Minnesota station The Current will launch a web stream Friday featuring music by Prince and performers he inspired and drew from.
The Minnesota Public Radio music station’s Purple Current will highlight “the roots and fruits of the Purple Family Tree,” PD Jim McGuinn said in a press release. It will include music by Prince, his influences and peers, and other funk, soul, hip-hop and R&B artists that “follow in his footsteps,” according to the release.
“A half hour into listening to Purple Current you’re likely to have heard artists as varied as James Brown, Santana, Nooky Jones and Public Enemy,” McGuinn said. “Our listeners have been asking for something like this for some time,” McGuinn said.
The Current drew Prince fans mourning the Minnesota native’s death in April 2016 when it aired his entire catalog.
The stream is supported by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
The Current also offers streams of local music, Americana and kids’ music.