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Prince · S1 E6
The Demo
A nineteen-year-old walks into Sound 80 Studios with a plan. He plays every instrument, sings every part, and hands the tape to Owen Husney
Moon Sound Studio, Minneapolis, 1976. A teenager walks in with nothing but a guitar case and an offer: he will record music for free if they let him use the studio after hours.
Prince, Baby I'm a Star (Live, 1984). A teenager who recorded a demo tape alone in a Minneapolis studio becomes the most electrifying performer on the planet. This is what Owen Husney heard in that tape before anyone else did.
Chris Moon
Chris Moon runs a small recording studio on the south side of Minneapolis. He is a songwriter who needs a musician, and word reaches him about a teenager from the North Side who can play everything. Moon makes Prince an offer: lay down instrumental tracks for Moon's demos during the day, and use the equipment alone at night for free.
TAP TO REVEAL: What happened when Chris Moon left Prince alone in the studio?
“When I heard that demo, I couldn't believe one person did all of that. I thought it was a full band. When they told me it was one kid, I dropped everything.”
— Owen Husney, as quoted in Prince: The Man and His Music (2016)
Owen Husney
Owen Husney is a Minneapolis advertising executive with connections in the music industry. When Chris Moon plays him Prince's recordings, Husney knows immediately that this is extraordinary. He becomes Prince's manager and books time at Sound 80 Studios to record a polished demo tape worthy of major labels.
Who became Prince's first professional manager after hearing his demo tape?
My Name Is Prince, Prince and the New Power Generation
From the Love Symbol Album (1992). Prince opens this track by announcing himself like there was never any doubt. The perfect bookend to a season that began with a boy being given the name and ends with a man who made it unforgettable.
Warner Bros signs Prince Rogers Nelson at nineteen years old, with full creative control and the right to produce his own album. Next season: For You, twenty-seven instruments, and the most expensive debut recording in Warner Bros history.
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To be continued
Season 2: For You
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