Morris Day

Lore & Background

Day and Prince met through the local music scene in Minneapolis. In 1974, as teenagers, they became bandmates in the band Grand Central. The band was managed by Prince's father, John L. Nelson. Morris announced in 2022 that he would be releasing his final solo album Last Call and retiring from regular touring after his 2023–2024 tour.

In Their Own Story

The dressing room smelled like hairspray and cheap cologne. Morris stood in front of the mirror, working through the bridge of the next number—shoulders rolling, hips snapping, a grin he couldn't shake. Through the thin wall he could hear the band tuning up, the thump of a kick drum testing the room. He pressed his palm flat against the glass, felt the vibration travel up his wrist. Out there, three thousand people in the house were already singing the last chorus back at the stage. He cracked his knuckles, grabbed a fistful of ice from the bucket, and walked out into the roar. The Kid was about to work.

Reader's Guide

Day appeared in the films Purple Rain (1984) and Graffiti Bridge (1990), as well as small parts in Moving (1988) and The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990). He returned to film in 2001 in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, performing 'Jungle Love' with The Time. On television, he portrayed Lamarr on the sitcom New Attitude (1990), guest-starred on Eve, appeared as himself on Moesha, and appeared on 227. He also appeared in a pilot called Heart & Soul produced by Quincy Jones. In March 2022, the Prince Estate informed Day that he could not claim ownership of the name 'Morris Day and the Time,' but could still use the name via an agreement with the estate.

Did You Know?

• Day and Prince were bandmates in Grand Central in 1974.
• Grand Central was managed by Prince's father, John L. Nelson.
• In 2018, Will Smith revealed he auditioned for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air with a script from a failed Morris Day pilot.
• Day announced his final solo album Last Call in 2022.