Charles 'Chazz' Smith shares memories of High School years in Minneapolis, band battles, talent shows, parental advice and the influence of his cousin Prince growing up.

INTRO to Charles

1mins30s - Reflections on Lincoln Junior High School, with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis

2mins - Knocking on local doors in the neighbourhood just to listen

3mins - Hanging out in Sonny T's basement, and studying him

3mins30s - The MPLS drum beat: did Charles teach Prince? And influences...

4mins45s - MPLS fashions for young teens, dressing like Carlos Santana

5mins30s - Local schoolfriend Andre, starts out on saxophone, but is asked to play bass...

6mins30s - Having the same confidence of Prince

7mins - Getting the drum set in the bedroom

7mins45s - ...going to Seventh Day Adventist Church, but also Allstar Wrestling!

9mins - Going to the Sly & The Family show in MPLS

11mins - Prince's report cards and high school talent show notes!

13mins - The roots of the tree

13mins30s - Prince always wanted to be a 'badass musician'

14mins30s - Going to Prince's Dad's house - being immaculate and coming from a military background

15mins - everything matched, everything was hung up, everything was in order...

16mins-  Prince's Mum had fur on the floor...and he turned out just like her.

16mins30s - Military fathers, Prince's Dad and complicated music

17mins45s - You let John play... and  2 different versions of The Horse With No Name

19mins - Jerry Hubbard, the bass player in The Time (in Purple Rain)

20mins - Family gatherings in the late 1960s and early 1970s at Charles Aunt Mary's house, staring at the organ

22mins - Charles Facebook post: Prince's school report in 1967

23mins30s - Charles Grandmother tells him that Prince is going to do something really special

25mins - He was on my band, I was playing and singing on the Delphonics... high voiced singing. Masculinity and dignity...

26mins - Prince becoming famous worldwide, 'he was built for it'

28mins - "You be you"

30mins - "While you were runnin' around chasing women, Prince was recording..."

31mins - "I used to go to jam sessions and bury dudes! Because of Prince..."

How Can U Just Leave Me Standing? In Search of Prince... is produced and arranged by Sam J. Bleazard - but couldn't exist without the fabulous contribution from all of our guests!

The show also features significant original music compositions from Gavin Calder.

LINKS

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