Since Prince passed I've been looking at old interviews of him and one thing he mentions often is how critical his father was. It seems that was one of things that made him so driven. How much do you think his father's acceptance or lack there of influenced the man and the musician he became. Sidenote: if this has already been talked about I'm sorry I didn't see it anywhere.

I think his fathers ways, and how their relationship stood before he got his record deal 4 Prince was an "I'll Show Em" drive.

Prince's father came into Prince's life closer again during the Purple Rain years.
From 1984-1986 Mr Nelson was a regular in the purple 'community'
After the big split at the end of 1986 the Father wasn't around much.
I think he did appear in Prince 'Misdirected Movie' 87 though.