Jellybean Johnson, a key member of the Prince-affiliated Minneapolis scene, has died. He was 69. A cause of death hasn’t been announced.
Born in Chicago, he moved to Minneapolis in his youth where he took drum lessons when he was 13 and taught himself guitar a few years later. His musical versatility came in handy as a member of Prince’s stable of musicians.
Initially, he was the drummer in the Time, the funk band fronted by Morris Day that also included Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, famously featured as Prince’s rivals in the movie Purple Rain and known for the hit “Jungle Love.”
After the Time split, he joined the Family, another Prince-affiliated act that famously recorded the original version of the Prince-penned classic “Nothing Compares 2 U,” for their self-titled and only album released in 1985, five years before Sinéad O’Connor’s hit version was released.
News of Johnson’s death was shared in a post on Instagram by Susannah Melvoin, the sister of Prince & the Revolution guitarist Wendy Melvoin, who was a singer in the Family.
“RIP Jellybean Johnson,” she wrote, along with a photo of the Family. “I’m absolutely heartbroken ! My beautiful brother Jellybean Johnson has passed .this band was and is the kind of Family that believed we all rightfully belonged together in love ,music and kindness . Jellybean was the master of loving you like no brother could ! My big brother, who watched over me and anyone who he loved !”
“I met him when I was 19 years old and he was already a seasoned musical savant at 28,” she continued. “He’d been in the Time and was masterfully put into a band that became what we lovingly and rightfully call the family . He went from being behind the Drums to playing guitar in this band because he was a guitar player first and drummer second .oxygen for him was the inhale and exhale of playing his guitar . I can barley get this out….,,his children and family members need our support and love. please ,send it their way . This is a huge loss. Marty, his constant love and light .. my heart is broken for you .we are hear for you .. ill post more soon. Jellybean “shits getting real baby” Johnson .. may you rest in all that is light and graceful .”
Susannah Melvoin signed the post “Lil sis…”
Sheila E., another Prince-affiliated musician, commented on the post and paid tribute to Johnson in her own Instagram story. “I’m so sorry for ur loss. 💔😢 he was all of that 🙏🏽🙏🏽 praying for u and the family🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 blessings 🕊️❤️🩹🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽.”
Following his work with the Time and the Family, Johnson went on to work with fellow former Time bandmates Jam and Lewis at their Flyte Tyme Productions, where he wrote and produced hits for Alexander O’Neal and Mint Condition, and also worked with Janet Jackson on her guitar-fueled hit “Black Cat.”
He also got the compliment of a lifetime when Miles Davis praised his guitar solo on Alexander O’Neal’s “Innocent.”
“When somebody the caliber of Miles Davis tells you something, that just changed my whole guitar world,” Johnson told Jon Bream of The Minnesota Star Tribune. “Prince told me later: ‘Bean, if he tells you that, you can take that to your grave.'”
This story was originally reported by Parade on Nov 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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