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Rock Steady, a cover version of the Aretha Franklin song released as a single in 1971 (and included on her 1972 album Young, Gifted And Black), was streamed as a live track by Támar featuring Prince in the NPG Music Club’s Glam Slam VIP room in March 2006. In 2008, a 2007 live recording was included as the eighth track on Prince’s fourth live album Indigo Nights, with lead vocals by Beverley Knight.
The song was played live regularly from 2006-7, with Támar Davis, Shelby J. or guest vocalists such as Beverley Knight handling lead vocals each time. The 2006 recording comes from the 25 February 2006, Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN, USA show on the Támar Tour, on which Prince primarily played guitar (a live recording of Partyman / It’s Alright also comes from this show). The album recording comes from the 22 September 2007 (a.m.) aftershow following the final night of 21 Nights In London : The Earth Tour, and was recorded at the The IndigO2 in London, England (several other songs from this show are also included on the album). The album version also contains uncredited bassline instrumentation from Whole Lotta Love, which was played next in the show (and appears next on the CD) - it is not known if bass guitarist Josh Dunham played this intentionally or in error (since it was next on the setlist), and it was not played on other live renditions.
A drum loop from Aretha Franklin’s original version of Rock Steady (played by Bernard Purdie) was previously sampled and used throughout Daddy Pop, released in 1991.
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