An Insider's Look at Prince, From Those Who Knew Him
"I'm very humbled and honored to have worked with Prince. I knew it from the first time I met him - that he was going to be something out of the ordinary."
Coming up on the third anniversary of the untimely passing of Minneapolis icon Prince Rogers Nelson, Paisley Park is holding Celebration 2019, its third annual event to honor the life and memory of Prince. While the people who attend the four-day event will get to hear music by original Prince collaborators, panel discussions and special presentations, today you get a little taste of what that might be like as we talk to Photographer Allen Beaulieu and Writer Neal Karlen. Both were close to Prince, and we’re excited to share some of their behind-the-scene stories. Listen using the play button below or stream Episode 15 for free on Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts.
Featuring:
![](https://minneapolis-2021.imgix.net/images/BeaulieuAuthorPhoto_byJaySmiley-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=262f36e41b534995c67c18011c3ff071 320w, https://minneapolis-2021.imgix.net/images/BeaulieuAuthorPhoto_byJaySmiley-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=ca442f574b20ee56f929810bc1c99221 540w, https://minneapolis-2021.imgix.net/images/BeaulieuAuthorPhoto_byJaySmiley-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=e903abaf2be06b979ac9e0c862399671 768w, https://minneapolis-2021.imgix.net/images/BeaulieuAuthorPhoto_byJaySmiley-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=96e916683e1af89a3bf5b42f9c90554f 1024w, https://minneapolis-2021.imgix.net/images/BeaulieuAuthorPhoto_byJaySmiley-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=2c5a691ebca98bd7abe347b05565c13a 1200w, https://minneapolis-2021.imgix.net/images/BeaulieuAuthorPhoto_byJaySmiley-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=709168723bbc2ebdc8bbf5a4376ae77d 1440w, https://minneapolis-2021.imgix.net/images/BeaulieuAuthorPhoto_byJaySmiley-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=074ff6bbbd7f566dda92f9ac5f20c771 1858w)
Guest, Allen Beaulieu
Allen Beaulieu was Prince’s photographer and friend beginning in the late 1970s. He photographed three album covers (Dirty Mind, Controversy and 1999) and toured extensively with the artist. He also worked for Rolling Stone, for IndyCar racing, and as a fashion photographer.
![](https://minneapolis-2021.imgix.net/images/Neal-Karlen.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=55b721e4f750db831e2d1d1dae395e4a 320w, https://minneapolis-2021.imgix.net/images/Neal-Karlen.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=dcec0e890311fa4439cbf83e596d3d10 432w)
Guest, Neal Karlen
Neal Karlen’s ninth book, Prince: Off the Record, a memoir of his 30-year friendship with the musician, will be published April 2020 by St. Martin’s Press. His previous books cover a range of topics including vaudeville, baseball religious fundamentalism and linguistics. He was an associate editor for Newsweek, a contributing editor for Rolling Stone and a regular contributor for the New York Times.
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/meet-minneapolis/craft/cms/Prince-Podcast-Recording-Collage.jpg?mtime=20190423143338)