SPECIAL EDITION: C Liegh McInnis Deep Dive
A special edition newsletter to celebrate C Liegh McInnis after finishing his extraordinary 6-part, 6-hour interview by 1$t Letter. It is must-watch content!
I created this special edition newsletter to celebrate C Liegh McInnis after finishing his extraordinary 6-part, 6-hour interview with 1$t Letter. It is must-watch content! (Longform content rules! I wish more folks would do deep dives. Thank God, that Michael Dean does on the Podcast on Prince!)
Why would you spend 6 hours listening to C Liegh? Because in a world filled with psychic vampires that drain you of energy, he is the extremely rare individual that funnels energy and inspiration into YOU by his sheer presence!
Watching C Liegh’s short segment (starting around 26:58; it’s cued to that moment below) in this Deion Sanders documentary… mentoring a Jackson State University (JSU) student-athlete, you can tell (that like my mama) he can light up a room just by walking in! That’s C Liegh!
C Liegh is a light that shines so bright that his energy expands to lift everybody up!
C Liegh is one of my favorite folks on the planet. I thought I’d take the opportunity to give him his flowers, now, and let him know how much his spirit nourishes my mind and spirit.
I’m incredibly lucky to not only have him as a Prince friend/family, but, even more than that (Pause! Re-read that sentence and think about what I just wrote… this one phrase is expressing a heck of a LOT!), also as a fellow southerner, hailing from Mississippi! I miss the south, but C Liegh helps keep me connected to my roots! While I’m not from Mississippi, I am from the deep south, too–Alabama!
For those of you who don’t know who C Liegh is… get ready for a mindblowing experience as you get to know him. Regardless, you’ll be a better person for listening to him. I hope you’ll take the time to watch all 6 hours. Yes! It’s a commitment, but it’ll be worth it! YOU will be better for it. Trust me!
C Liegh has done so much! So, I had to have a focus for this newsletter. And, the focus will be drumroll… music. So, if you want to know more about his poetry, short stories, etc., visit his website, http://psychedelicliterature.com, YouTube channel, or search for “C Liegh McInnis” on YouTube, in general, to find out more about his amazing writing.
”Everybody, everybody knows..” that I hate long bios. So I’ll say this… C Liegh is a poet, short story writer, author of several books including The Lyrics Of Prince Rogers Nelson/ O(+> A Literary Look At A Creative, Musical Poet, Philosopher, And Storyteller, a retired JSU professor, AND… Yes! He worked directly with Prince for 18 months or so on an unreleased book project during the mid-nineties. How many folks can say that?
P.S. I’m super jealous that C Liegh got to witness Rick James’ “Fire It Up” Tour when Prince opened up for him.
And without further ado…
Fasten your seatbelts.
Prepare for take off !
💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
The Appetizer:
The American Writers Museum Podcast Episode 20: Prince (2022)
C Liegh is always in high demand! Before I could write and release this issue, he appeared on another podcast.
On 28 June 2022, C Liegh McInnis was interviewed alongside Kerrison “Kerry” Black (founder of Superfly Productions and Prince: The Immersive Experience) by the American Writers Museum for their podcast, Nation of Writers, about the lyrics, music, and legacy of Prince.
(I just got back from Chicago for Prince: The Immersive Experience. I’ll talk about my experience in the next newsletter because this one is all about C Liegh!)
For an appetizer (46 minutes) before the main course (6 hours), I’d recommend it.
The Main Course:
The 1$t Letter C Liegh McInnis Interview (2022)
Here’s the Full Playlist and the individual episodes are below!
I could give you a key that outlines what’s in every episode, but I won’t. I could let you know which episodes C Liegh talks about Prince in-depth, but I’m not going to do that either! Why? You really need to listen and watch the whole series. You need time for C Liegh’s life experiences and words of wisdom to marinate. So, do not try to watch the entire 6 hours at one time…
However, I will have a few comments. So, I will share a few select things that truly resonated with me! You’ll have to watch these episodes for the context, however. These episodes are something you need to hear for yourself!
1$t Letter - The C. Liegh McInnis Interview - Part 1 - Everybody Got a Story - Episode 8
What resonated with me? The pearl-handled pistol story. You’ll have to watch the episode to know what I’m talking about.
1$t Letter - The C. Liegh McInnis Interview - Part 2 - Everybody Got a Story - Episode 8
What resonated with me? Passion alone does not make art. Craft and skill are important!
1$t Letter - The C. Liegh McInnis Interview - Part 3 - Everybody Got a Story - Episode 8
1$t Letter - The C. Liegh McInnis Interview - Part 4 - Everybody Got a Story - Episode 8
What resonated with me? “We’re pie charts with multiple slices.”
1$t Letter - The C. Liegh McInnis Interview - Part 5 - Everybody Got a Story - Episode 8
What resonated with me? C Liegn’s advice for academics about meetings.
1$t Letter - The C. Liegh McInnis Interview - Part 6 - Everybody Got a Story - Episode 8
What resonated with me? Work ethic is more important than talent. Dedicating oneself to a craft.
Funkin' in the Dirty South: A Conversation with C. Liegh McInnis & Tony Bolden
In this discussion, C. Liegh McInnis talks w/ Tony Bolden about the history of funk as a concept and Bolden's book Groove Theory: The Blues Foundation of Funk. If you don’t know about Tony Bolden, you need to do your “googles,” as Michael Dean would say.
The USfest: the democracy party! The ‘Not me. Us.’ podcast Ep03 The Prophetic Pop Life of Prince w Professor C. Liegh McInnis (2020)
Before the 1$t letter deep dive, this was at the top of my favorite conversations with C Liegh on the USfest: the democracy party! The ‘Not me. Us.’ podcast, hosted by Brian Bakunin & Suzi Bombchop.
C Liegh Appearances at polished solid symposia and events
While C Liegh did not participate in the first two, in-person, polished solid Prince symposia, he has participated in all of the virtual ones and other Prince events. I am truly grateful and incredibly lucky that C Liegh is now a part of the symposia's core scholars.
C Liegh McInnis’ Participation at #SexyMF30, a polished solid Virtual Symposium (2022)
#SexyMF30 was a 2-day virtual symposium, celebrating Prince for 30 years of the Love Symbol album, on 26-27 March 2022! For more information, visit https://sexymf.polishedsolid.com.
2022 #SexyMF30 Virtual Symposium Presentation: "o(+> A Story of Love—Self-Love, Romantic Love, and Spiritual Love"
Abstract: Love Symbol (1992) or The Rock Soap Opera, as Prince deems it in the segue to “The Sacrifice of Victor,” is another explosion of Prince’s lyrical talents in search of his deeper self. The central issue of the album is the journey to find identity and the reward gained from soul searching. The plot is about a musical prince (heir to the King of Pop’s throne) who travels to Egypt to meet a Princess, heir to a billion-dollar throne, whose father has been murdered by seven men who are a part of a plot to seize the throne. The seven men are personifications of the seven deadly sins, which Prince must conquer to achieve his new spirituality/identity. The seven men also represent, through their blind lust for power, the battle that man must wage with the flesh to achieve a higher self. Once victorious, Prince emerges as Love Symbol, which becomes his new name and the title for the album.
2022 #SexyMF30 Virtual Symposium Presentation Panel Q&A #1
with C Liegh McInnis, Sherry Wien, Adam Rudegeair, and Erica Thompson. Moderated by KaNisa Williams.
2022 #SexyMF30 Virtual Symposium: Act I & II Tours Roundtable
featuring L.A.W., Nicolay, Marc Wiggins AKA Big Sexy, and Ricky Wyatt. Moderated by C Liegh McInnis.
C Liegh McInnis’ Participation at #PRNAlumni5, a PRN Alumni Association + polished solid Co-Production (2021)
On Saturday, 13 November 2021, we held a one-day virtual event to commemorate five years of the PRN Alumni Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit founded by former Prince staff who share the global icon’s philanthropic mission in supporting youth programs dedicated to the education, enrichment, and expression of music and the arts, supporting urban farming initiatives, and helping alumni members in need.
This event centered Prince’s acoustic album The Truth, originally released as an accompaniment to the 1996 triple CD set Crystal Ball, which finally received its own spotlight when released as a limited edition standalone for Record Store Day, earlier this year. For more information, visit https://prnalumni5.polishedsolid.com.
#PRNAlumni5 The Truth Presentation: Prince Continuing To Seek Higher Ground In The Truth
Abstract: The Truth is a continuation of o(+>’s discourse, which has been to make listeners face their subjective realities and not be hypocritical about them. This is the first step toward freedom and evolution. The second step is understanding and accepting who one is and then working to evolve to a higher form. His work proves that freedom, no matter how difficult the struggle, no matter how lonely the road, is worth whatever one must endure to gain it. One can only evolve when one breaks free of the lies and the illusion of the physical. Further still, true emancipation means being able to break free of the lies that cause fear and selfishness so that people are able to love. Loving others is an emancipation that comes when people believe that love, not money, will save us. Yet, this emancipation can only occur once people are willing to take the steps and do the difficult and, often, painful work of thinking critically about all that one has been taught and exposing oneself to as much information as possible, especially in regards to the physical and metaphysical intersection of “reality,” to know what the truth is.
#SOTTSDC Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Celebration After Salons (2020)
Peach + Black 2 (#SOTTSDC) is not a symposium. #SOTTSDC is a virtual Sign O’ The Times (SOTT) Super Deluxe Celebration on Saturday, 10 October 2020, for the September 2020 box set release by Warner Bros. Records, featuring 45 unreleased studio tracks from Prince’s vault, a full unreleased concert from the Sign O’ The Times era in Utrecht, and 2 hours of unreleased video from a New Year’s Eve benefit concert at Paisley Park on 31 December 1987, showcasing his only on-stage collaboration with jazz legend Miles Davis.
Some attendees mentioned that #SOTTSDC was too short. So, for the next 5 consecutive Saturdays after #SOTTSDC, we had after salons discussing the discs from the Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe box set! What’s a salon? It’s an informal gathering (often in someone’s living room) of old and new friends engaging in intimate and stimulating conversations.
24 Oct 2020 – Vault Tracks 1
31 Oct 2020 – Vault Tracks 2
07 Nov 2020 – Vault Tracks 3
14 Nov 2020 – SOTT Live
21 Nov 2020 – SOTT Live & Closing Remarks
For more information, visit https://sottsdc.polishedsolid.com.
#SOTTSDC After Salon 24 Oct 2020 - Vault Tracks 1
feat. De Angela L. Duff, C. Liegh McInnis, Nicolay, Ivan Orr, Arthur Turnbull, and Ricky Wyatt.
#SOTTSDC After Salon 31 Oct 2020 - Vault Tracks 2
feat. De Angela L. Duff, C. Liegh McInnis, Nicolay, Arthur Turnbull, and Ricky Wyatt.
#SOTTSDC After Salon 07 Nov 2020 - Vault Tracks 3
feat. De Angela L. Duff, C. Liegh McInnis, Nicolay, Arthur Turnbull, and Ricky Wyatt.
#SOTTSDC After Salon 14 NOV 2020 - SOTT Live & The Band With No Name
feat. Michael Dean, De Angela L. Duff, Kamilah Cummings, C. Liegh McInnis, Nicolay, Harold Pride, and Ricky Wyatt.
Make sure you at least watch around 1:27:32 for a heightened C Liegh moment that you DO NOT want to miss.
#SOTTSDC After Salon 21 Nov 2020 - SOTT Live & The Band w/ No Name Pt 2
feat. special surprise guest Wally Safford, De Angela L. Duff, Kamilah Cummings, C Liegh McInnis, Nicolay, Tonya Pendleton, Harold Pride, and Ricky Wyatt.
C Liegh McInnis’ Participation at #1plus1plus1is3 Virtual Symposium, a polished solid production (2021)
#1plus1plus1is3 was a 3-day virtual symposium, celebrating Prince for 40 years of Controversy, 30 years of Diamonds & Pearls, and 20 years of The Rainbow Children, on 26-28 March 2021 (Fri-Sun)! For more info, visit https://1plus1plus1is3.polishedsolid.com.
#1plus1plus1is3 Diamonds & Pearls Presentation: Analyzing Diamonds & Pearls: Poetic Gems From A Poet Concerned With Every Aspect Of Life
Abstract: After having his last two albums connected to and somewhat limited by movies, Prince is ready to return to unlimited creativity. His fourteenth album, Diamonds and Pearls (1991) reflects this attitude. This collection of gems represents the diversity of Prince. He is an encyclopedia and a prism of music, having the ability to take all that has come before him and create his own, unique brand of music-literature and, in doing so, expand the world of popular music. In his article, “The Musical Alchemist,” for El Pais, Luis Hidalgo asserts that “The difference is [Prince’s] influences, his musical inspirations, the ease with which he assimilates them and then reinvents them with his own personal imprint. Prince has created his own unique style…an incomparable way of making music, style you can distinguish by the second verse” (Hidalgo 1994). Diamonds and Pearls acts as a small prism to reflect the history and variety of music-literature. It includes everything from gospel to straightforward jazz, from the big band sound to hardcore funk, rock, and soul. Moreover, the lyrics cover issues from spiritual salvation to economics, from comments on social independence and politics to love and romance. With Diamonds and Pearls, Prince is once again championing his philosophy of obtaining and being at peace by asserting, unapologetically, that God is the answer for a world struggling with its flesh and looking in the wrong places for direction and identity. Furthermore, Prince is proving that he is a master poet as he is one of the few who writes equally well about politics and romance in a manner that is work remains gems of insight and wisdom for a holistic human experience.
#1plus1plus1is3 Diamonds & Pearls Presentation Panel Group Q&A #2
with Kamilah Cummings, C Liegh McInnis, Mark Anthony Neal, and Harold Pride, moderated by Zaheer Ali.
#1plus1plus1is3 Controversy Presentation Panel Group Q & A
with Christopher A. Daniel, Steven G Fullwood, Zachary Hoskins, and Edgar Kruize, moderated by C Liegh McInnis!
C Liegh McInnis’ Participation at #DM40GB30 Virtual Symposium, a polished solid co-production (2020)
#DM40GB30 was a 3-day virtual symposium, celebrating Prince for 40 yrs of Dirty Mind & 30 yrs of Graffiti Bridge, on June 12, 13, & 14, 2020! For more info, visit https://dm40gb30.polishedsolid.com.
#DM40GB30 Dirty Mind Presentation: “How Dirty Mind Helped to Change the Understanding of Race and Masculinity”
#DM40GB30 Dirty Mind Presentation Panel Q&A
with Christopher A. Daniel, Steven G Fullwood, and C Liegh McInnis, moderated by Greg Howard!
#DM40GB30 Graffiti Bridge Presentation Panel Q&A #2
with Kirsty Fairclough, Robert Loss, Casci Ritchie, and Karen Turman, moderated by C Liegh McInnis!
Black Magnolias Literary Journal Special Prince Issue
And, since my newsletter is mostly Prince-related, don’t sleep on the Black Magnolias Literary Journal Special Prince Issue, edited by C Liegh! This issue features two of my favorite writers/thinkers, Michael Gonzales and Robert Loss, as well as a Jill Jones article by yours truly!
The Lyrics Of Prince Rogers Nelson/o(+>
A Literary Look At A Creative, Musical Poet, Philosopher, And Storyteller
A must-read and must-have on any Prince bookshelf!
C Liegh is smarter than us! He is not on social media!
So, if you want to contact him and say hello, you will have to email him at psychedeliclit@bellsouth.net. I’d also suggest you ask to be added to his excellent newsletter if you want to be kept abreast of what’s on C Liegh’s mind and have access to his curated list of upcoming events, steeped in Black culture.
His website is http://psychedelicliterature.com.
P.S. This is for you, C Liegh!
Thank you for being you! You are loved and appreciated by so many in the Prince community! I so look forward to the day when I can meet you and Monica in person, even if I have to come to Mississippi to do so! We’re gonna make that happen!
Postscript
After releasing this newsletter, C Liegh appeared on yet another podcast, The Purple Knights hosted by Chris Johnson, to discuss Prince’s “One Song.” Since it was so close to this release and it’s about Prince, I had to add it!💜