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Music Legend Prince Dies At Paisley Park Residence

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PURPLE RAIN")

PRINCE: (Singing) I never meant to cause you any sorrow. I never meant to cause you any pain.

KELLY MCEVERS, HOST:

That that song is going to be played a lot in the coming days. Prince Rogers Nelson, better known as just Prince, died today at his Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minn. He was 57.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PURPLE RAIN")

PRINCE: (Singing) In the purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain, purple rain.

MCEVERS: There in Minnesota, there are so many fans outside of his home, gathering, wearing purple from head to toe. Some are draped in velvet. The musician was born and raised in Minneapolis. And even as he became a pop culture phenomenon, he stayed true to his roots. Minnesota Public Radio has been talking to fans gathered at Paisley Park, including Melody Chestler.

MELODY CHESTLER: And I just always felt like he was always going to be here because he's always been here ever since I came here. I mean, he's just been a staple of the city, and I thought, this guy's - you know, he's going to be around forever.

MCEVERS: Andrea Swensson of Minnesota Public Radio's "The Current" has been outside of the estate since this morning.

ANDREA SWENSSON, BYLINE: I arrived here before we knew that it was in fact Prince that had died, so I was here with a few of probably the most die-hard fans that I've met over the years, people that I've absolutely seen at Paisley Park every time I go. And as the news rippled around the gathering, it was just awful. I mean, we were all just trying to support each other. I think it's significant to note that even the journalists were crying and hugging each other.

MCEVERS: Prince was an active member of the music community in Minnesota, inventing the Minneapolis Sound in the '80s and frequently opening his estate for concerts and dance parties.

SWENSSON: I cannot even possibly overstate his significance to musicians here in Minnesota, music fans here in Minnesota. He left such a huge imprint on First Avenue from performing there over the years that people often think that he owned it at one point. He only metaphorically owned it by playing there a lot. Of course, he filmed "Purple Rain" there as well. So he's really helped to put Minneapolis on the map in a global sense.

MCEVERS: Swensson has gone to more than two dozen of Prince's events in the last five years. She says she'll remember his stories of playing the saxophone and piano as a kid, his humor and that time during one of those visits at his home that she almost danced with him.

SWENSSON: At one point, you know, he turned to me. He had this little house band playing some music for us, kind of like a jazz combo. And he turned to me, and he said, would you like to dance, and put out his hand and then whipped the hand away and said, just kidding (laughter). And I was mortified and thought it was hilarious.

MCEVERS: Minnesota Public Radio music journalist Andrea Swensson. Prince died today at 57.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "NOTHING COMPARES 2 U")

PRINCE: (Singing) Nothing compares. Nothing compares to you - oh, baby. It's been so lonely without you here. I'm like a bird without a song. Nothing can stop this lonely rain. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.