The Family
The Family
The Family is a group that was built by Prince out of the remaining members of the Time when that band broke up in 1984. It featured The Time drummer Jellybean Johnson and The Time's Jerome Benton on percussion, while the band's keyboardist Paul Peterson was appointed lead singer besides playing keyboard together with Prince's then girlfriend Susannah Melvoin(twin sister of Wendy, these were augmented by Eric Leeds, a saxophonist and flautist whom Prince got to know through his tour manager Alan Leeds, brother of Eric.
On paper the band lacked a bass player or keyboard players, but that was only on paper. Prince recorded all music for the band's first and only album The Family largely on his own with saxophone overdubs by Eric Leeds. All songs were also submitted to Clare Fischer for orchestral overdubs.
A live version of the band rehearsed for a month and played one show at First Avenue, before the project was disbanded.
Original Band Members
- St. Paul: Vocals, Keyboards
- Susannah Melvoin: Vocals
- Jellybean Johnson: Drums
- Eric Leeds: Saxophone, flute
- Jerome Benton: percussion
Additional Live Band Members
- Miko Weaver: Guitar, Background vocals
- Alan Flowers: Bass
- Jonathan Melvoin: Keyboards
- Bill Carrothers: Keyboards
- Wally Safford: Background vocals
- Greg Brooks: Background vocals
Discography
Albums
- 1985 The Family (Paisley Park)
Singles
- 1985 The Screams Of Passion
- 1985 High Fashion
Reference
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_%28band%29
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-family-mw0001882542
- http://www.discogs.com/Family-The-Family/
