JIM SALTER

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS - If not for illness, Prince would have performed a surprise set of shows in St. Louis this week.

Instead, St. Louis residents are joining the world in mourning the 57-year-old music legend, who died Thursday at his home in Minneapolis. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.

Promoter Steve Litman said Friday that he had been working for weeks to set up two surprise pop-up shows April 18 at the Fox Theatre. Litman owns his own company and also is executive producer for concerts at the Fox.

Everything was ready for the concerts, including artwork, news releases and tickets that would have gone on sale April 15.

“That was his style,” Litman said. “He often did these pop-up concerts and yes, it would be very unusual for us to put a show on sale only three or four days before the actual events. Prince is one of the very few artists you would even dream about trying to do that with.”

Litman spent much of April 14 on the phone with Prince’s representatives, and a final answer on the St. Louis shows was expected that evening.

Prince performed in Atlanta that night, even though he wasn’t feeling well, Litman said. He ultimately decided to drop plans for the St. Louis show out of fear he might have to cancel or postpone, Litman said.