Biography Dez Dickerson

Dez Dickerson (b. Desmond D'andrea Dickerson in 1955) is a guitarist who was a member of Prince's former band, The Revolution. Dickerson answered Prince's call for a touring musician in 1979, not realizing how fateful the audition would be. Dickerson was hired as a guitarist and quickly became a fan-favorite in concert. He was soon recognized as much for his trademark "Rising Sun" headband as for his blistering guitar work. In 1980 when off the road for Christmas break, Dickerson had a profound conversion experience and became a born-again Christian. Afterwards performing songs with sexual themes began to trouble his conscience. Even though Dickerson's and Prince's popularity were growing, he desired more and more to quit the band. Dickerson contributed vocals to "Little Red Corvette" and "1999" on the 1999 album, as well as the trademark guitar solo for "Little Red Corvette" that ranked #64 on Guitar World's list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos.

However, following the 1999 tour, Dickerson left the band to pursue other options. He was replaced by Wendy Melvoin.

After leaving the Revolution, Dickerson formed his own short-lived band, the Modernaires and toured in support of Billy Idol on his 1984 Rebel Yell tour. Dickerson appeared in the movie Purple Rain with the Modernaires, but their song was not released as a single nor on the Purple Rain soundtrack. A solo recording deal failed to materialize, however, and in 1987 Dickerson relocated to Nashville to back singer Judson Spence. He also kept busy with session work and producing other artists.

In 1990 Dickerson was named Vice President of A&R with the CCM label Starsong Communications. Four years later he founded his own label, Absolute Records, a Christian-rock record company. He released a solo album in the late 1990s entitled Oneman. He recently released a book, My Time with Prince-Confessions of a Former Revolutionary, which tells of his time with Prince and the Revolution from his first audition in 1978 until his departure in 1983.

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