I am not talking about people in his band like Bonnie.

I would say Sheena Easton was his best singing protege..couldn't dance for shit. But her voice was something else.

Worst singer: probably Apollonia. I hate to say it but Sheila E's voice is kind of weak. Not bad, but not much to it. Vanity had a solid and sexy voice but wasn't a great singer.

Wendy and lisa had pleasant voices but I think of them more as bandmates.

Am I missing anyone?

Rosie Gaines blows the Drawz off ALL OF THEM!!!!!

purplerabbithole said:

I am not talking about people in his band like Bonnie.

I would say Sheena Easton was his best singing protege..couldn't dance for shit. But her voice was something else.

Worst singer: probably Apollonia. I hate to say it but Sheila E's voice is kind of weak. Not bad, but not much to it. Vanity had a solid and sexy voice but wasn't a great singer.

Wendy and lisa had pleasant voices but I think of them more as bandmates.

Am I missing anyone?

Seriously?

Jill Jones, as he put it himself

Prince loved her voice. Vocally he said she was a ‘cliffdiver.’

Then you got everyone else in Vanity/Apollonia 6, Susannah Melvoin and various backing vocalists that crop up all over the place and all sorts of one off singers

http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Albums:_Related_Artists

[Edited 1/15/17 16:50pm]

I thought of her as the 1990's.

woogiebear said:

Rosie Gaines blows the Drawz off ALL OF THEM!!!!!

I don't know Susannah's voice to be honest with you...so I just clumped her with Wendy and Lisa.

In fact, I didn't pay much attention to backing vocalists.

Jill Jones is an excellent point.

What do you all think about Sheena Easton as a singer? I used to own her album as a kid. I didn't even own any prince albums as a kid. But I remember listening to Sugar Walls as a kid and loving it even though I had no idea how dirty it was. I recently listened to again and was kind of blown away by her singing.

jaawwnn said:

purplerabbithole said:

I am not talking about people in his band like Bonnie.

I would say Sheena Easton was his best singing protege..couldn't dance for shit. But her voice was something else.

Worst singer: probably Apollonia. I hate to say it but Sheila E's voice is kind of weak. Not bad, but not much to it. Vanity had a solid and sexy voice but wasn't a great singer.

Wendy and lisa had pleasant voices but I think of them more as bandmates.

Am I missing anyone?

Seriously?

Jill Jones, as he put it himself

Prince loved her voice. Vocally he said she was a ‘cliffdiver.’

Then you got everyone else in Vanity/Apollonia 6, Susannah Melvoin and various backing vocalists that crop up all over the place and all sorts of one off singers

http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Albums:_Related_Artists

[Edited 1/15/17 16:50pm]

woogiebear said:

Rosie Gaines blows the Drawz off ALL OF THEM!!!!!

purplerabbithole said:

I don't know Susannah's voice to be honest with you...so I just clumped her with Wendy and Lisa.

In fact, I didn't pay much attention to backing vocalists.

Jill Jones is an excellent point.

What do you all think about Sheena Easton as a singer? I used to own her album as a kid. I didn't even own any prince albums as a kid. But I remember listening to Sugar Walls as a kid and loving it even though I had no idea how dirty it was. I recently listened to again and was kind of blown away by her singing.

jaawwnn said:

Seriously?

Jill Jones, as he put it himself

Prince loved her voice. Vocally he said she was a ‘cliffdiver.’

Then you got everyone else in Vanity/Apollonia 6, Susannah Melvoin and various backing vocalists that crop up all over the place and all sorts of one off singers

http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Albums:_Related_Artists

[Edited 1/15/17 16:50pm]

Sheena is kind of better known around these parts as the kid singing 9 to 5 (see here) who made it famous from a tv show so that colours everything and means it's always a bit funny when she's trying to do sexy, singing sugar walls and strut and the like BUT.... I do think she's great. She has a fantastic voice and when given the right song it can all really can take off. To his credit I think Prince saw something in her that a lot of others didn't; Sugar Walls, 101, Eternity, these are all classics if you're a Prince fan and she's brilliant on U Got the Look of course.

[Edited 1/15/17 18:52pm]

woogiebear said:

Rosie Gaines blows the Drawz off ALL OF THEM!!!!!

I so agree. I was listening to Diamonds & Pearls and I thought wow this lady can sing and their voices blended so well together.

[Edited 1/16/17 19:56pm]

Jill Jones

If people want to hear more of Susannah's voice you have to listen and buy the Family's first and only album with Prince.

Sheena Easton

Brenda Barnett of Vanity has the best voice and even though she didnt went solo she worked with Prince and Vanity.

Obviously Mavis Staples.

purplerabbithole said:

I am not talking about people in his band like Bonnie.

I would say Sheena Easton was his best singing protege..couldn't dance for shit. But her voice was something else.

Worst singer: probably Apollonia. I hate to say it but Sheila E's voice is kind of weak. Not bad, but not much to it. Vanity had a solid and sexy voice but wasn't a great singer.

Wendy and lisa had pleasant voices but I think of them more as bandmates.

Am I missing anyone?

Sheena Easton wasn't Prince's protege. She was an independant artist not 'molded' by Prince

woogiebear said:

Rosie Gaines blows the Drawz off ALL OF THEM!!!!!

Rosie wasn't 80s

wonder505 said:

Tamar. Their voices blended beautifully together.

Prince didn't work with her in the 80s

Morris Day Jill Jones St Paul Peterson & Susannah Melvoin are the top 4 best vocalists who were proteges

.

I think Taja Sevelle is up there too, but I'm not as familiar with her voice ... Love Is Contageous / Wouldn't U Love 2 Love me

.

1980s Proteges

the Time
Vanity 6
Sheila E

the Family
Mazarati
Madhouse
Jill Jones
Taja Sevelle

* I don't count Apollonia, because she joined to fill the film role, not a singers role.

.

I guess we can count some of the 88/89 groups coming into Paisley Park? I don't know if they were proteges proper though.

Susannah was co lead vocalist on the Family album 1985

http://prince.org/msg/7/437627

.

Jill Jones was a backing vocalist/sessions singer too until her 1987 album release

.

Prince did work a song or 2 or instrument on other peoples albums back then but they were not proteges.
.
Sheena Easton was not a protege

Mavis Staples(1990) was not a protege at all

Chaka Khan was not a protege(I Feel For You)

Stevie Nicks(Prince played keyboards on and inspired Stand Back) not a protege

the Bangles(Manic Monday) not proteges

etc

purplerabbithole said:

I don't know Susannah's voice to be honest with you...so I just clumped her with Wendy and Lisa.

In fact, I didn't pay much attention to backing vocalists.

Jill Jones is an excellent point.

What do you all think about Sheena Easton as a singer? I used to own her album as a kid. I didn't even own any prince albums as a kid. But I remember listening to Sugar Walls as a kid and loving it even though I had no idea how dirty it was. I recently listened to again and was kind of blown away by her singing.

jaawwnn said:

Seriously?

Jill Jones, as he put it himself

Prince loved her voice. Vocally he said she was a ‘cliffdiver.’

Then you got everyone else in Vanity/Apollonia 6, Susannah Melvoin and various backing vocalists that crop up all over the place and all sorts of one off singers

http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Albums:_Related_Artists

[Edited 1/15/17 16:50pm]

woogiebear said:

Rosie Gaines blows the Drawz off ALL OF THEM!!!!!

And Jill Jones......And Brenda Bennett (SHE was the PUREST SINGER in the 6's!!!!!). Wish We would've heard more of the Late Boni Boyer, but I would put Her in there as well!!!!

OldFriends4Sale said:

wonder505 said:

Tamar. Their voices blended beautifully together.

Prince didn't work with her in the 80s

Oh sorry! My eyes failed to read the title completely.

Jill Jones

purplerabbithole said:

I am not talking about people in his band like Bonnie.

I would say Sheena Easton was his best singing protege..couldn't dance for shit. But her voice was something else.

Worst singer: probably Apollonia. I hate to say it but Sheila E's voice is kind of weak. Not bad, but not much to it. Vanity had a solid and sexy voice but wasn't a great singer.

Wendy and lisa had pleasant voices but I think of them more as bandmates.

Am I missing anyone?

Sheena Easton wasn't a Prince protégé. She had a career that was totally independent from Prince, who just gave her a few songs, as dozens of other songwriters also did at the time.

.

Female vocalists who would qualified as such, outside Prince's own band and for the 80's only would be Vanity, Susan Moonsie, Brenda Bennett, Apollonia, Sheila E., Susannah, Jill Jones and (oddly as it sounds given her previous accomplishments) Mavis Staples.

.

Jill and Mavis are, by far, the most accomplished vocalists of the lot from a technical standpoint.

.

I wouldn't count Taja Sevelle and Dale Bozzio as protégés because all Prince did really was get them a record deal with WB and give them one or 2 songs, but past that he wasn't involved in their albums or careers at all.

.

Margie Cox and Robin Power also fell under the protégé category in the late 80's but nothing came out of it.

databank said:

purplerabbithole said:

I am not talking about people in his band like Bonnie.

I would say Sheena Easton was his best singing protege..couldn't dance for shit. But her voice was something else.

Worst singer: probably Apollonia. I hate to say it but Sheila E's voice is kind of weak. Not bad, but not much to it. Vanity had a solid and sexy voice but wasn't a great singer.

Wendy and lisa had pleasant voices but I think of them more as bandmates.

Am I missing anyone?

Sheena Easton wasn't a Prince protégé. She had a career that was totally independent from Prince, who just gave her a few songs, as dozens of other songwriters also did at the time.

.

Female vocalists who would qualified as such, outside Prince's own band and for the 80's only would be Vanity, Susan Moonsie, Brenda Bennett, Apollonia, Sheila E., Susannah, Jill Jones and (oddly as it sounds given her previous accomplishments) Mavis Staples.

.

Jill and Mavis are, by far, the most accomplished vocalists of the lot from a technical standpoint.

.

I wouldn't count Taja Sevelle and Dale Bozzio as protégés because all Prince did really was get them a record deal with WB and give them one or 2 songs, but past that he wasn't involved in their albums or careers at all.

.

Margie Cox and Robin Power also fell under the protégé category in the late 80's but nothing came out of it.

Mavis Staples also doesn't count. She had a career before Prince was out of high school.

OldFriends4Sale said:

databank said:

Sheena Easton wasn't a Prince protégé. She had a career that was totally independent from Prince, who just gave her a few songs, as dozens of other songwriters also did at the time.

.

Female vocalists who would qualified as such, outside Prince's own band and for the 80's only would be Vanity, Susan Moonsie, Brenda Bennett, Apollonia, Sheila E., Susannah, Jill Jones and (oddly as it sounds given her previous accomplishments) Mavis Staples.

.

Jill and Mavis are, by far, the most accomplished vocalists of the lot from a technical standpoint.

.

I wouldn't count Taja Sevelle and Dale Bozzio as protégés because all Prince did really was get them a record deal with WB and give them one or 2 songs, but past that he wasn't involved in their albums or careers at all.

.

Margie Cox and Robin Power also fell under the protégé category in the late 80's but nothing came out of it.

Mavis Staples also doesn't count. She had a career before Prince was out of high school.

Sheila also had a career. Few poeple know it but beyond her work as a bandmember and a session musician, she even had released 2 full lenght albums with her dad as "Pete & Sheila Escovedo" in the late 70's: I only discovered the existence of those records about 2 years ago, I have no idea why no one will ever acknowledge them

But if you stick to the definition of protégé ("a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person."), Mavis was indeed supported by a person who was more influential that her at the time, and beyond signing her Prince composed the most part of 2 records for her and had her tour as an opening act.

databank said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Mavis Staples also doesn't count. She had a career before Prince was out of high school.

Sheila also had a career. Few poeple know it but beyond her work as a bandmember and a session musician, she even had released 2 full lenght albums with her dad as "Pete & Sheila Escovedo" in the late 70's: I only discovered the existence of those records about 2 years ago, I have no idea why no one will ever acknowledge them

But if you stick to the definition of protégé ("a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person."), Mavis was indeed supported by a person who was more influential that her at the time, and beyond signing her Prince composed the most part of 2 records for her and had her tour as an opening act.

Yep. I know of Sheila E's
Dez had a band before Prince and of course as time goes on into the 90s and 2000s more people will have worked a lot prior to joing Prince's camp.

.

I don't think Mavis (and the Staples singers) I'll Take You There / Let's Do It Again, was guided by Prince. He went after Mavis because of her previous career, and wanted her in his movie for a key position. Prince never changed Mavis, she did dress the Uptown look, even with the music Prince did for her, Mavis was always the Mavis she was years before Prince connected with her.

.
I see what she did with Prince similar to what Prince did with Tony LeMans & Taja Sevelle. Prince did some music with Bonnie Rait. and if she released an album and opened for him, I still don't think she would be considered a protege.

.

Is Madonna then Prince's protege? A lot of her Like A Virgin years/tour look was actually designed by Prince. He did song or two for her(played on a song or two) he wanted her originally 4 Graffiti Bridge etc.
.
But I don't think Mavis was supported by Prince. She's an entertainer that did some work with Prince.
.
Sheila E was. Her whole career was directly influenced by being a protege of Prince. The fact that she took center mic, is the result of Prince. In a very good way, everything about Sheila E today is because she was a purple protege

OldFriends4Sale said:

databank said:

Sheila also had a career. Few poeple know it but beyond her work as a bandmember and a session musician, she even had released 2 full lenght albums with her dad as "Pete & Sheila Escovedo" in the late 70's: I only discovered the existence of those records about 2 years ago, I have no idea why no one will ever acknowledge them

But if you stick to the definition of protégé ("a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person."), Mavis was indeed supported by a person who was more influential that her at the time, and beyond signing her Prince composed the most part of 2 records for her and had her tour as an opening act.

Yep. I know of Sheila E's
Dez had a band before Prince and of course as time goes on into the 90s and 2000s more people will have worked a lot prior to joing Prince's camp.

.

I don't think Mavis (and the Staples singers) I'll Take You There / Let's Do It Again, was guided by Prince. He went after Mavis because of her previous career, and wanted her in his movie for a key position. Prince never changed Mavis, she did dress the Uptown look, even with the music Prince did for her, Mavis was always the Mavis she was years before Prince connected with her.

.
I see what she did with Prince similar to what Prince did with Tony LeMans & Taja Sevelle. Prince did some music with Bonnie Rait. and if she released an album and opened for him, I still don't think she would be considered a protege.

.

Is Madonna then Prince's protege? A lot of her Like A Virgin years/tour look was actually designed by Prince. He did song or two for her(played on a song or two) he wanted her originally 4 Graffiti Bridge etc.
.
But I don't think Mavis was supported by Prince. She's an entertainer that did some work with Prince.
.
Sheila E was. Her whole career was directly influenced by being a protege of Prince. The fact that she took center mic, is the result of Prince. In a very good way, everything about Sheila E today is because she was a purple protege

Well we could argue about that for ages and never come to a definitive answer because, in Mavis' case, there's none. I myself wrote that calling her a protege was a little far fetched in my original comment. And it's true that she kept touring with the Staple Singers even during her Paisley days (I saw them live in 92). I'd consider her a "temporary" protégé from 89-93 but I ain't gonna got at war with anyone who says she wasn't.

It is unconceivable, however, to consider Sheena a Prince protégé.

.

In regards to what you wrote, I'm not sure whether Prince had Mavis in mind when he composed Melody Cool, or whether he was already considering her for the GB role when he offered her the deal. What I know is that he heard her on Baby Go Go and loved her voice (incidentally, the other 89-93 PP veteran, George, was also featured on that song, to the point where one may wonder if Nona wasn't indirectly responsible for both George and Mavis being signed on PP).

.

I had no idea Prince had anything to do with Madonna's look or tour during the LAV era. Did Madonna state this?

databank said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Yep. I know of Sheila E's
Dez had a band before Prince and of course as time goes on into the 90s and 2000s more people will have worked a lot prior to joing Prince's camp.

.

I don't think Mavis (and the Staples singers) I'll Take You There / Let's Do It Again, was guided by Prince. He went after Mavis because of her previous career, and wanted her in his movie for a key position. Prince never changed Mavis, she did dress the Uptown look, even with the music Prince did for her, Mavis was always the Mavis she was years before Prince connected with her.

.
I see what she did with Prince similar to what Prince did with Tony LeMans & Taja Sevelle. Prince did some music with Bonnie Rait. and if she released an album and opened for him, I still don't think she would be considered a protege.

.

Is Madonna then Prince's protege? A lot of her Like A Virgin years/tour look was actually designed by Prince. He did song or two for her(played on a song or two) he wanted her originally 4 Graffiti Bridge etc.
.
But I don't think Mavis was supported by Prince. She's an entertainer that did some work with Prince.
.
Sheila E was. Her whole career was directly influenced by being a protege of Prince. The fact that she took center mic, is the result of Prince. In a very good way, everything about Sheila E today is because she was a purple protege

Well we could argue about that for ages and never come to a definitive answer because, in Mavis' case, there's none. I myself wrote that calling her a protege was a little far fetched in my original comment. And it's true that she kept touring with the Staple Singers even during her Paisley days (I saw them live in 92). I'd consider her a "temporary" protégé from 89-93 but I ain't gonna got at war with anyone who says she wasn't.

It is unconceivable, however, to consider Sheena a Prince protégé.

.

In regards to what you wrote, I'm not sure whether Prince had Mavis in mind when he composed Melody Cool, or whether he was already considering her for the GB role when he offered her the deal. What I know is that he heard her on Baby Go Go and loved her voice (incidentally, the other 89-93 PP veteran, George, was also featured on that song, to the point where one may wonder if Nona wasn't indirectly responsible for both George and Mavis being signed on PP).

.

I had no idea Prince had anything to do with Madonna's look or tour during the LAV era. Did Madonna state this?

yep

But U always make me think.
I want to revisit Mavis Staples stuff with Prince now

.

Yes, Sheena was also definately not a protege

Yes, she talked about the fashion being designed by Prince.