Many guitarists love Stevie Ray Vaughn's cover version of 'Little Wing', some even more than the original by Jimi Hendrix. However, there is no cover without the original. Prince was certainly original in many ways, but Stevie Wonder is as much a source for Prince as Hendrix was for Vaughn (and for Prince).

I love Prince. Prince was maddeningly talented, shockingly prolific, and produced an amazing and wildly underrated (still!) opus over his career. Prince will be remembered as one of the most important pop musicians in history.

Yet there is no 5 year stretch in Prince's career that compares to what Stevie Wonder did from 1972-1976.

Pick any 5 years between 1982 and 1989:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_albums_discography

7 platinum albums.

And bear in mind that gave away whole albums that were hits, and wrote classics like Manic Monday (while asleep) and Nothing Compares 2U and gave them away in this time.

If you want a stretch of pure brilliance, I'd pick:

Purple Rain Around the World in a Day Parade Sign O the Times Lovesexy

During this era he was also responsible for most of The Time's output, The Family, wrote a lot of his later hits, and kept plenty back simply for his own reasons which still may not have surfaced.

If you're into funk, The Time is indeed another shocking output. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUl2Cd7IMms anybody with a taste for beats will go nuts on this.

Also, responsible for the background music in this cult movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOOwGhaFpVk [NSFW]

For the curious, Victor Wooten, sacred virtuoso bass player said in videos that Prince influenced him on the bass, saying Prince's stuff was unheard of. And Prince isn't even a bass fan, I believe he was more in love with guitar and keyboards.

I know I will get down-voted for this, but I just never really got the Prince vibe. I can appreciate his work, and the love a lot of people have for him. But I can't name one song that struck a chord with me. Sorry

Prince wasn't super high on my list until I saw him live twice 7-8 years ago. Blew my mind. Almost entirely different repertoire both times. Completely in a league of his own. Amazing energy, musicianship, really incredible player, and he wasn't young anymore either but just kept hitting it hard. Played a show like that every day in London for weeks. Plus afterparties a couple of times a week where he would play for hours sometimes. It was probably the best live show I have ever been to.

Stevie has a special place for me as a songwriter but as a performer Prince was next level. Different artists, love both

Prince, even today, is still underrated. He carried mountains of music on his shoulders, while being an overwhelming rock star persona, and a live genius, and quite an ok human being (goofy and a bit precious at times but well).

After his passing I saw videos of rehearsal, where he would drive sound stage check calmly with people, dropping jazz classics from his pocket and being cool with the crew.

A lot of what he did was so brilliant, for so many years, in so many genre.

ps: he also managed to make rock guitarists drop their jaw at the george harrison celebration, all done unrehearsed (for better surprise effect).

This is something I've heard, that I can totally appreciate. I've heard extremely talented musicians talk about how Prince treated them like they were kids painting a picture for the fridge after hearing them play. Live performing, and sheer talent on instruments is cool, and I didn't want to take anything away from the man. My only point was I'm never driving down the road and want to jam to a Prince song, like I would Superstition. It's a vibe thing, and I don't feel it with him.

I'm with you, friend, no disrespect to the man but I just never got what people get out of his music.

Its all about the funk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQWQD2xQ3QQ

Remember also that there was still radio then, and Stevie was all over it. That makes it more universal.

I love Stevie Wonder's "Classic" work and his early period too but why would you bring in Prince? Is there not room enough for both in your musical heart?

I don't get the value in a comment like this, especially when without Stevie Wonder there might not be Prince. We all stand on the shoulders of giants. At least most of us (I like to make short people work for it).

I suspect Prince would have looked at you funny if you said that to him.

Yeah but he was unusually humble when it came to his music idols :)

Even Stevie Wonder is looking at you funny.

the difference for musicians is in aczerepinski's comment above ...harmonically sophisticated and yet singable/relatable to non-musicians