Prince Pays Tribute To Late Friend 'Vanity'
By Hayden Wright
(RADIO.COM) - Through his career, Prince has a history of giving less established artists a leg up: From Carmen Electra to Sheila E., his roster of protégés contributed to the Prince mystique and spun off into their own successful entertainment careers. Yesterday, the world learned that Vanity, his partner between 1980 and 1983, passed away at age 57 from renal failure. At his piano concert last night, Prince paid tribute to his late friend.
"Can I tell you a story about Vanity? Or should I tell you a story about Denise?," he said, referencing her given name. "Her and I used to love each other deeply. She loved me for the artist I was, I loved her for the artist she was trying to be. She and I would fight. She was very headstrong 'cause she knew she was the finest woman in the world. She never missed an opportunity to tell you that."
He dedicated a stripped-down version of "Little Red Corvette" to the singer, actress, and model.