Prince

Singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, actor

American Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Quick Info

ProfessionSinger, songwriter, musician, dancer, actor
NationalityAmerican
Date of Birth07/06/1958
Age57 years (died on 21, Apr, 2016)
BirthplaceMinneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Date of Death21/04/2016

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Bio/Wiki

Full name: Prince Rogers Nelson.
Pioneered the Minneapolis sound, blending funk, rock, pop, R&B, and new wave.
Prolific musician who released 39 albums during his lifetime, with a vast array of unreleased material.
Influential in the evolution of various genres, often credited as one of the greatest musicians of his era.
Died at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota, after accidentally overdosing on counterfeit hydrocodone/paracetamol pills laced with fentanyl.
One of the best-selling recording artists in music history.

Personal Life

Had epilepsy as a child.
Played basketball in high school.
Immersed in music from a young age due to musical family background.

Family

FatherJohn Lewis Nelson (pianist and songwriter)
MotherMattie Della Shaw (jazz singer)
SisterTyka Nelson
Paternal cousinJazz drummer Louis Hayes
All four grandparentsFrom Louisiana

Career

Highlights
  • Debut album 'For You' (1978)
  • 'Prince' (1979) with hit 'I Wanna Be Your Lover'
  • 'Dirty Mind' (1980)
  • 'Controversy' (1981)
  • '1999' (1982) with hits '1999', 'Little Red Corvette'
  • 'Purple Rain' (1984)
  • Formed The Revolution, New Power Generation
  • Changed name to symbol (1993), later The Artist Formerly Known as Prince
  • Signed to Warner Bros. (1978), formed NPG label (1996)
  • 7 Grammy Awards, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee
  • 'Piano and a Microphone' tour (2016)

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Pioneered Minneapolis sound
2. Played most instruments on early albums
3. Invented portable electric keyboard
4. Born at Mount Sinai Hospital, Minneapolis
5. Early bands: 94 East, Sonny Thompson’s band
6. Mastered piano at 7, guitar/drums by 14
7. Wrote his first song 'Funk Machine' at age 7
8. Early high school bands: Grand Central, later Champagne
9. Found unresponsive in an elevator at Paisley Park on April 21, 2016
10. Had been battling the flu for several weeks before his death
11. Hospitalized on April 15, 2016 after his plane made an emergency landing in Illinois
12. Was treated for dehydration and atypical pneumonia shortly before his death
13. Six days before his death, Prince was treated for a drug overdose
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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