CCTV9英语新闻：McCartney stages gig, and guitar-maker reminisces Prince

leading lights of the music industry have continued paying tribute to the late singer and guitarist, Prince, who died on the 21st of April. Paul McCartney played a gig in Prince's hometown of Minneapolis on Wednesday night, and we also now meet the guitar-maker who crafted 31 instruments for him.

During his gig in Minneapolis' Target Center, the former Beatle covered Prince's 1984 song, "Let's Go Crazy".

McCartney played bass and sang lead vocals while Prince's famous symbol was projected onto the stage backdrop behind him.

For Andy Beech, meanwhile, a guitar-maker - or 'luthier' - based in Washington state, Prince's death brings back a flood of memories.

McCartney played a gig in Prince's hometown of Minneapolis on Wednesday night, and we also now meet the guitar-maker who crafted 31 instruments for him.

He initially filled an order to supply three guitars to the music legend, but it would turn into a regular job. In all, Beech supplied 31 maple and mahogany guitars for Prince.

"I feel unbelievably privileged. When I did this many years ago, when I started doing this, he only took somebody's word that I was capable of doing it. And so for their management and him and all the people who worked for him took that chance on me, and then we ended up being what it is, I made 31 guitars ultimately. That was a chance they took on someone they didn't even know. And so I feel very fortunate that I had the opportunity, and hopefully I did a good job," Andy Beech said.

One of the most standout instruments in Prince's collection is the symbol-shaped purple guitar he used when he played "Purple Rain" during the half-time performance at the 2007 Superbowl.

McCartney plays tribute to Prince.

Beech recalls the epic and life-changing moment when he saw that performance.
 
"The third song in the Superbowl, when he pulls out the guitar, and it's the purple symbol. And I'm just like pretty much breathless at this point except at the same time somehow screaming at the TV. Yes you know. It made me feel pretty good. That's kind of what you strive for as a musician, a luthier, or a performer. I mean anything that you as an artist want to try to do, that's the ultimate stage. I mean how much bigger can it get? It really can't!" he said.
 
Although Prince was his largest individual customer, Beech never met him in person, which now gives him cause for regret.