Prince

Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, actor, and filmmaker. Often credited as one of the greatest musicians of his generation, he pioneered the Minneapolis sound and was influential in the evolution of various other genres. With estimated sales exceeding 100 million records, Prince is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at age 18, and released his first album, For You, two years later. He achieved critical success with the albums Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982). In 1984, Prince became the first singer to simultaneously have a number-one film, album and single in the United States, with Purple Rain, its soundtrack, and "When Doves Cry". The album, recorded with his new backing band the Revolution, spent 24 consecutive weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. He achieved further success with the release of his single "Kiss", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. After disbanding the Revolution, Prince released his first solo double LP, Sign o' the Times (1987), widely considered his greatest work and one of the greatest albums of all time.

In 1993, in the midst of a contractual dispute with Warner Bros., Prince changed his stage name to the unpronounceable symbol , known to fans as the "Love Symbol". Prince was often referred to as the Artist Formerly Known as Prince (TAFKAP), or simply the Artist. After signing a contract with Arista Records in 1999, Prince reverted to his original name in 2000 and continued releasing albums, including the double Grammy Award-winning Musicology (2004). He released 39 albums during his life, while still having a vast array of unreleased material. On April 21, 2016, at the age of 57, Prince died at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota, after accidentally overdosing on counterfeit hydrocodone/paracetamol pills which were laced with fentanyl.

Prince's awards include the Grammy President's Merit Award, the American Music Awards for Achievement and of Merit, the Billboard Icon Award, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2024, and twice into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.

Prince Rogers Nelson was born at Mount Sinai Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 7, 1958, to jazz singer Mattie Della (née Shaw) and pianist and songwriter John Lewis Nelson. All four of Prince's grandparents were from Louisiana. The jazz drummer Louis Hayes was his paternal cousin.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.