Hearts are heavy over Prince's passing. But, the show must go on.
The superstar's influenced so many around the world, few as much as Jason Tanner.
"It broke me down,” said Tanner, who has been playing the part of prince for 20 years and leads the tribute act Purple Reign, which is currently performing at the Westgate hotel-casino. “I started crying. It's difficult. It was devastating news."
Tanner fights off the tears as he tells us about Prince's legacy and the huge void he leaves behind.
"I feel like we lost somebody really, really great today," Tanner said.
Prince has a special connection to Las Vegas. He did an artist residency at the Rio casino-hotel from 2006 to 2007.
The city was awash in purple on Thursday night.
The Venetian and Palazzo hotels and casinos lit their signs in Prince's favorite color. Over at the Hard Rock Café, people were stopping by to see the Prince display.
Fans are blue over the passing of the music icon who brought the world purple rain.
Shante Willis says it seems like Prince was family.
"It was almost like losing an uncle,” Willis said. "He was on the same caliber as Michael Jackson."
UPDATE: The Venetian and Palazzo will turn their building sings purple in honor of Prince. The Las Vegas City Hall exterior will also be lit in purple tonight to honor Prince at Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman’s request.
ORIGINAL STORY:
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) -- Fremont Street Experience will honor pop superstar Prince with a tribute at their Viva Vision canopy on Thursday night.
The tribute features the songs “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry” along with 68 historical photos. The tribute will take place following the 8 p.m., 9 p.m., 10 p.m., 11 p.m., midnight and 1 a.m. Viva Vision shows.
Prince pased away Thursday morning at the age of 57.
Prince was a Las Vegas trendsetter when he had a residency from November 2006 through April 2007 at the Rio where he named the former Club Rio as 3121, the name of his album he had released at the time.
In the past, Fremont Street Experience has paid tribute to David Bowie, B.B. King, Kerry Simon, Jerry Tarkanian, Nelson Mandela, Whitney Houston, Joan Rivers, Dick Clark, Tony Curtis, Jackie Gaughan, Danny Gans, Robert Goulet, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor.
