Prince: watch 5 live performances

As the world mourns Prince’s death, his creative legacy and reputation as a consummate live performer are on full show here.

Music fans around the world were shocked today by the death of legendary musician Prince, who died at the age of 57. Along with an extensive, influential catalogue of studio LPs that started back in 1978 with his debut “For You,” Prince was considered a powerful live performer, known for lengthy, blistering sets that mixed funk, rock, and soul over the course of several hours per night.

Prince wasn’t a big believer in YouTube — he sent take down notices often — but there are several videos of him performing in his early days and jamming with other legendary musicians.

January 30, 1982, at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, NJ

In this early show, Prince performs selections from his then-new album, “Controversy.” The footage is grainy but the grooves are there.

Michael Jackson, James Brown and Prince

Check out Prince’s guitar work starting at 2:43 with Brown’s ear-to-ear grin in the background.

Prince and Lenny Kravitz, “American Woman”

This performance was shot in December 1999, for what was a broadcast New Year’s special called “Rave Un2 the Year 2000.” Duelling guitars.

Prince with Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, and Jeff Lynne, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”

Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and put on an all-star performance of a Beatles classic with the year’s other inductees and presenters.

“Purple Rain” at the Super Bowl in 2007

Naturally, it rained during this performance.