Georgia Entertainment Scene
Georgia Entertainment Scene

Prince Remembered 2017: Jason Orr talks about how Prince inspired Atlanta musicians (video)

Prince influenced plenty of Atlanta musicians. (Axel Koester/The New York Times)
Prince influenced plenty of Atlanta musicians. (Axel Koester/The New York Times)
By Melissa Ruggieri
April 20, 2017

BY MELISSA RUGGIERI/AJC Music Scene

Prince receives plenty of respect for pioneering the "Minneapolis sound."

But that sound - an amalgamation of funk, rock and New Wave - filtered down South as well.

Jason Orr, founder of Atlanta's annual FunkJazz Kafé event, talks about Prince's influence on the Atlanta music scene.

RELATED <<

Kristian Bush talks Prince’s musical influence

Mastodon’s Brann Dailor talks “Purple Rain”

Explore Members of The Revolution reflect on Prince's death

About the Author

Melissa Ruggieri has covered music and entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 2010 and created the Atlanta Music Scene blog. She's kept vampire hours for more than two decades and remembers when MTV was awesome.

Follow Melissa Ruggieri on facebookFollow Melissa Ruggieri on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Sergio Suárez at work in his studio. (Walter Bankson/Courtesy of Johnson Lowe Gallery)

Credit: Walter Bankson / Johnson Lowe Gallery

Sergio Suárez’s epic prints ponder life’s big philosophical questions

Born in Mexico City, Suárez moved to Atlanta at 17. A printmaking class at Georgia State ignited his passion for art.

2h ago

Greg Street stays hip in the world of hip-hop after 30 years on air

Greg Street, a radio host on V-103, recently celebrated 30 years at the station, a hardworking, caring individual who still loves the music and the culture.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s mother provides more details of his death

Nearly two months after Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s drowning death in Costa Rica, his mother, Pamela, sat with Robin Roberts of “Good Morning America” Tuesday to talk about him.

The Latest

ajc.com

What movies made in Georgia have made the most money since 2008?

‘Ride Along’ producer Will Packer promotes ‘healthy arrogance’ in new book

Check out three new reality shows with Atlanta ties

Featured

Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

Credit: NYT

Fani Willis loses last chance to stay at the helm of Trump Georgia election interference case

Georgia's top court declines to hear Fani Willis appeal in Trump case, meaning she can no longer pursue the election interference case.

Investigator: Ex-APD officer raped woman on duty, returned when she called 911

Fulton County Magistrate Judge Todd Ashley ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed against former officer Muhammad Muhammad.

Cobb County agency green lights tax break for Home Depot’s $140M project

The Development Authority of Cobb County voted 6-0 to give initial approval for Home Depot's request Tuesday but didn't disclose the property tax savings the company sought.