Mel'isa Morgan: R&B Veteran Not Invited to Prince's BET Awards Tribute

A bevy of music stars are on tap to perform a tribute to Prince during Sunday night's BET Awards.

One singer who will not be there serenading the well-heeled industry crowd is Mel'isa Morgan – the only powerhouse vocalist to hit the top of the charts with a sultry version of Prince's naughty ballad 'Do Me Baby' in 1986.

Sources close to the production hint that avant-garde rock & soul wonder Janelle Monae, and Patti LaBelle will be among a handful of female singers hand-selected (by Prince) to do the honors of performing a medley of his hits.

Morgan wasn't even considered for the task."You know, I heard about the 'BET Awards' show planning a tribute to Prince and I sent out a few emails to see what was going on but, for some reason -- even though everyone in music industry knows that I have recorded a #1 Prince song and it stayed #1 for 4 weeks -- I am still kind of under the radar when it comes to asking me to be a part of shows like this," Morgan told Blackvoices.com today.

"I did not hear back from anyone," the 'Fools Paradise' belter revealed. "So I guess I won't be there to show him my love."

Over the years, only a few singers would dare touch Prince's well-guarded catalog of hits, most notably his frequent collaborator Chaka Khan ('I Feel For You'), and other singers such as Stephanie Mills ('How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore?'), Sinead O'Connor ('Nothing Compares 2 U'), T-Boz ('If I Was Your Girlfriend'), and Randy Crawford ('Purple Rain').

A musical genius of the highest order, Prince has give credit where it's due and reportedly acknowledged that the Queens, New York-bred Morgan made his 'Do Me Baby' a "great" song.

"The reason why the audience can't get enough of [my version of] ... is because the delivery of the vocals are real," she attested. "When I do that song, the audience goes back to what they were doing when it came out...how many babies they made off that song and especially how sensual it makes you feel."

"Even now," she continued, "No matter where I am...when I start to sing that song the first thing I hear "That's my Song" from someone in the audience and they just let the song take them away ... I think I was able to make the song sexier and when I hit the high note...it just brings chills right down to your bones...because when I hear it on the radio...that's what it does to me."

About being conspicuously omitted from the biggest televised celebration of black music, there are no sour grapes on Morgan's part

The former Capitol Records hit-maker, who regularly tours off of the strength of her 1980s hits – and continues to be a mainstay on R&B radio's Quiet Storm formats, is taking the high road. "I do hope Prince knows in his heart that doing that song was very special for me and if he knows that ...I am cool."

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