This is my arrangement of Purple Rain which I created as a tribute to Prince.

April 21, 2016

The day that Prince died I felt the same way I feel when any celebrity dies; a mild feeling of sorrow, but a bit detached because I didn’t really “know” the person.
So, I was shocked when I woke up the following day with a feeling of intense loss and sadness. This feeling of loss lasted for about a month and I still feel sorrow when I think about it.

I had never felt this way about a celebrity death before so it was a bit confusing for me.
But, after some reflection I realized how important Prince was during my formative years.
He was such a huge influence on me musically. I looked up to him so much and saw him as a musical genius.

It is a rare combination for an entertainer to be talented in so many amazing ways: composer, guitarist, pianist, drummer, dancer, producer, engineer, singer, and performer.

I wanted to be Prince when I was growing up. He simply amazed me album after album.
So, I guess in a way, I felt that part of me died when he did.

The day after he died I decided to honor his memory by creating an arrangement of what I still believe to be his most beautiful song, and one of the most beautiful songs in existence.
I can not do this song justice, but it was important to me to give back to someone who meant so much to me during my life.