How many guitarists can say they were fined $1,000 by Prince and still call it an honor? Mike Scott can. He remembers being called out of the blue to jam with Prince, no warm up, no warning. Minutes later, he was on stage for Good Morning America. The pressure was instant, the stakes sky high, and the energy electric. This is where the legend of “Reverend Scott” was born.
Prince pushed Scott harder than anyone else ever had. He demanded every note be clean, every solo tell a story and every mistake cost real money. That $1,000 fine was not about punishment. It was about precision. It made Scott sharper and more present.
Guitarist Mike Scott Tells Us All the Prince Stories | 100 Guitarists Podcast
Fans still talk about this chapter of Scott’s life like it was a masterclass in discipline. One comment said, “If Prince fined me $1,000, I would frame the receipt.” Another laughed, “Prince could have fined me my whole rent, I would still show up.” The vibe is clear. People love these stories because they show Prince as both a genius and a mentor even when he was tough.
Scott has shared that those moments taught him not just about guitar, but about funk itself. That same discipline carried over years later when he performed a Prince tribute backed by a full orchestra. The setting was formal but the spirit was the same. Pushing boundaries, feeling every beat and honoring the man who had taught him what groove really meant.
MIKE SCOTT guitarist for PRINCE and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE / Interview
Hearing him describe that tribute, you can almost see the smile on his face. He called it “amazing” and “incredible” and the audience agreed. The crowd felt the weight of Prince’s legacy in every note. For Scott, it was a full circle moment, a chance to give back to the man who had shaped him as a player and a person.
Mike Scott’s journey is proof that great artists do not just play music, they transform the people around them. Prince demanded excellence, and Scott rose to meet it. If you love hearing how music shapes lives, keep following Mike Scott’s story. Follow Mike Scott on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. His memories of Prince are not just stories, they are lessons for anyone chasing greatness.