Contrary to reports that emerged just after Prince’s untimely death at the end of April, his family is now saying that no memorial service or “official” funeral has been held to honor the artist and his legacy. Sheila E., Prince’s long time drummer, said that a group of friends and collaborators joined together to remember him in the days after his death and bury his ashes. However, conflicting comments are now emerging. According to Rolling Stone, a statement the family made to People magazine refutes the idea that the artist has already been laid to rest.
“We would like everyone to know that, contrary to previous and current reports, there has been no memorial, funeral or tribute service for Prince that was organized or authorized by the family or Paisley Park representatives. Together, the family is planning an official memorial service and public event to take place in the near future.”
These opposing reports raise some questions about why Prince’s friends would lie about gathering together to remember him or about his ashes already having been interned. His complicated relationship with his family may explain why the term “authorized” is used here and fans can make a reasonable assumption that some sort of memorial was held in the days after Prince was discovered dead at Paisley Park but no family was invited or allowed to attend. Or the case may be that the family is simply reassuring the public that there is still another memorial service to come that everyone will be able to attend instead of just a private and exclusive gathering.
Prince’s cause of death is now suspected to be connected to an addiction to pain killers, although toxicology reports have not yet been released from his autopsy. He was planning to meet with a renowned addiction doctor in the days before he died.
The family statement should have fans excited for an upcoming public celebration that is apparently being officially organized. Multiple remembrances and tributes popped up immediately after the news broke and have continued throughout that past few weeks, but a Paisley Park-sanctioned celebration has the potential to top all of those a dozen times over. The family says those details will be “coming soon” so watch this space for news of just such an event whenever it is announced, and in the meantime keep wishing on a star for the contents of Prince’s vault to be made available to the public.
(via Rolling Stone)
