One of the most amazing things about Prince's dazzling, multi-decade career was that he hever had any diminishment in his voice.

Right at the end, in the P&M concert in Atlanta, his voice was strong, subtle, rich, and like always, seemingly effortless.

A friend of mine, a very talented musician in his own right and who is very critical of poor and lazy musicianship, attended the earlier P&M show in Oakland could not believe how fantastic Prince sounded...I remember getting several texts from him with tons of exclamation points, gushing about how phenomenal Prince's voice was...

And this was a guy who was we-now-know battling some pretty severe health issues...

Amazing.

[Edited 3/7/19 12:15pm]

[Edited 3/7/19 12:16pm]

I heard him a few feet away not long before he passed and, you're right, his voice was flawless and phenomenal right until the end.

MattyJam said:

Hmmm, I do think he had a peak vocally around 92-96 era. His later recordings, particularly AOA and HNR1&2 sound a bit flat in places compared to his late 80s-mid90s vocal takes. The first song that springs to mind as an example would be Breakdown. His voice sounds uncharacteristically thin during what is supposed to be the climactic part of the song. [Edited 3/7/19 14:14pm]

I see what you're saying on "Breakdown," but that song is so terribly brickwalled that it's hard to blame his voice and not the mixing to a certain degree.

Totally agree with the OP - his voice was always great.

MattyJam said:

His voice changed just like everyone else's. It changed LESS than most pop giants. Paul McCartney has only just started showing his age vocally, but he's in his 70s. Prince was great, no doubt. I would also agree that he peaked around the Gold Experience. Live he could dig a little deeper, but his screams def diminished on record. Rghtly so as that stuff will screw up anyone's voice over enough years.

I finally listened to the last Atlanta show last year. I remember being struck by his voice, and truly how clear and perfect his falsetto was. No straining or gravely nuances. It was really pure. His voice did change over the years. Everyone's does. But whatever he did to help nurture his vocal cords and keep them in check, worked.

bsprout said:

I agree 100%. I got chills the first time I heard those P&M recordings of his last Atlanta shows. His voice just sounded incredible. There are so many artists whose voices lose their luster over the years, for whatever reason. P’s talent was just otherworldly.

Yes,I agree. I spoke to someone recently who attended the first Atlanta show and he told me his voice was as great as ever. He also said he could tell he was giving the show his everything. He did mention that he looked extremely thin and like he wasn't feeling well though.

pinkcashmere23 said:

bsprout said:

I agree 100%. I got chills the first time I heard those P&M recordings of his last Atlanta shows. His voice just sounded incredible. There are so many artists whose voices lose their luster over the years, for whatever reason. P’s talent was just otherworldly.

Yes,I agree. I spoke to someone recently who attended the first Atlanta show and he told me his voice was as great as ever. He also said he could tell he was giving the show his everything. He did mention that he looked extremely thin and like he wasn't feeling well though.

His performances at both shows was incredible. However, I really felt like the 7pm show was not as strong as the 10 pm. There was a stronger energy at the 10 pm show that just wasn't there during the 7 pm show. But, then again, I had some drunk lady yelling in my ear, "I love you, Prince" throughout the 7 pm show and I just really wanted her to shut up.

benni said:

pinkcashmere23 said:

Yes,I agree. I spoke to someone recently who attended the first Atlanta show and he told me his voice was as great as ever. He also said he could tell he was giving the show his everything. He did mention that he looked extremely thin and like he wasn't feeling well though.

His performances at both shows was incredible. However, I really felt like the 7pm show was not as strong as the 10 pm. There was a stronger energy at the 10 pm show that just wasn't there during the 7 pm show. But, then again, I had some drunk lady yelling in my ear, "I love you, Prince" throughout the 7 pm show and I just really wanted her to shut up.

You're blessed you were able to go to both. Too bad about the drunk lady. I had a similar experience at the only show of his that I attended. I felt a bit envious when the guy told me he got to attend one of the Atlanta shows. He said a friend of his had an extra ticket and casually asked if he wanted to go. From what I've heard of them,both shows were amazing!

OperatingThetan said:

MattyJam said:

Hmmm, I do think he had a peak vocally around 92-96 era. His later recordings, particularly AOA and HNR1&2 sound a bit flat in places compared to his late 80s-mid90s vocal takes. The first song that springs to mind as an example would be Breakdown. His voice sounds uncharacteristically thin during what is supposed to be the climactic part of the song. [Edited 3/7/19 14:14pm]

That was not the case live. The best I heard Prince vocally was at the 2014 UK shows, and I had seen every UK tour since 1993. And 'Revelation' is utterly brilliant vocally.

Prince's voice and musicianship were still at the top of his game in 2014 certainly--even the guitar!

steakfinger said:

His voice changed just like everyone else's. It changed LESS than most pop giants. Paul McCartney has only just started showing his age vocally, but he's in his 70s. Prince was great, no doubt. I would also agree that he peaked around the Gold Experience. Live he could dig a little deeper, but his screams def diminished on record. Rghtly so as that stuff will screw up anyone's voice over enough years.

.

+1

fabriziovenerandi said:

steakfinger said:

His voice changed just like everyone else's. It changed LESS than most pop giants. Paul McCartney has only just started showing his age vocally, but he's in his 70s. Prince was great, no doubt. I would also agree that he peaked around the Gold Experience. Live he could dig a little deeper, but his screams def diminished on record. Rghtly so as that stuff will screw up anyone's voice over enough years.

.

+1

Bull-fucking-shit! Prince could scream, growl, sing falsetto, and give that R&B puh-leease until it dropped you to your knees as great as he ever could unti the end. If you weren't there, you missed out.

soladeo1 said:

One of the most amazing things about Prince's dazzling, multi-decade career was that he never had any diminishment in his voice.

Agreed. If there ever was any fluxuations in his voice, especially live, I put that to being the mic to mouth position, and/or forgetting lyrics.

fabriziovenerandi said:

steakfinger said:

His voice changed just like everyone else's. It changed LESS than most pop giants. Paul McCartney has only just started showing his age vocally, but he's in his 70s. Prince was great, no doubt. I would also agree that he peaked around the Gold Experience. Live he could dig a little deeper, but his screams def diminished on record. Rghtly so as that stuff will screw up anyone's voice over enough years.

.

+1

Surely the likes of This Could Be Us, When She Comes and especially Revelation disprove this.

.

And as others have said his voice still sounded flawless live until the very end.

Doozer said:

MattyJam said:

soladeo1 said:

One of the most amazing things about Prince's dazzling, multi-decade career was that he hever had any diminishment in his voice.

Right at the end, in the P&M concert in Atlanta, his voice was strong, subtle, rich, and like always, seemingly effortless.

A friend of mine, a very talented musician in his own right and who is very critical of poor and lazy musicianship, attended the earlier P&M show in Oakland could not believe how fantastic Prince sounded...I remember getting several texts from him with tons of exclamation points, gushing about how phenomenal Prince's voice was...

And this was a guy who was we-now-know battling some pretty severe health issues...

i
Amazing.

[Edited 3/7/19 12:15pm]

[Edited 3/7/19 12:16pm]

One listen to the the last show from Atlanta and his squeals/screams during A Case of U and you know ....he had it until the end!!

When you watch David Lee Roth look like Mr Smitthers from Simpsons now or Mellancamp choking try to do Jack and dIane (as I have on the radio), you realize how great Prince was...a comet.

I love you for this thread. Thank you.

The video clip from his last ever performance of Purple Rain at Atlanta [if it's indeed the final performance? ] is both a triumph & a joy. He held it togther & got through the song with that beautiful, unique voice & looked physically exhausted at the end.

I have said it many, many times - his voice was his greatest instrument.

Now excuse me whilst I wipe away a tear or 2......

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

I love you for this thread. Thank you.

The video clip from his last ever performance of Purple Rain at Atlanta [if it's indeed the final performance? ] is both a triumph & a joy. He held it togther & got through the song with that beautiful, unique voice & looked physically exhausted at the end.

I have said it many, many times - his voice was his greatest instrument.

Now excuse me whilst I wipe away a tear or 2......

That clip would have been from the 10 PM performance at Atlanta. He didn't perform Purple Rain at the 7PM show. Some guy was extremely upset about that, kept yelling "Purple Rain" (he was drunk, too) and Prince never played it. When we were leaving the venue between shows, he was complaining that Prince didn't perform Purple Rain. I got as close to the stage as I could (blocked by the barriers by the $1000 seats) when he performed Purple Rain. Not sure why I did, except that I wanted, needed to see him up close. I can still close my eyes and see him from the angle I was at when he was performing it. His color seemed off to me, but it could have been the lighting, but his voice was still strong.

pinkcashmere23 said:

benni said:

His performances at both shows was incredible. However, I really felt like the 7pm show was not as strong as the 10 pm. There was a stronger energy at the 10 pm show that just wasn't there during the 7 pm show. But, then again, I had some drunk lady yelling in my ear, "I love you, Prince" throughout the 7 pm show and I just really wanted her to shut up.

You're blessed you were able to go to both. Too bad about the drunk lady. I had a similar experience at the only show of his that I attended. I felt a bit envious when the guy told me he got to attend one of the Atlanta shows. He said a friend of his had an extra ticket and casually asked if he wanted to go. From what I've heard of them,both shows were amazing!

I look at attending both shows as bitter sweet. I'm glad I was able to be there, but then when I think that I saw him perform this song or that song for the very last time, it's heart breaking. And don't get me wrong, both shows were incredible, it's just that vibes were very different between both shows.

Here are the blogs I wrote on 4/15/16 and 4/16/16.

7 PM show:


https://onevoice4peace.wo...-2-heaven/


10 PM show:

https://onevoice4peace.wo...he-groove/

benni said:

steakfinger said:

His voice changed just like everyone else's. It changed LESS than most pop giants. Paul McCartney has only just started showing his age vocally, but he's in his 70s. Prince was great, no doubt. I would also agree that he peaked around the Gold Experience. Live he could dig a little deeper, but his screams def diminished on record. Rghtly so as that stuff will screw up anyone's voice over enough years.

I agree.

His voice changed as he aged but his vocals were still strong up to the very end.

Different but still strong. Still on point.

Everytime I listen to 17 Days, I think his vocals are so freaking awesome with no other backing other

than the piano. It is magical.
Magical.

[Edited 3/8/19 22:09pm]

benni said:

pinkcashmere23 said:

You're blessed you were able to go to both. Too bad about the drunk lady. I had a similar experience at the only show of his that I attended. I felt a bit envious when the guy told me he got to attend one of the Atlanta shows. He said a friend of his had an extra ticket and casually asked if he wanted to go. From what I've heard of them,both shows were amazing!

I look at attending both shows as bitter sweet. I'm glad I was able to be there, but then when I think that I saw him perform this song or that song for the very last time, it's heart breaking. And don't get me wrong, both shows were incredible, it's just that vibes were very different between both shows.

Here are the blogs I wrote on 4/15/16 and 4/16/16.

7 PM show:


https://onevoice4peace.wo...-2-heaven/


10 PM show:

https://onevoice4peace.wo...he-groove/

much love to you, incredible that you were there. Too emotional to read your blogs right now but amazing that you documented each show. Thank you.

PURPLEIZED3121 said:

I love you for this thread. Thank you.

The video clip from his last ever performance of Purple Rain at Atlanta [if it's indeed the final performance? ] is both a triumph & a joy. He held it togther & got through the song with that beautiful, unique voice & looked physically exhausted at the end.

I have said it many, many times - his voice was his greatest instrument.

Now excuse me whilst I wipe away a tear or 2......

benni said:

pinkcashmere23 said:

You're blessed you were able to go to both. Too bad about the drunk lady. I had a similar experience at the only show of his that I attended. I felt a bit envious when the guy told me he got to attend one of the Atlanta shows. He said a friend of his had an extra ticket and casually asked if he wanted to go. From what I've heard of them,both shows were amazing!

I look at attending both shows as bitter sweet. I'm glad I was able to be there, but then when I think that I saw him perform this song or that song for the very last time, it's heart breaking. And don't get me wrong, both shows were incredible, it's just that vibes were very different between both shows.

Here are the blogs I wrote on 4/15/16 and 4/16/16.

7 PM show:


https://onevoice4peace.wo...-2-heaven/


10 PM show:

https://onevoice4peace.wo...he-groove/

I understand. Yes,it is heart breaking. When you say the vibes were very different are you talking about from Prince or the audience? Thanks for sharing the links to your blogs