Purple Rain

Prince - Purple Rain (1984) by retrospective1

11am flying over Mexico from San Francisco to Cancún I turn my head to the left and sneak a peek at the tv screen on the back of someone's seat.

Breaking news: music icon Prince dead at 57.

Prince was one of about 6 people I wanted to see growing up and never did. In fact, I've only seen one of the six once - P!nk - back in 2010. Prince just played a random pop up show in Oakland a couple months ago. I wanted to go, but having to come up with at least a few hundred dollars for a ticket within a matter of hours was not within my budget. I thought there could be a next time.

During the years I was sick, the two things I wanted to do when I got healthy was go back to school and travel, since I never really traveled before. That's why I'm on this flight right now. Because I think to myself: some day I won't be able to, and I don't know when that someday is.

The news of such an immediate and shocking passing of one of the greatest musicians in the past couple generations puts things like this into perspective to be dealt with on a more frequent basis. There is so much beautiful music and art in the world, amazing talented singers and songwriters, and there only here gracing this earth for a short time. They're going to be gone too, and they don't know when either. It saddens me knowing this man is no longer with us, the one who sang Purple Rain, that I have on purple vinyl, inspired me wanting to go to my senior ball in a purple limo, and created the song "Kiss" which is still my favorite track to select on a jukebox  in a bar while I sing horribly. 

Don't let the opportunity of seeing one of your favorite artists in person pass you by. Again.