zoso77

This appeared in The New York Times yesterday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/05/ar...T.nav=top-news

I have to say I'm a bit shocked. Prince didn't exactly exemplify rock and roll hedonism in the Jimmy Page/Keith Richards vein. Stage antics aside, he seem to eschew the limelight.

On the other hand, it also came as a shock to me that my niece admitted herself into rehab for alcoholism 17 months ago. So I guess the lesson to be learned is just because you think someone's got their act together doesn't mean that it's true.

As a guitarist, I have a lot of respect for what Prince did as a player. After his passing, his outro solo on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony back in 2004 received a lot of deserved attention. Not a single note of that solo was planned, by the way. He improvised every note, and he let it rip with a reckless abandon that was jaw dropping.

Prince. We won't get another one of him.

aasharon90

Thank you zoso77 for adding the link to
read more up to date information about
Prince. It truly is saddening to hear about
another artist in his own right has left us
due to addiction.

I kinda relate to the privacy part of his
life which was similar to my own when
it came to my alcohol addiction.

No one in my circle of family or friends
could ever believe I had a problem with
alcohol. I mean, they saw me drink, but
very seldom ever saw me out of control
with it.

I suppose I was so worried what folks
would think of me if I was ever out of
control and thus tried to hold it together
until there were more actions that I couldn't
explain away.

Family did step in with an intervention
for me the last day I drank and wanted
to end my life because I felt like I was a
failure at not being able to control my
drinking and actions that came along with
it.

The very next day authorities came to
drive me off to rehab where I remained
for 28 days getting the help for my addiction
I so desperately needed at that time in my
life.

That was 25 yrs ago as I continue on with
my recovery journey continue to incorporate
all that was taught to me about my addiction
and tools in all areas of my life to achieve
health, happiness and honest in my life today.

There have been so many talented artist
taken away from us and its so sad yet so
troubling.

I was sharing about John Denver earlier
here in SR in another topic, and looked
up the exact day he died and remembering
his plane crash in 1977. I also refreshed
my memory about his substance abuse,
rehab stints, failed marriages, money woes,
etc.

Another was Andy Gibb, so young and gone.
Whitney Houston, again so sad. Kurt Cobain
and so many others.

Addiction has been around for a long time
and there still needs more education and
help for many who still suffer and those
new folks just learning about the gift of
music and all that comes with wanting to
be famous early in life.

With fame and fortune also comes the danger
of addiction to be there to fuel their every move,
every song, every person that comes in contact
with them. The bad or evils that lurk around
every corner.

We need our musicians to share their
talents with the world, but alcohol and
drugs doesn't have to be a part of it. Right?

AnvilheadII

i was very skeptical when the early reports of Prince having addiction problems came out......i was like, NO WAY, get off his back TMZ.....goes to show.....addiction crosses all boundaries and stereotypes. what an f'ing shame.......12 hours or less from an intervention.

addiction is ruthless. and wins way too often. and doesn't care about the pedigree.

Ann

Ditto!

Sometimes they just run out of times. It's sad.