“They’re both amazing guitarists, but Jeff Beck let you take liberties”: Rhonda Smith had been on call with Prince for more than a decade when she told the Purple One she was busy with Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck and Rhonda Smith perform on stage at Symphony Hall on May 20, 2014 in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

When you’ve got Rhonda Smith’s killer combination of Larry Graham-like funk chops, a full-on fusion background, the ability to play just about any kind of bass instrument imaginable, and sheer stage energy, word gets around.

For more than a decade, Smith was on call with Prince, but during the Purple One's 2010 sabbatical, she got a call from Jeff Beck drummer Narada Michael Walden. Unsure of Prince's future plans, Smith went with Beck, and had to tell his purple majesty she was busy when he got his mojo working again.