He's recorded with fDeluxe and LP Music. But Paul Peterson – or St. Paul Peterson to you Purple fans – hasn't recorded under his own name since 2004.
He just dropped a new single "You Got 2 Love." Not surprisingly, it's a big old funky slice of the Minneapolis Sound, with lyrics about one love in this divisive, segregated world. The music and the message sound straight out of the Prince playbook.
You'll recall that Peterson, fresh out of high school, became a replacement member in the Time in 1983, just in time for the filming of "Purple Rain." Then, he became co-lead singer of the Family, a Prince-created spinoff of the Time, featuring Peterson, Jellybean Johnson, Eric Leeds and Susannah Melvoin. After one album (he sang the original "Nothing Compares 2 U") and one gig at First Avenue, Peterson exited for a solo career.
Over the years, he has worked as a teacher at professional music schools, toured as a sideman with the likes of Kenny Loggins and Oleta Adams, gigged with his jazzy family band the Petersons, resurrected the Family as fDeluxe and led the Minneapolis Funk All-Stars.
You can see how well-connected Peterson is in his video for "You Got 2 Love." Look for cameos by Sinbad, Fred Armisen, Tom Arnold, Donny Osmond, Victor Wooten, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir and Prince's sister, Tyka Nelson, among others.
Peterson will celebrate his new single with a performance Friday at the Icehouse in Minneapolis.
