Prince's "Purple Rain": Powerful Covers by David Gilmour and Eva Vergilova

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As reported earlier, legendary performer Prince died today at age 57.

As we gather more information and prepare a proper tribute, we are reminded of two popular—and very powerful—covers of Prince's "Purple Rain" that have appeared in recent months on GuitarWorld.com. One is by a legendary guitarist; the other is by an up-and-coming (and, happily, guitar-playing) internet sensation.

Up top, you'll find a 1992 performance of the song by Tom Jones and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour from a TV show called Tom Jones: The Right Time, which aired in June of that year.

Below that, we revisit a homemade clip of Bulgarian guitarist Eva Vergilova performing her instrumental version of the song, which Prince originally released in 1984. For all about Vergilova, follow her on Facebook and YouTube.

Damian Fanelli
Damian Fanelli
Editor-in-Chief, Guitar World

Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.

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