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Iowans Remember Prince

Prince Live on Rotterdam, 2011

Rock icon Prince died April 21, 2016 at his home and studio in Minneapolis. He was 57.

Since the news of his death, fans from all over the country gathered to play his music, including Des Moines native Corey Taylor, frontman for the bands Slipknot and Stone Sour who played "Purple Rain" and "Little Red Corvette" at Minneapolis' First Avenue Club.

Iowan Tom Snee almost settled for announcing Prince's surprise appearances in local clubs as a college DJ in the Twin Cities, until he finally got his chance see the musician play live in 1997.

"It was another snap show. It was announced the day before the show, and the arena was only about half full because of that," says Snee.

The concert featured some of Prince's more recent releases, many of which were unfamiliar to the audience.

"Even with the small house, and the unfamiliar music, it was still one of the two or three best shows I've ever seen in my life. He just blew everybody away. It was really incredible."

During this segment from River to River, host Clare Roth talks with Snee and plays one of the songs featured in Prince's 2007 Superbowl halftime show.

Katherine Perkins is IPR's Program Director for News and Talk