In the Footsteps of Prince: Downtown Minneapolis Walking Tour

Welcome to Minneapolis, home of The Purple One, His Royal Badness, Prince Rogers Nelson. Minneapolis helped define the young musician who went on to change the world of music. On this downtown walking tour, we’ll explore the city where he was born, where he rose to fame and where, when he died, the purple lights shone across the sky.

On this 75-minute tour, I’ll take you into the heart of Princedom to show you the Guitar Shop where the artist first jammed in the 70’s, the Orpheum Theatre where Prince was one of the first black musicians to play, and The Dakota club, which he visited just a few days before he died. As you stroll down Nicollet Avenue, I’ll point out the Crystal Court balcony featured in Purple Rain and the Schmitt Music Wall mural where Prince had his iconic first photo shoot.

Along the way, I’ll tell you about:

• The spiral blue notebook where Prince wrote Purple Rain
• How he was the first artist in history to have a number one film, album and song at the same time
• Glam Slam, the club he opened and named after the song on his Lovesexy album
• His North Minneapolis roots
• The city of Minneapolis’ “Prince Permit”
• The club where Prince performed a surprise concert
• The weird world of Paisley Park
• How Prince saved the Minnesota Dance Theatre, a local dance company
• The night 10,000 people came to the First Avenue club to mourn

So put on your four-inch heels and join me on this stroll through Minneapolis where I’ll paint a picture of what the city was like when Prince reigned as the High Priest of Pop.

PHOTO CREDITS:
Cover photo of First Avenue by Jordan Abhold, courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society, all rights reserved. Photos accompanying The Minneapolis Sound, Purple Rain, Paisley Park (exterior and atrium) are courtesy of Paisley Park, NPGRecords and MeetMinneapolis. Photos accompanying The Death of Prince and Purple Rain Poem are courtesy of Meet Minneapolis. All other photos are copyright Frank Bures.