do you feel Motown had a Influence on Prince's Sound&Vibe?? or His vision with Paisley Park?? or a Berry Gordy Influence?

In the past No! It was definately Rock oriented but with some of the stuff from Emancipation the cover tunes, of course. he's listening to a lot of different music always trying to be new and different and Fresh! now when he does Gothic that's really gonna be something! The whole Vampire thread. And he can play it so well. Prince Black velvet and Red Gothic ! Gothic!

I remember when 'Purple Rain' came out,a critic described the song "Take Me With U" as being "Motown-influenced".

Motown must have had an influence on his work IMHO. Perhaps not as great as other influence (Santana, Sly, James Brown, P-Funk etc) but certainly a part of his musical make-up. The most obvious and famous example would have to be his aftershow covers of Just My Imagination in 1988. Stevie Wonder's 1970s output was also on Motown Records and I cannot believe that Prince does not in some way incorporate his style too.

Referencing V's message above, I think the covers on Emancipation are not strictly Motown. The Philadelphia sound of The Stylistics and Delfonics was on a different label, and different song-writers (Bell and Creed). Is this right anyone? Very similar sound of course though.

KeithyT said:

I think He is Influenced by so Many things that it would take days to get Him to admit it all IMHO.Stylistics&Delfonics worked with Thom Bell&Linda Creed.you are Right