Anne Erickson

Lansing State Journal

Laurie Rasmussen has Prince’s logo - Love Symbol #2 - tattooed on her leg. She has a white fedora hat with purple trim that Prince threw into the crowd during a show at The Palace of Auburn Hills in 2004. She was lucky enough to catch it.

She has Prince magazines and memorabilia. She’s seen him in concert multiple times—and front row twice. She has every album and single he’s ever released. She doesn't have a favorite. “They’re all awesome," she said.

“Every once in a while, you hear an artist that you connect with, and he’s the one I connected with,” said Rasmussen, who is 48 and lives in Grand Ledge. “I’ve been in love with him since 1984. I’ve loved everything he’s put out. He was that one artist I connected with.”

The day Prince died, April 21, "obviously, was a shock,” she said. “My phone and my emails and messenger all started going crazy with people asking me if I was okay, like I was related to Prince or something.”

Her four children knew they had to do something special for her. And, as Mother’s Day approached, they had an idea.

The plan? Rent out The Sun Theatre in Grand Ledge and show Rasmussen’s favorite movie, “Purple Rain,” on the big screen. Then, she and her friends and family could come watch it together one last time.

“I was running out of ideas, because I knew she has everything Prince, so I thought, ‘When was the last time she saw ‘Purple Rain’ in the theater?’” her son Daniel Pelfrey said. “I can’t think of a time when my mom wasn’t a really big Prince fan, so this seemed perfect.”

“Purple Rain” will show at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at The Sun Theatre. They had planned it as a private show, but Rasmussen decided to open the event to the public as a fundraiser for Homeless Angels, a local, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people who are homeless or at the risk of homelessness.

It’s free to get into the movie, but attendees are encouraged to bring household items, clothes, toiletries or non-perishable foods to donate to Homeless Angels.

“I think this is an amazing thing,” said Mike Karl, founder of Homeless Angels. “It's a simple show of love from a family to the community that has turned into something that could help a lot of struggling families in the area. I can't thank them enough for doing this.”

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Like his mother, Pelfrey said, he knows every lyric to every Prince song.

“All of the ‘80s music is really big to her. It’s her driving music and her cleaning music. Now, I’m using it for my driving music and my cleaning music," he said.

“I don’t remember not hearing Prince.”

Since the screening became a benefit show, Rasmussen has gotten "really, really excited about it," Pelfrey said.

"This is making her happy, so it’s a good Mother's Day gift, I guess."

Rasmussen is hoping for a Prince lovefest.

“There’s a potential for other Prince fans to come together at this event, and I’m looking forward to that love we all have for Prince,” she said. “I hope it’s a big sing-along fest and talk-along fest, because we know all the words to the movie.”

Contact Anne Erickson at (517) 377-1006 or aerickson@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AnneErickson.

How to go

“Purple Rain” showing in honor of Mother’s Day for Laurie Rasmussen, doors noon and show starts at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, The Sun Theatre, 316 S. Bridge St., Grand Ledge, free. Attendees are encouraged to bring household items, clothes, toiletries and non-perishable food items to benefit Homeless Angels. There will also be a raffle for a basket with Prince memorabilia to benefit Homeless Angels. Tickets for the raffle are $10 each. This show is first-come, first-served, so get there early, as it might fill up quickly. The theater seats around 270 people.