Prince: (July 2, 1986) “Prince reigns in Wyoming city” - Brainerd Dispatch

Publication: Brainerd Dispatch / The Brainerd Daily Dispatch (Brainerd, Minnesota) Date: Wednesday, July 2, 1986

Detailed coverage of Prince’s remarkable promotional visit to the small mining and ranching town of Sheridan, Wyoming (population 15,000). MTV and Warner Bros. collaborated to bring the world premiere of Prince’s second feature film Under the Cherry Moon to this unlikely location as part of a national contest promotion.

“Prince reigns in Wyoming city”

Key Content

Notable Mentions

Lisa Barber, a 20-year-old hotel maid, won the MTV national call-in contest as the 10,000th caller. Her prize included hosting the world premiere in her hometown and inviting 200 friends to the after-party at the Sheridan Holiday Inn. Prince arrived by private plane on Tuesday afternoon. He dramatically threw his black silk jacket to the crowd of fans and later performed a medley of hits with The Revolution (who made a surprise appearance after Mazarati) for around 1,000 people.

The event drew massive local excitement with Mayor Max DeBolt and about 700 fans greeting Prince at the airport. Celebrities in attendance included Rosanne Arquette, Joni Mitchell, Sheila E., Ray Parker Jr., Jerome Benton, and Thomas Scott. Prince was characteristically brief during the live MTV broadcast, telling interviewer Martha Quinn that he felt “with my hands.” The story captures the surreal energy of a global superstar transforming a quiet rural town into a star-studded rock event.

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.