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A Prince wish, Paisley Park eyed for museum like Graceland
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Long before Prince died, he told close friends he wanted to turn his Paisley Park home and studio complex into a museum. Now, the trust company overseeing his estate — likely with the backing of Prince's siblings — is exploring the idea to open it up as a tourist attraction that some have compared with Elvis Presley's Graceland.

Paisley Park, in the Minneapolis suburb of Chanhassen, already has a large soundstage, two recording studios and the inner sanctum where he lived — the basics for operating as a museum, performance space and recording venue. Since no will has surfaced since Prince's April 21 death of an accidental fentanyl overdose, the final decision will be up to whoever the courts determine will inherit the estate.

Bremer Trust, the special administrator of Prince's estate, received permission from a Carver County judge Wednesday to hire entertainment industry experts to help determine how best to make money off Prince's intellectual property.

Details are contained in an affidavit by Bremer Trust President Craig Ordal, which is now sealed due to confidential business information and the sensitive nature of negotiations. But a filing by an attorney for Carlin Williams, a Colorado prison inmate who claims to be Prince's son, said the affidavit shows that Bremer's plans include hiring experts "on how to manage public tours of the grounds, facilities and buildings located at Paisley Park."

Prince hosted numerous parties and gatherings — some seemingly impromptu — at Paisley Park for years before his death. Shortly after it, his brother-in-law, Maurice Phillips, told the British tabloid The Sun that the family planned to turn it into a shrine to rival Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. Longtime Prince collaborator Sheila E told "Entertainment Tonight" that Prince was already working on making it a museum, gathering memorabilia from his career, including his motorcycle from "Purple Rain."

And Jeremiah Freed, aka Dr. Funk and Dr. Funkenberry, a longtime fan and friend of Prince who hosts a podcast and website, said the pop superstar's ideas kept evolving, including ways for fans to hear and see his vast archive of unreleased music and videos, so that it'd be a different experience each time.

Prince had the kind of stature that should generate fan interest for many years, said Meredith Rutledge-Borger, associate curator at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, comparing him with Michael Jackson and John Lennon.

"It's a wonderful, wonderful ambition," she said. "It's going to be a lot of work. But they're ahead of the game because they've got the stuff ... he kept the majority of everything very much to himself."

And she also expressed hope that the complex would continue Prince's philanthropic work by serving as a music education center for young people.

Prince's 1985 song "Paisley Park" spoke of a place where "admission is easy ... come 2 this place in your heart." Any museum needs multiple revenue streams besides ticket sales, said Allan Hammons, who was instrumental in developing both the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in Mississippi and the new GRAMMY Museum Mississippi. Such sources can include retail sales and space rentals for meetings and events. It also helps to stage new temporary exhibitions to bring people back, he said.

"You have to be creative, there's no doubt about that," Hammons said. "And you have to work at it constantly."

One advantage that Graceland and the B.B. King Museum have is that the artists are buried on site, so visitors can pay their respects, he said. Prince's relatives haven't said what they've done or intend to do with his cremated remains.

Nothing has come yet from talk of creating a similar shrine for Michael Jackson, who died in 2009. His sprawling Neverland estate in Los Olivos, California, was put on the market over a year ago for $100 million. Although three or four interested buyers have toured it, no offers have been accepted, according to real estate agent Suzanne Perkins. Its location more than a two-hour drive from Los Angeles could limit its appeal as a tourist hotspot anyway.

Officials with Graceland and Elvis Presley Enterprises declined to comment on possibilities for Paisley Park. But Freed winced at the comparisons with Graceland: "Paisley Park is far funkier than Graceland will ever be."

Allman Brothers tribute band a treat
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Entrancing the crowd with their Allmanesque vocals and guitarmony, End of the Line brought a powerful performance to an enthusiastic audience at the Park Theater Saturday night. From left is Justin Smith (keyboards and vocals), Adam Gorman (guitar), Ryan McClanahan, (drums) and Conor Kelly (guitar). Out of shot is drummer Dave Czuba and bassist Casey Conway.

“Guitarmony” was promised and delivered Saturday night when End of the Line: An Allman Brothers Tribute Band brought their scintillating Southern rock, country and blues roots musicianship to the Park Theater.

Before the band took the stage, Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town” played on the historic speakers setting the seventies mood for the fans as they settled in their seats.

As a nod to the 55th anniversary of the band’s 1969 debut album, The Allman Brothers Band, the first songs were note for note from that seminal album beginning with “Don’t Want You No More.” When Smith launched into “It’s Not My Cross to Bear,” a time warp seemed to overcome the theater. 

The screen behind the band flickered with alternating images of lava lamps, colorful mushrooms, and the original live footage from the Fillmore Live album.

Playing to a large and seasoned crowd, this collection of Nashville musicians and songwriters reveled in their playing. 

For a little over two hours, the audience was transported to a time over a half a century ago. The soulful blues and melodious Southern jams filled the space as these young musicians channeled their inner Gregg and Duane Allman, Dickey Betts and Derek Trucks among others.

With a deep blue’s growl, Justin Smith rivaled the original Gregg Allman as he played the organ with grace and grit. 

Adam Gorman, hailing from Macon, Georgia, seemed to know his way around a blues guitar fo’ sho.’ Along with the fantastic Conor Kelly and Casey Conway on guitar and bass, they created that sweet guitarmony the band has been hailed for.

“How about that bass?” yelled an appreciative fan from the balcony and the whole theater roared in agreement.

Not one but two drummers kept an amazing synchronized beat: Ryan McClanahan and Dave Czuba.

Other highlights included “Revival,” “Idle Wild South,” and the eloquent jazzy “Stand Back” from the Eat a Peach album. 

After intermission, the band jumped into the iconic “Ramblin’ Man,” the highest charting song of all the band’s tunes.

 “Statesboro Blues” was arguably the finest moment in a litany of fine moments. Covering the black blues artist Blind Willie McTell, the Allman Brother’s classic is a tribute and an infectious cross between black Southern blues music and white Southern musicianship.

“Sweet Melissa” and “Blue Sky” were both artfully done.

They also covered a tender version of “Desdemona” from Hittin’ The Note, one of the later Allman Brother gems. “Trouble Me No More” was a sweet moment as well.

The band are currently touring. They plan on performing in the home of more modern and famous Southern rock bands, The B-52s and R.E.M. in Athens, Georgia on April 20,

You can read more about the band and their touring schedule on Facebook, Instagram and the band’s website: endofthelineband.com.