I know most of you that really does have some music knowledge has heard Shuggie's album Freedom Fligt with Strawberry Letter 23.

1. What is your opinion on similarities between Shuggie Otis and Prince Rogers Nelson?

2. If we compare his album to For You, or even Prince. Was Prince inspired by Shuggie in some way or another?

3. What does the one have that the other is lacking? I'm not trying to get a competition of who was the best, cause Prince without a doubt has alot more released material and video tapted concerts.

There is something remarkably brilliant about this thread title.

Like Sly and Todd, I'm sure Shuggie inspired P as a young'un musically. Someone said here on the Org that the "sha-boogie" line in "Cream" was P's tribute to Shuggie...(don't know if that's true or not).

There's some similarities but there's a whole lot of differences also. I don't think Shuggie wanted all the commercial pop success and glory that P had. I remember reading interviews with Shuggie that the music business really started to bug him by the mid to late 1970's.

He said his label and managers started to pressure him on the follow up to "Freedom Flight". He also said that they didn't hear any "hits" in his music and his interest in the business started to

slowly decline. I know he was offered a guitar spot with the Stones and he turned them down.

I think Shuggie is one of those brilliant artists who loves to create music for himself and doesn't really care if anyone hears it or not. I don't think he enjoys playing live that much either. There's

a not so positive review on a show he just did the other night.

I think P is the total opposite. He loves the spotlight and being out in front playing live all the time.

I don't know anything about a "Shuggie"?

What's that.

thedance said:

I never really thoght Shuggie had that "it" factor that takes an artist over the top.

Shuggie was doing Prince before Prince was doing Prince.

Shuggie was one of the first artists to actually use a "drum machine" or electric sound drums on tracks ever. Falsetto, funkyness that also rocks, ballads and so on.

Shuggie is an influence of mine, great stuff.

Other similarities:

Began doing session work as teenagers

Guitarist/Keyboardist/Drummer/Producer

Shuggie recorded under the pseudonym Prince Wunniful

Shuggie released a song called "Purple" (1971)

Thier fathers were bandleaders

Courted by the Rolling Stones (Prince as an opening act; Shuggie to join as a guitarist)

Kind of a similar look:

[Edited 12/13/12 9:13am]

oh, god... at first i thought this thread was about suge knight and prince comparison.

relieved it isnt

cborgman said:

oh, god... at first i thought this thread was about suge knight and prince comparison.

relieved it isnt