NOTE: This is the re-release of the GFM SOTT podcast pt 1 of 2 without the original music snippets.

NOTE: This is the re-release of the GFM SOTT podcast pt 2 of 2 without the original music snippets.

Today is the 30th anniversary of Prince’s landmark release, Sign O’ The Times aka SOTT, but today also marks my one year anniversary for doing podcasts through Grown Folks Music (GFM). My first podcast for GFM was for the 30th anniversary of Parade on March 31, 2016. None of us knew what less than a month would bring. After Vanity’s passing on Feb 15, 2016, I knew someone else from the Prince camp would inevitably be next (and it was heavy on my mind), but never in a gazillion years did I think it would be Prince himself.

So, these podcasts, which started because I wanted to talk about Prince like The Music Snobs did, eventually led me to connect with none other than two of The Music Snobs themselves: Arthur Turnbull (also of Entry Points) & Jehan (He’s like Prince; he’s doesn’t need a last name)! I’m incredibly grateful and honored to be able to have deep Prince discussions with these two Princeologists. However, none of this would have EVER happened if it wasn’t for my dear Prince SWD high school friend ((when my Prince fever (which is tame in comparison to then) was in the stratosphere), Ricky Wyatt, who connected me to the amazing and thoughtful Ivan Orr of Grown Folks Music. I am incredibly grateful to be able to share the mic with all four to do one of my favorite things on earth: talking about and listening to Prince. So it was with sheer excitement that the stars aligned and ALL five of us (for the first time) were able to get together to talk about one of THE Prince albums of ALL Prince albums, Sign O’ The Times. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did recording it. So much so that this is only part 1 of the conversation. We’ll soon follow up with part 2.

Today also marks the 31st anniversary of Parade. It’s simply incredible to realize that Parade and SOTT were released only one year apart. In real time, the one year felt like a decade, but now I am thankful and humbled by the enormity of Prince’s sheer prolificness. These podcasts have taken over my other passion project, No Turn Unstoned, a curated radio show of mixes I’ve been doing since 2005, but I was able to create a special mix for Parade and Under The Cherry Moon (UTCM) last year in celebration of this anniversary. I’m also thankful that I will be speaking at the first Prince academic conference, Purple Reign, in May in Manchester, England about my personal favorite Prince film, UTCM.

I write all of this to express that producing, editing, and engineering all of the Prince and Prince-related podcasts for GFM since March 31, 2016 has simply and genuinely been a labor of love and a godsend for coping with Prince’s passing. I only do these podcasts and special mixes out of my love and reverence for Prince and his music. I only share my Prince endeavors because as long as there is breath in my body I will continue to contribute in my own small way to celebrate the joy that one man has given so many for so long and will continue to do so for decades to come.

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, I hope you’ll consider sharing it!

You’ll also find a lot of additional information and supporting media in my first post on Medium, Color Me Peach & Black. I thought I’d do something different and new to promote the podcast and continue my celebration of Prince’s life and legacy.