On 10/22/2008 my dear friend Rande Laiderman lost her determined and courageous fight against cancer. Rande, who was 54, will be remembered as an inspiration by all who knew her. My friend Robbie Pastor told me that in Kansas City MO tonight artist Maxwell dedicated his final song ‘ This Woman’s Work‘ to Rande. I am honored that she was my friend; she was one of those people who touched so many lives in a positive way. Rande was Prince’s personal chef for many years.  Memorial services will take place at 12:00 noon Sunday October 26^th at Temple Israel in Minneapolis MN

Hucky

It’s been a while since I posted anything on this blog. My plan is to post 1 or 2 video posts a week I’m going to try to keep these quick and basic. Let me know what you think.

PS: If you can’t view this video I’ve also put it on YouTube

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Dear Visitors and Fans of True Prince Stories,

I have had several individuals contact me who are disappointed to see that I have not posted any new stories or interviews to the website. I want to assure you of a few things: First, it is not because of all the legal brouhaha over “Prince” websites; he is not in opposition to my postings. Secondly, it’s not for lack of content, or my sincere enjoyment in sharing the stories and catching up with friends and colleagues from the “good old days!”

It really comes down to the fact that I am maintaining several other websites, all of which have paid for themselves. True Prince Stories has a great deal of traffic, but no income to sustain the ongoing content I have been providing. It is my hope to find advertisers or sponsors who can help “keep the lights on” so I can continue to keep the website fresh and stocked with entertaining and provocative stories and interviews. Up to this point, I have been paying for administrative assistance out of my own pocket.

Just as soon as I can figure out a way for True Prince Stories to become self-sustaining, rest assured I will be back with more content. It has been a real pleasure to hear from some of you again after all these years, and to see that visitors have been enjoying the website.

Sincerely,

Harlan “Hucky” Austin

I know this is not Prince News, but this is ridiculous

Where’s the outrage?

The Michael Vick dog fighting news gained mass television news coverage, but yet here we have a clear case of brutality against a human and not a peep about it on television news outlets. His brutality towards dogs is indeed horrible, but where is the same outrage for the mistreatment and brutality against a fellow human being? This is the most horrific act of racial hatred I’ve heard in a very long time. It saddens me to think that such evil exists today. What I want to know is, why hasn’t this story aired on the national news? This is ridiculous, this story happened sometime in September and I am now just hearing about this.
Read Story Here: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3590598

Maneca Lightner, The lovely and curvaceous 5′3 cover-girl for Prince’s Madhouse jazz-fusion project

TPS: Just curious, was the doggie on the covers yours?

ML: No, that was a trained puppy, but still those shoots went on forever. While on the set, he’d crawl into the car and  fall asleep or play. But I had alot of fun and he was a sweet puppy.

TPS: Had you done any modeling prior to those covers?

ML: No. I wasn’t really interested in being a model. I met Prince when I lived in Denver. I was only 16, and he was at a record signing. Two years later, we met again and I was wearing a polka-dot outfit that he really liked – that’s why all the outfits I wear on the album covers have polka dots on them. Three years later I got a call from him asking if I was interested in being the cover model for a jazz album he was putting together.  We shot three covers and two videos.  It was big fun!! We dated off and on for some time–unfortunately, I didn’t have any talent he could tap into & develop.  I didn’t dance, sing or play any music instruments.

TPS: Did you have any offers to model after that?

ML: Yes, but Prince wanted me to represent only the Madhouse projects. I didn’t really want to be a model anyway. I didn’t like the feeling of having to look perfect every time I stepped out of the house. People want you to look exactly like your photos and that’s simply not realistic. Fortunately, I had a talent at the business side of the music industry.  I knew there was something I was good at! HAHAHA!

TPS: So what have you been up to since then?

ML: Well, I worked for sometime with different record labels, all on the business
 side of things. I worked with Warner Brothers, Virgin, and others. I then opened a talent agency for Musicians and Singers with a partner. We were in business for seven years working with artists like Pink, Christina Aguillera, Destiny’s Child and many more! I still work on certain music events every now and then, but for the past two years I’ve been working in Real Estate and I’m now finishing up a book I’m writing with my best friend, on love and relationships.

TPS: What’s the name of the book?

ML: ”The Soft Side of Love, the Hard Side of Love & Everything In Between”
 
TPS: Anything you’d like to share about your personal life?

ML: I live in the Valley in Southern California. I have two boys, age 6 and 16. Between my real estate work, my book, my boys –I’m pretty busy!  Life is good!

Maneca and Richard Hallmarq