Prince was one of the most popular musical artists of the 1980s. During a prolific 38-year career, Prince released 39 albums and a total of 900 songs. He displayed boundless talent, energy, and determination as a magnetic and sensuous live performer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, film director, and actor.
Born in Minneapolis on June 7, 1958, Prince Rogers Nelson began playing piano at age 7 when his father moved out and left his piano behind. His mother remarried, but Prince and his stepfather had a difficult relationship, and he moved into the home of his friend, Andre Anderson (later known as Andre Cymone). Dedicated musicians, the two immersed themselves in music making. By junior high, Prince had formed his first band and by age 16, he was working at a local recording studio as a session guitarist. At age 19, he signed his first record contract with Warner Bros. Records and released his first album (โFor Youโ) a year later in 1978.
ย โFor Youโ featured the credit line, โProduced, arranged, composed and performed by Prince,โ which reflected his virtuosity on guitar, percussion, keyboards and bass and his expertise in all aspects of music production.
From 1980 to 1988 Prince released a succession of groundbreaking albums that deftly combined elements of funk, rhythm and blues, gospel, soul, pop, rock and roll, punk, and New Wave. In 1984, Princeโs starring role in the semi-autobiographical film โPurple Rainโ and its accompanying album became a cultural phenomenon. The album held the top slot on Billboardโs album chart for 12 weeks and sold 16.3 million records; the film made Prince a global superstar and household name.
In 1987, Prince opened Paisley Park Studios in suburban Chanhassen, Minnesota, a 56,000 square foot recording studio and soundstage.ย From this creative sanctuary, Prince continued to push musical boundaries.ย He also collaborated and performed with a diverse range of artists including Nona Gaye, Angie Stone, Beyonce, Lenny Kravitz, Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, Mavis Staples and Stevie Nicks.
In the 1990s, Prince raised awareness of artistsโ rights by protesting his record contract with Warner Bros, which he felt stifled his creativity. He also fought to own his master recordings (and ultimately won). His decision to change his name to an unpronounceable symbol (spelled out as O(+>) during this era was his way of separating from Warner Bros while also maintaining his own brand.
In 2007, Prince performed what is considered by critics to be the greatest Super Bowl halftime show ever, playing โPurple Rainโ in a downpour. In his later years, he mentored myriad young musicians and continued to release new albums. His last tour, โPiano and a Microphone,โ (2016) featured Prince solo on stage.
Prince won seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the first year he was eligible. Posthumously, he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Minnesota (2018) and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2024). Prince was a philanthropist and proud Black man who wrote many songs speaking to themes of racial justice and freedom, including โDreamer,โ โColonized Mind,โ โFree Urselfโ and โBaltimore.โ
Prince died at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota on April 21, 2016.ย Paisley Park now operates as a museum highlighting his creativity and unique legacy.
