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Taken from Entertainment Tonight (October 13, 2016)
Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan and More Stars Remember Prince at St. Paul Tribute Concert
Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan headline Prince tribute show
by Zach Seemayer
Thousands of concertgoers turned out for a star-studded tribute to Prince at the Xcel Energy Center St Paul, Minnesota on Thursday, and were treated to a loving celebration of the late artist's life and legacy.
The four-hour "Official Prince Tribute" featured live performance by some of Prince's musical collaborators and a number of stars who were greatly influenced by the icon, coming together under one roof to once again honor their fallen hero.
The concert kicked off with a touching video montage paying tribute to Prince's life. The emotional package included several of the singer's friends and family members sharing their memories of his kindness, and even featured a recorded message from President Barack Obama.
"Thank you, Prince, for all your works," Obama said in the taped message. "You'll be in our hearts forever."
The night kicked off with St. Paul's own R&B icons Mint Condition, and continued with appearances by Andre Cymone and Morris Day and The Time, all of whom played covers of some of Prince's most beloved songs.
One of the highlights of the night came when the legendary Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan teamed up for a spirited duet, singing Prince's "I Feel for You" (which Khan covered to great success) and "1999."
Photo: Getty Images - Chaka Khan & Stevie Wonder are performing "I Feel for You" and "1999" |
Wonder also covered Prince and The Revolution's single "Raspberry Beret," off their 1985 album Around the World in a Day.
Stevie Wonder doing some Raspberry Beret #princetribute
video posted by Ryan White (@whiteysmallz) on Oct 13, 2016 at 9:44pm PDT
Other guest performers included Ana Moura, Luke James, Jessie J and former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger.
Due to scheduling conflicts, which included the date of the concert changing, stars like John Mayer and Christina Aguilera, who had both signed on to appear, had to cancel their appearances at the tribute hours before the event kicked off.
Meanwhile, the Prince tribute didn't end at the Xcel Energy Center -- entire sections of St. Paul were lit up in a purple glow to honor the singer's memory.
In the wake of Prince's death, his entire Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota has been turned into a museum dedicated to the singer's impressive career. Before the doors opened to fans, ET had a chance to take a tour of the sprawling compound to get an inside look at what visitors could expect.
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