The Family: Paisley Park Ensemble

The Family was assembled by Prince in 1984 from the remaining members of The Time after that band split. Prince built the new group around

St. Paul Peterson (vocals, keyboards), Susannah Melvoin (vocals),

Jellybean Johnson (drums),

Jerome Benton (percussion),

and Eric Leeds (saxophone, flute).

Prince met Eric Leeds through his tour manager Alan Leeds, Eric’s brother. Other musicians — including Jerry Hubbard and David Eiland — were approached but declined, leaving Prince to finalize the core lineup around these five members.

The Family existed only from 1984 to 1985, but became one of Prince’s most important transitional projects, shaping the sound he would explore with The Revolution and later Madhouse.

Rise to Fame & Paisley Park Era

The Family recorded their sole album at Paisley Park in 1985. Although presented as a band project, most of the music was created by Prince alone in the studio, with Eric Leeds adding saxophone parts.

St. Paul and Susannah later overdubbed their lead vocals.

The album introduced Prince’s new blend of funk, jazz, orchestral pop, and minimalist grooves, and marked his first collaboration with Clare Fischer, whose orchestral arrangements became a defining element of Prince’s later work.

The Family released two singles in 1985: • The Screams of Passion  

• High Fashion

Their only live performance took place on August 13 1985 at First Avenue in Minneapolis.

Prince Connection & Creative Evolution

The Family was one of Prince’s most hands‑on creations.

He wrote the songs, played nearly all instruments, and shaped the band’s image and sound.

Key Prince connections include:

• A bridge between The Time and the expanded Revolution lineup

• The introduction of Eric Leeds, central to Prince’s jazz‑funk era

• The beginning of Prince’s long partnership with Clare Fischer

• Susannah Melvoin’s involvement deepening Prince’s ties to the Melvoin musical family

A live version of the band was assembled with Miko Weaver (guitar), Allen Flowers (bass), Bill Carrothers and Jonathan Melvoin (keyboards), plus Wally Safford and Greg Brooks as dancers and backing vocalists.

After the group dissolved, Jerome Benton, Eric Leeds, Miko Weaver, Wally Safford, and Greg Brooks joined the expanded Revolution in early 1986.

Influence & Legacy

Although short‑lived, The Family became one of Prince’s most influential side projects.

Their legacy includes:

• Introducing the jazz‑infused Minneapolis sound Prince later expanded with Madhouse

• Establishing Clare Fischer’s orchestral arrangements as a recurring Prince hallmark

• Launching St. Paul Peterson, who later formed fDeluxe, a modern continuation of The Family

• Providing early showcases for Eric Leeds, whose saxophone shaped Prince’s late‑80s and early‑90s sound

The Family’s 1985 album remains a cult favourite, known for its sleek production, orchestral depth, and the original version of “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

Why The Family Matters

The Family represents a key turning point in Prince’s mid‑80s evolution:

• A fusion of funk, jazz, orchestral pop, and minimalist grooves

• A testing ground for new collaborators • A bridge between The Time and The Revolution

• A blueprint for Prince’s later jazz‑funk experiments

Despite existing for barely a year, The Family left a lasting imprint on Prince’s musical universe.

SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia. BBC Official Charts Prince Vault, Sleeveographia2 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.

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