Clyde Stubblefield remembers stepping into the Minneapolis studio, not expecting to catch a glimpse of its owner, Prince.
“His name was involved on it. It was his, and I was like, wow, I’m in Prince’s studio. That’s great,” Stubblefield said. “And like I said, I never expected to see him or anything. And it was just so shocking to me to be there.”
A star-struck Stubblefield, known himself for his drumming career with James Brown and other prominent musicians, never expected what would happen later in life.
About 15 years ago, Stubblefield was being treated for bladder cancer when his wife got a phone call. It was Prince’s people asking how much Stubblefield needed to cover his medical bills.
“And just when I heard they had done that, I was shocked, I was like, ‘Wow, why did they do that?’” Stubblefield asked. “They don’t even know me!”
Prince contributed $80,000 to Stubblefield’s treatment. Stubblefield remains modest about his influence on Prince or any other artist, but his wife insists Prince idolized her husband’s talent as a drummer.
Stubblefield wishes he could still shake Prince’s hand, equating the honor to shaking hands with the president. He insists that while his music made its impact, Prince’s generosity will mark his legacy.
“I appreciate him and respect him and love him,” Stubblefield said.
