 album, notably “Lady Cab Driver”. She is credited under her initials as J.J. She also was featured in the music videos for the songs "1999" and "Automatic" and then joined the 1999 tour with Vanity 6, The Time and Prince for what was known as the Triple Threat Tour. After the tour, she moved to Minneapolis and became Prince's on-and-off again girlfriend. In 1984, she had a small part as a waitress at the First Avenue club in the hit film Purple Rain. She recorded the unreleased track “Wednesday” which was intended to be sung by Jill Jones in the movie Purple Rain. There was even talk of the accompanying album including tracks from associated artists and was included as the fifth track on a configuration of the Purple Rain soundtrack. In the end, the movie song performance and the ensemble version of the Purple Rain soundtrack was not to be.

In 1987, Jill also played in the short unreleased film, Hard Life, misdirected by Prince.

In 1990, Jill appeared in the Prince film, Graffiti Bridge, in a role as The Kid's girlfriend.

She was a regular on several studio sessions, singing on many different projects and providing backing vocals for the albums released by Prince, Sheila E., The Time, Apollonia 6, Mazarati and to many uncredited tracks. Also, Jill sang on tracks that remain unreleased to this day, which were intended for her first album and an intended second album.

Jill Jones albums:

Jill Jones (1987), Paisley Park

Two (2001), Dav Music

Wasted (2004), Peace Bisquit

I Am (2016), Peace Bisquit

Throughout Jill’s career, she has collaborated and released music with many well known artists.

"She's Always in My Hair", the 1985 B-side to "Raspberry Beret" was written about Jill.

Her debut album was the self-titled Jill Jones, released on Prince's Paisley Park Records. This album is oozing with Prince ‘s charm and Jill’s sexuality. It showcases and proves Jill’s incredible vocals as one of the best voices to come out of the purple camp and not that she is just another sexy Prince protégé.

In 2016, Jill released the song “I Miss You” in honor of Prince.

Jill Jones still makes music and releases that independently.

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The Girls (L-R: Sheila Rankin, Germain Brooks & Doris Rhodes)

The Girls were assembled by Prince associate André Cymone in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983. A combination of blatant but not overbearing sexuality, youthful freshness and undoubted vocal aptitudes, perfectly rendered by Doris Rhodes, Germain Brooks and Sheila Rankin. Along with a very Prince-influenced blend of funk, rock, and pop, The Girls were extremely Minneapolis-sounding. Their debut album, Girl Talk, came out the following year. In addition to producing Girl Talk, Cymone wrote or co-wrote all of the material. The Girls had all been active on the Minneapolis scene when they came together as a group. Brooks and Rankin had performed together in a group called the Style Band and Rhodes had been a member of an all-female group called Fantasy.

Rest In Peace Sheila Rankin.

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Apollonia 6 (L-R: Susan, Apollonia & Brenda)

After Vanity (Denise Mathews), the lead singer of Vanity 6, left the group to pursue a solo career with Motown Records and acting in films, she also left behind the co-starring role that she was supposed to play in the 1984 movie Purple Rain starring Prince. After a search for a replacement, Patricia Kotero (renamed Apollonia by Prince), entered into the role in the movie Purple Rain. She also became lead vocalist in the group Vanity left, Vanity 6. The other two remaining members of Vanity 6, Brenda Bennett and Susan Moonsie were joined by Apollonia, and the group was renamed Apollonia 6. The same lingerie imagery was used on record covers, the Purple Rain movie and in TV shows performances.

They performed the song “Sex Shooter” in the movie Purple Rain.

They released one self-titled album (1984).

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Dez Dickerson

Dickerson was born in 1955 as Desmond D'andrea Dickerson in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dickerson is a guitarist and singer who was a member of Prince's band, The Revolution. He contributed vocals to "Little Red Corvette" and "1999" on the 1999 album, as well as the guitar solo for "Little Red Corvette" that ranked number 64 on Guitar World'’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos. In addition, Dickerson made significant contributions to writing songs for fellow Prince protégés The Time and Vanity 6.

He became a fan-favorite in concert and was soon recognized for his trademark "Rising Sun" headband and for his guitar work. In 1980, Dickerson had a profound conversion experience and became a born-again Christian. Performing songs with sexual nature began to weigh his conscience. Following the 1999/Triple Threat Tour, Dickerson left the band to pursue other options. In 1984, he formed his own short-lived band, The Modernaires who were briefly featured in the film Purple Rain performing the song “Modernaire”.

In 2004, Dickerson released an autobiography titled “My Time With Prince: Confessions Of A Former Revolutionary”. The book tells his story covering from 1978 as a man who was on the inside from Prince's early years all the way to his huge success with "1999".

In 2005, Dickerson released a double CD titled “A Retrospective 1982-1987”, a self released compilation by Dickerson featuring the classic “Modernaire”, featuring Prince on guitars, keyboards and backing vocals. The compilation also contains his version of “After Hi School”. The song was written by Dickerson and was the third track on The Time’s first album “The Time”. Although the album does not contain any writing credits, it was produced and performed by Prince and Morris Day. The compilation also includes a live version of “When You Were Mine” recorded at a concert at Austin, Texas when Dickerson was the opening act for Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell Tour in 1984.

In 1987, Dickerson began writing and producing material for local Christian acts. In 1990, he was Vice President of A&R with the CCM label StarSong Communications. In 1994, Dickerson founded his own label, Absolute Records.

Albums;

OneMan (1999)

Rock Of Ages – Where Classic Hymns Meet Classic Rock! (2005)

A Retrospective 1982–1987 (2006)

The Time’s track from their second album “What Time Is It?”, "777-9311" was taken from Dez Dickerson's actual phone number causing him to change it after receiving uncontrollable unwanted calls. The song “Grace” was released as the B-side of “777-9311”. The song uses the musical backing of “777-9311”. The fictitious reporter in "Grace", lists it as her phone number.

Dickerson continues to perform, often collaborating with The Revolution.

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Prince And The Revolution

When Prince put together his backing band in Minneapolis, Minnesota after the release of his first album “For You”, he brought about a multi-racial, multi-gendered band which consisted of André Cymone on bass guitar and vocals, Dez Dickerson on guitar and vocals, Bobby Z. on drums, Gayle Chapman on keyboards and vocals, and Matt Fink on keyboards. In 1979, material was recorded with the band, acting as a side project known as The Rebels. The recordings were a group effort with lead vocals by Cymone, Dickerson or Chapman. The project was shelved for unknown reasons. The band underwent two line-up changes. Gayle Chapman quit the band in 1980 and was replaced by Lisa Coleman. André Cymone would leave the band in 1981 and was replaced by Mark Brown, renamed BrownMark by Prince. The words "and the Revolution" can be seen printed backwards on the cover of Prince’s fifth album 1999. The Revolution served as his live and studio band after making its studio album debut on 1999 (1982). The Revolution rose to international fame with the movie Purple Rain (1984) and the soundtrack which reached number one on the Billboard 200 and became certified 13× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The Revolution consisted of various band member line-ups from 1982 - 1986 consisting of: Dez Dickerson on guitar and vocals, BrownMark on bass, Bobby Z. on drums and percussion, Lisa Coleman on keyboards, piano, and vocals, Dr. Fink on keyboards, Jill Jones on vocals, Wendy Melvoin on guitar and vocals, Miko Weaver on guitar, Susannah Melvoin on backing vocals, Eric Leeds on saxophone, Matt "Atlanta Bliss" Blistan on trumpet and (known as The Bodyguards) Jerome Benton, Wally Safford and Greg Brooks as dancers, vocalists and comic foils. The group disbanded after the Parade Tour in 1986.

Rest In Peace Wally Safford.

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Sheila E.

Sheila Cecilia Escovedo (born December 12, 1957 in Oakland, California, U.S.A) better known as name Sheila E., is an American percussionist, drummer, singer, songwriter and actress. Born into a musical family, she is the first of four children to her French Creole mother, Juanita, and her father, Pete Escovedo, a well-known Mexican American jazz percussionist. Her four paternal uncles were also well-known musicians, as was her Godfather, Tito Puente. Sheila E. played several instruments as a child. She eventually picked up the drums and has continued with percussion throughout her career.

Prince met Sheila E. at a concert in 1977, when she was performing with her father Pete Escovedo. The two kept in touch and would eventually work together during the Purple Rain recording sessions. In 1984, Sheila E. and Prince collaborated on the single, synth funk track “Erotic City”, the B-side to "Let's Go Crazy". Taken under Prince's wing, Sheila also worked for Prince on Apollonia 6’s album and it was during this project that Prince advised her to go solo. She proved to be a successful artist in her own right starting with her 1984 debut album “The Glamorous Life”, which she and Prince compiled over the course of a week of jam sessions. She became a mainstream solo star and sex symbol. She also toured as the opening act for Prince's Purple Rain Tour with her band (later named The E Team). Often Sheila with her band members Juan E., Eddie M., Mico Weaver and Susie Davis would join The Revolution on stage for the songs "I Would Die 4 U", "Baby I'm a Star" and “Purple Rain”. Eventually Prince and Sheila E. embarked on an occasionally romantic partnership as well as well as musical.

Sheila E. and The E Team (L-R: Karl Perazzo, Benny Rietveld, Stef Burns, Susie Davis, Ken Grey, Sheila E., Eddie M and Juan E.)

In 1985, Sheila E. appeared in the film Krush Groove and also performed her songs “A Love Bizarre” and “Holly Rock” with her E Team band as part of her role. She also appeared in Prince's concert film, Sign "O" the Times in 1987, as well as a couple other films.

Sheila continued work with Prince and recorded and released her third album on Prince’s Paisley Park label. Sheila later served as Prince's drummer and musical director in his band during the tours from 1987 to 1989. She continued to collaborate with Prince performing on TV award ceremonies and as a musical guest on his concert tours throughout their careers.

From the beginning and throughout her career, Sheila has collaborated with many well known artists. She has won and been nominated for many awards. Sheila has also directed many musical events in the entertainment business.

In 2009, Sheila E. participated and won the CMT reality show, Gone Country giving her an opportunity to release her first song in the country genre titled "Glorious Train". A video for the song was made and debuted on CMT.

Sheila E. albums:

The Glamorous Life (1984)

Romance 1600 (1985)

Sheila E. (1987)

Sex Cymbal (1991)

Writes Of Passage (2000)

Heaven (2001)

Icon (2013)

Iconic: Message 4 America (2017)

On June 26, 2016, Sheila (with members of her band, Jerome Benton, Mayte and The New Power Generation) led a tribute to Prince on the 2016 BET Awards, featuring a medley of his hits. She released the song, "Girl Meets Boy," in honor of Prince the next day.

In 2020, Sheila E. along with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis were nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction for the TV special Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince.

Sheila E. continues to tour and perform music. She continues to release music to the music industry by way of the entertainment company Stiletto Flats, Inc. where Sheila E. Is the CEO.

She is known as the "Queen of Percussion".

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André Cymone

André Cymone born Andre Simon Anderson; June 27, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States is multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer. Andrè grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota with Prince. They met in the 7th grade at Bryant Junior High School. Cymone and Prince, whose fathers also played together, were in fledgling bands Grand Central and Champagne. Cymone was the youngest of six children. The Anderson home took in a young Prince who left his own home due to conflicts with his father. Prince's cousin started the band Grand Central and later invited Prince and Cymone. The band also included Cymone's sister Linda and Morris Day. Later, the band changed their name to Champagne. Prince signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. After Prince released his debut, 1978's “For You”, he had Cymone join his touring band pre-Revolution as its bass guitarist. Cymone stayed with Prince until 1981 when he quit the band and embarked on a solo career. André signed a deal with Columbia. He went on to release 3 solo albums – Livin' In The New Wave (1982), Survivin' in the 80s (1983), and AC (1985). His most notable song written by Prince – was "The Dance Electric" from the AC album.

In 1983, he assembled his protégés trio girl band, The Girls which consisted of members Sheila Rankin, Germain Brooks, and Doris Rhodes. The band had a sexy image, R-rated lyrics, and sounded Minneapolis-style. Cymone wrote/co-wrote all of the material, including the single "Don’t Waste My Time" and produced the band’s debut and only album "Girl Talk" in 1984 on the Columbia Records label.

Albums:

Livin' In The New Wave (1982)

Survivin' In The 80’s (1983)

AC (1985)

The Stone (2014)

Black Man In America EP (2016)

1969 (2017)

Cymone went on to become a successful producer and is better known for producing Jody Watley (to whom he married and had a son). He produced and wrote hit songs for several other artists throughout the ‘80s and early ‘90s.

From the mid '90s onward, Cymone wasn't as visibly active. He worked with fellow Prince associate St. Paul Peterson on The Mighty Soulmates project in 1994. The project was unreleased until 2021. The Mighty Soulmates is an early 90s project from the legitimate super-group of André Cymone, St. Paul Peterson (keyboard player in The Time and lead singer in Prince’s group The Family), Mic Murphy and Gardner Cole.

André continues to perform and release music albums and singles to the music industry.

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Vanity 6 (L-R: Brenda, Vanity and Susan)

Photographed by Govert De Roos in Amsterdam, November 1982.

Vanity 6 was female vocal trio that gained popularity in the early 1980s for their lingerie outfits image and sexually exploitative lyrics. Members included Denise “Vanity” Mathews, Brenda Bennett and Susan Moonsie. They were protégés of musician Prince. Their debut and only studio album was released on August 11, 1982. Vanity 6 opened up on the Prince 1999/Triple Threat Tour in 1982 and 1983, which also featured The Time. On tour, The Time would play the music for Vanity 6, hidden behind a pink curtain. Jill Jones provided vocals from backstage as well.

“Nasty Girl” was the second single to be released from Vanity 6 album. It remained 4 weeks at the number 1 position on the Billboard Dance/Disco Top 80 chart.

Originally the group was to be called The Hookers featuring a different lineup with the exception of Susan Moonsie.

The group was called Vanity 6 because among the three members, there were six breasts.

The band is credited for performing vocals on The Time song “The Walk” from the What Time Is It? album.

A second album was planned and tracks recorded but shelved when Vanity left the group and decided not to participate in the Purple Rain movie. Two songs “Sex Shooter” with cut vocals by Vanity and “Vibrator” were considered for the second album, have been leaked. “Vibrator” features spoken vocals by Jill Jones and Prince in his Jamie Starr voice.

Rest In Peace Denise Mathews.

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The Hookers - (L-R: Loreen Moonsie, Jamie Shoop and Susan Moonsie

The Hookers planned (debut) album was recorded in 1981. Prince came up with an overall concept of a sexy girl group singing in lingerie, and began recording songs in his home studio. The group initially consisted of his personal assistant, Jamie Shoop and the sisters Loreen and Susan Moonsie. None of whom had any previous singing experience or formal musical training. At least nine songs were recorded by Prince for this project. While Prince was on the Controversy tour, Jamie Shoop and Loreen Moonsie let Prince know that they were not interested in the group project and were replaced by Denise Mathews aka Vanity and Brenda Bennett. The group evolved into Vanity 6.

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Sue Ann Carwell

Sue Ann Carwell, aka Sue Ann, is an American singer born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Carwell embarked on a musical career collaborating with Prince in his early years. Prince met Sue Ann when he was forming his band, just after the release of his first album “For You” (1978). They agreed to work together and he began writing and recording for her at his studio home in Edna, Minnesota. Prince proposed to Sue Ann that she be called "Suzy Stone" although Carwell didn't want to use a fictitious name to launch her career. A demo was proposed to Warner Bros. but determined that the songs sounded too much like his own. The project was aborted. After the aborted project, Carwell signed a management contract with Prince’s prior manager Owen Husney and ironically landed a record contract credited as Sue Ann, with Warner Bros. Carwell released her first self-titled album “Sue Ann” in 1981. The second single release “Let Me Let You Rock Me” contained a version of the song “Make It Through The Storm” as the B-side single (and non-album track). She had recorded a version of the song in 1978 as part of aborted “Suzy Stone” project. Prince is uncredited on this version although the music is basically the same. Chris Moon took full credit in exchange for full credit on “My Love Is Forever” to Prince.

Maintaining her Minneapolis roots, she brushed with being a Prince protégé, as the two kept in touch following years of the aborted project. She notably did some background vocals on The Time’s first self-titled album “The Time “(1981) and as opening act or a guest on some Prince and The Time shows during 1982 and 1983. She collaborated extensively with Jesse Johnson and appears singing background on his “Love Struck”' music video (1988). She co-wrote the song by Vanity, “Faraway Eyes” from the Action Jackson film soundtrack. Carwell provided background vocals for BrownMark on his solo album “Just Like That” (1988). She collaborated with The Original 7ven (The Time) on the track “Strawberry Lake” from the “Condensate” album (2011).

Sue Ann/Sue Ann Carwell albums:

Sue Ann (1981)

Blue Velvet (1988)

Painkiller (1992)

Sue Ann Featuring Jesse Johnson “Blues In My Sunshine” (2010).

Carwell released a Prince penned, song combo, rendition titled New Position (I Wonder You)” (2018) taken from the Prince And The Revolution album “Parade” (1986).

Throughout her career, she has collaborated with many notable artists and is well known in the music industry.

Carwell continues to perform and release music.

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The Time / The Original 7ven

L-R: Terry Lewis, Monte Moir, Jerome Benton, Jimmy Jam, Morris Day, Jesse Johnson and Jellybean Johnson

Photographer Aaron Rapoport.

Formed in Minneapolis in 1981. Their work has been a part of the formation of the Minneapolis sound. They are popular protégés of Prince and arguably his most successful side project. Built out of an existing Minneapolis funk unit called Flyte Tyme, featuring Jellybean Johnson on drums, Jimmy Jam and Monte Moir on keyboards and Terry Lewis on bass. To this center, from another Minneapolis band, musicans Jesse Johnson on guitar and Morris Day on lead vocals who was initially on drums. Originally, Alexander O'Neal was tapped for the vocalist slot yet that had fallen through. Jerome Benton also became a member of The Time, playing minimal percussion but his main contributions are backing vocals, dancing and various on-stage antics.

In 1981, they toured with Prince as his opening act for the Dirty Mind tour. By 1982, the group had already established itself as one of the hottest bands working the live circuit. They toured the 1999/Triple Threat Tour with Prince and Vanity 6. As the tour continued from city to city, The Time performances, often showed Prince up. Prince’s use of mystery and control caused growing competitive tensions. Before going on to play their own hourlong set, The Time would play as Vanity 6's backing band with Jill Jones providing additional vocals from behind a pink curtain. Jam & Lewis began writing and producing songs for other artists in 1982 and 1983. The Time was still touring with Prince. In between cities they were producing for the S.O.S. Band in Atlanta, they missed a flight to a San Antonio gig after a blizzard stalled the planes in Atlanta. This caused for some quick decision making to be made for that gig in which Jerome had to mime playing bass guitar on stage while Prince played Lewis' part off stage and Lisa Coleman stood in for Jimmy Jam. After the tour's end, Prince fined and fired Jam & Lewis for breaking the rule that no member of The Time do outside work. Producing, “Just Be Good To Me”, became a big hit and sealed the duo’s reputation. After parting ways with Prince, they established their recording studio and production company. Monte Moir took the opportunity to quit, and also worked with Jam and Lewis. The three were replaced with Mark Cardenas and Paul Peterson on keyboards and Rocky Harris on bass. This new line up is shown on the “Ice Cream Castle” album cover. Rocky Harris was replaced by Jerry Hubbard and appears in Prince's Purple Rain along with the other band members.

1984 Lineup, Left - Right: Rocky Harris, St. Paul Peterson, Jerome Benton, Morris Day, Jesse Johnson, Mark Cardenas & Jellybean Johnson. Not pictured Jerry Hubbard replacing Rocky Harris, was featured in Prince's Purple Rain film.

Prince firing Jam and Lewis added to the tensions and soured the band's relationship with Prince. Although Prince would state in a 1990 Rolling Stone magazine interview that he "didn't fire Jam and Lewis. Morris asked him what he would do in his situation. Remember, it was Morris’ band”.

Day left next after continued conflicts with Prince. He embarked on a solo career in 1985. His successful acting in Purple Rain would bring on more acting opportunities. Soon Jesse Johnson also left to go solo taking Time members Mark Cardenas and Jerry Hubbard with him for his Jesse Johnson s Revue project. The Time broke up. Remaining members Jerome Benton, Jellybean Johnson and St. Paul Peterson reformed into a new very short-lived band project called The Family.

With the exception of Monte Moir, the original members of The Time reunited for Morris Day's second solo album “Daydreaming”, released in 1987. They are on two tracks written and produced by Jam & Lewis: "Fishnet" and "Love Is A Game". "Fishnet” hit the number one spot on the R&B chart in 1988. A video for “Fishnet” was made with all participating members appearing.

In 1990, the original seven members of the band reunited for the Prince Graffiti Bridge movie and soundtrack, as well as a new album titled “Pandemonium”. Warner Bros. asked that The Time original line-up be brought in if Prince wanted the company's backing for the movie. This gave them their highest selling single, "Jerk Out" off the “Pandemonium” album. The album contained more input from the members than prior albums.

The original Time members would unite on several occasions. In 2008, they reunited for the 50th Grammy Awards performing a medley that included Rihanna. Also in June and July of 2008, all of the original members of The Time reunited once again for a series of shows at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. On June 13, 2010, they played a hometown reunion concert in Minneapolis.

Prince owned the rights to the band name The Time and did not allow permission for new projects. The original Time members, under a name change to The Original 7ven, released a new album titled “Condensate” on October 18, 2011 with the single "#Trendin" released on September 20. Guest Sue Ann Carwell provided vocals on the track “Strawberry Lake”. There is no input from Prince on the album. On October 27, 2011, The Original 7ven appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The Original 7ven opened the Soul Train Music Awards broadcasted on November 27, 2011. In December of 2011, the band parted ways after Jesse Johnson first left the group.

Through out the years and in between original band member reconciliations, Morris Day, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir and various new members would tour and perform under the name Morris Day and The Time.

The Time albums:

The Time (1981)

What Time Is It? (1982)

Ice Cream Castle (1984)

Pandemonium (1990)

The Original 7ven albums:

Condensate (2011)

The Time is credited as musicians on the eponymous album Vanity 6 (1982).

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for Musical Excellence in 2022.

Day announced on September 13, 2022 that he will be retiring after his 2023 tour.

Rest In Peace Rocky Harris.