BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (WLOX) – 100 Men Hall in Bay St. Louis is holding a weeklong masterclass to teach high school students about Prince, the artist known for hits “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry.”
Organizers describe it as a way to educate and celebrate one of the most influential musicians, songwriters, and performers of the decade.
“This is a purple takeover for the whole week at the 100 Mall Hall,” said 100 Men Hall Director Rachel Dangermond.
Scholar C. Liegh McInnis is teaching the masterclass about who Prince was and why he was a seminal artist. The class will cover Prince’s lyrics, music, movies, and fashion.
“He was so transformational, and there wasn’t any instrument he couldn’t play,” said Dangermond.
Prince was born in Minneapolis in 1958. The son of a jazz musician and singer, he learned guitar, piano, and drums by the age of 14. The singer and musician died from an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2016. He was 57.
100 Men Hall will also hold a community conversation on Thursday, July 17, with Kiese Laymon, an award-winning author and cultural critic. McInnis, who wrote ‘The Lyrics of Prince: A Literary Look at a Creative, Musical Poet, Philosopher, and Storyteller,’ will also be a part of the discussion.
The free community discussion is at 6 p.m. and includes a Q&A session with registered students.
On Friday, July 18, the masterclass will culminate with a 90-minute Prince tribute concert. The concert is at 7 p.m. at 100 Men Hall and tickets can be purchased on-site.
“There’s going to be lots of dancing, lots of purple, and it’s just a wonderful way to celebrate Prince,” said Dangermond.
The class runs from July 14th through 18th, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. each day. To register for ‘Masterclass: Prince‘, click HERE.
100 Men Hall is located at 303 Union Street in Bay St. Louis.
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