Prince fans and those in the late icon’s sphere knew well the tantalizing and provocative dance moves and background vocals of Catherine Vernice Glover. Recognized worldwide as Cat, the extraordinary dancer, choreographer, and singer who achieved legendary status through her collaborations with Prince, Glover died at 60. Glover’s death was announced via her official Facebook page, where a brief statement asked for privacy during this difficult time. No cause of death was provided.
Glover’s career is inseparably linked with the Purple Genius, particularly during his creative peak in the late 1980s. As a key figure in his band, she contributed her energy and talent to unforgettable albums like “Sign o’ the Times” and “Lovesexy,” helping shape the visual and performance styles of the era. Her most memorable contribution may have been providing the rap on Prince’s hit single “Alphabet St.,” but her influence stretched far beyond that.
Born in Chicago on July 23, 1964, Glover was one of six children. She began dancing at age five and attended Esmond Elementary and Morgan Park High Schools. Her love of dance was immediate and undeniable, but her admiration for Prince ignited her professional dreams. “The only thing that got me through my depression from everything was listening to Prince’s album Dirty Mind,” she told The Chicago Crusader in 2016 after the legendary music maker’s shocking death. “I knew I had to meet him. That was me talking to my inner self.”
Determined to carve out a path to stardom, Glover’s big break came through the hit television show “Star Search,” where she performed as part of the dance duo Pat and Cat alongside Patrick Allen. Their dynamic routines earned them seven victories and two perfect scores, though they ultimately lost in the finals. The exposure, however, skyrocketed Glover’s reputation. Rock icon David Bowie took notice, but her musical hero, Prince, would change her life forever when he invited her to join his band in December 1986.
Glover’s talent and Prince’s vision meshed perfectly. She choreographed and danced in the 1987 groundbreaking concert film “Sign o’ the Times.” She became a central figure on the “Lovesexy tour,” where she also famously rapped on “Alphabet St.” The partnership cemented Glover’s status as a powerhouse in the entertainment world. Yet, the connection with Prince was nearly fateful. “I had actually run into him a few times – I remember when he was touring ‘Dirty Mind,’” Glover recalled in an earlier interview. “I was getting into an elevator at a Holiday Inn in Los Angeles just as he was getting out of it.”
Her real introduction to Prince came through mutual friends, she said. “I was on ‘Star Search,’ and I made friends with a young dancer called Devin DeVasquez, who went on to work for Playboy,” Glover recalled. “One night, she called me and said, ‘Hey, there’s a little dinner going at Prince’s place, and if you want, you can come with me.’” That dinner changed everything. “He played this brand-new song that he wanted us to hear—it was ‘Housequake,’ and he had just come from the studio and recorded it. It was amazing.”
That evening culminated in a trip to a Beverly Hills club called Voila. Glover recalled that despite the celebrity-filled room, she danced freely and wildly. “I got out of my seat, did my ‘Cat Scat,’ got down on the dance floor, jumped on and off tables,” she said. “I was going nuts! And I heard Prince say to his manager, ‘I want her in my band.’”
In 1989, Glover left Prince’s band to explore her own artistic path, releasing an EP titled “Catwoman.” While it would be her only solo musical project, Glover continued to work as a dancer and choreographer, making a brief return to Prince’s world in 1994 with a rap on the track “Cindy C” from “The Black Album.”
“It was an experience that will always be with me,” Glover admitted. “He was a genius, and I was just grateful to be part of that world.”
