Prince O(+> (July 17, 1997) Minnesota Music Awards Feature – Star Tribune, USA.

At the 16th annual Minnesota Music Awards the Emancipation is in the category Best R&B Recording.

This Star Tribune article, published on Friday, July 18, 1997, highlights the winners of the Eighth Annual Minnesota Music Awards, held at First Avenue in Minneapolis. Written by Jon Bream, the piece celebrates the dual triumph of Jonny Lang, the 16‑year‑old blues‑rock prodigy, and Barbara Cohen, the electronic‑pop innovator from Brother Sun Sister Moon.

Publication: Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) Date: July 18 1997 Country: United States Section / Pages: Entertainment / Music Awards Coverage Title: Lang, Cohen Score Top‑Honor Minnies, National Attention

Lang dominated the event with seven Minnies, including Song of the Year and Best Major‑Label Recording for Lie to Me, while Cohen earned four awards, including Artist of the Year and Female Vocalist. The article notes Lang’s national success and Cohen’s growing recognition for her adventurous electronic sound, soon to be backed by a major‑label contract.

The full list of winners spans genres from blues and jazz to hip‑hop and electronica, with notable mentions for Prince (R&B Recording – Emancipation), Trailer Trash, Detroit, and Honeydogs.

This feature captures a vibrant moment in Minnesota’s late‑1990s music scene, where emerging artists like Lang and Cohen gained national attention alongside established figures such as Prince. The awards reflected the state’s creative diversity and its influence on American music culture.

Source: Star Tribune, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, July 18 1997. All newspaper 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.