Prince and a Divided America

The outpouring of shock and grief over the death of Prince seems to cross all kinds of lines that divide 21st Century America — black and white, old and young, Democrat and Republican, urban and rural.

That doesn’t happen much these days.

But it makes sense.

Prince was one of the most brilliant and daring musicians America has ever produced. He was a genius. And his music embodied one of the deepest American ideals.

Prince simply refused to accept the divisions — especially racial divisions — that others imposed (and still impose) in our music and in our lives.

To listen to Prince’s music was to encounter Chuck Berry and Jimmy Page, James Brown and The Carpenters (listen to “Diamonds and Pearls” again), Sly Stone and Todd Rundgren, Donna Summer and Joni Mitchell, Parliament and The Police, and on and on, all spun into a shredding neon purple arc of new possibilities in our music that made you feel closer to your fellow Americans–your fellow humans–in ways only the greatest artists can.

He conjured who we could be, if we’d just listen a little better. To each other.

What a wonderful gift and legacy that is. So thrilling. So all-American. So irreplaceable.

—
Terry Moran is a journalist and anchor, formerly of Nightline on ABC. He is the Chief Foreign Correspondent for ABC News (@TerryMoran).

[image via Wikipedia Commons]

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!