But life is just a party, and parties weren't meant to last.....

I don't like to throw the word "icon" around too casually. But when an entertainer attains immense popularity among multiple generations, such a label would seem apropos. It's safe to say that the Twin Cities music scene (and the entire music world for that matter) lost an icon.

Legendary Minnesota pop musician Prince, hailed worldwide as a versatile musical genius, was found dead Thursday morning at his Paisley Park recording studio complex in Chanhassen. He was 57.

The Carver County Sheriff’s Office reported that responders found the artist, unresponsive, in an elevator and were unable to revive him with CPR. He was pronounced deceased at 10:07 a.m.

His body is at the Midwest Medical Examiners Officer in Ramsey. An autospy is planned Friday.

In a transcript of a 911 call released by the Carver County Sheriff’s Office, an unidentified male caller tells the dispatcher there is “a person … dead here,” says he doesn’t know how the person died and struggles to find the exact address of Prince’s home, which the dispatcher urgently seeks.

“You’re at Paisley Park, OK, that’s in Chanhassen,” the dispatcher says. “Are you with the person who’s …” and the male caller quickly interrupts to say, “Yes, it’s Prince.”

Multiple responders were quickly dispatched. An ambulance dispatcher soon canceled further medical help, saying, “confirmed DOA.”

Prince had his initial enormous success in the 1980s, which were my formative years. I could hardly turn on the radio in middle school and high school without hearing a Prince tune. The songs 1999, Little Red Corvette and Delirious were the most popular tracks at the Wooddale roller skating rink around 1983-84. And the tunes When Doves Cry and Let's Go Crazy were often part of the soundtrack on bus rides to our away basketball games in 10th grade.

Despite his worldwide popularity, Prince always stayed true to his Minnesota roots by living hear when not touring. And while it wasn't touted publicly, his philanthropy was prolific.

Gov. Mark Dayton said Prince’s “tremendous talent was matched only by his generosity and commitment to improving his community ... (his) contributions to the betterment of our state will be remembered for years to come.”

Yes, Prince's music and his generosity to his hometown are two things which will last for a long, long time.

-----------------------------------------