Family
The Family
Rare & Collectible Vinyl Records

1985 Original in shrink. The Family’s self-titled album, released in 1985, stands as a distinctive project in the Minneapolis music scene, best known for its close connection to Prince. Assembled and produced by Prince, The Family was one of several bands he created to showcase protégés and to experiment with new musical directions outside his own solo output. The group featured members such as St. Paul Peterson, Susannah Melvoin, Jellybean Johnson, Jerome Benton, and Eric Leeds, and their debut album was issued on Prince’s Paisley Park Records. The project is notable for its fusion of funk, pop, jazz, and orchestral elements, and for introducing the original version of "Nothing Compares 2 U," a song later made world-famous by Sinéad O’Connor.

From a historical perspective, The Family album represents a significant moment in Prince’s evolution as an artist and producer during the mid-1980s. The band’s sound was marked by intricate arrangements, lush string sections by composer Clare Fischer, and a willingness to blend genres—a precursor to later Paisley Park acts. Although the album received only modest commercial attention at the time, its influence grew as fans and musicians recognized its innovative production and songwriting. The Family’s brief existence and the subsequent careers of its members, who went on to other prominent projects, only increased the album’s mystique and legacy within the broader landscape of Minneapolis funk and popular music.