Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson, was a legendary musician and performer who was best known for his 1984 album Purple Rain, the soundtrack to semi-autobiographical film of the same name. The album earned him his first Grammy Award, and produced his best known and biggest hit, “When Doves Cry.” Over the course of a nearly four-decade-long career, Prince released 39 albums, spawned a long list of hits and had five chart-topping singles. The multi-instrumentalist's trademark sound was a mix of pop, rock, R&B, fun, and soul, and grew more experimental as time went on.
He was also an actor, and memorably starred in Purple Rain, about a young musician with an abusive home life and a burgeoning career. The movie was a critical and commercial success, and is now considered one of the most important music films of all time. The soundtrack is frequently cited on music critics’ polls as being one of the best ever.
The performer also had roles in the films Under the Cherry Moon and Graffiti Bridge, both of which he also directed, and the latter of which he wrote. But he appeared most often on television, frequently in musical performances, but also in roles playing himself, as in the case of his 2014 appearance on the Fox comedy series New Girl.
Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson, was a legendary musician and performer who was best known for his 1984 album Purple Rain, the soundtrack to semi-autobiographical film of the same name. The album earned him his first Grammy Award, and produced his best known and biggest hit, “When Doves Cry.” Over the course of a nearly four-decade-long career, Prince released 39 albums, spawned a long list of hits and had five chart-topping singles. The multi-instrumentalist's trademark sound was a mix of pop, rock, R&B, fun, and soul, and grew more experimental as time went on.
He was also an actor, and memorably starred in Purple Rain, about a young musician with an abusive home life and a burgeoning career. The movie was a critical and commercial success, and is now considered one of the most important music films of all time. The soundtrack is frequently cited on music critics’ polls as being one of the best ever.
The performer also had roles in the films Under the Cherry Moon and Graffiti Bridge, both of which he also directed, and the latter of which he wrote. But he appeared most often on television, frequently in musical performances, but also in roles playing himself, as in the case of his 2014 appearance on the Fox comedy series New Girl.
Additionally, he performed on Soul Train, Saturday Night Live, and Top of the Pops, as well as at The Grammy Awards, The Golden Globe Awards, American Idol, and he was the halftime performer for Super Bowl XLI.
Prince’s father was the leader of a jazz band, and his mother was the group’s vocalist. Prince began performing at the age of 14, and signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records at 18. He scored his first hit the same year, and went on to release a string of hit albums, including his self-titled sophomore collection, as well as Dirty Mind, Controversy, Around the World in a Day, Parade, Sign ‘O’ the Times, Diamonds and Pearls, Love Symbol, Lovesexy and 1999.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Prince died April 21, 2016, in Paisley Park, Minnesota. He was 57.
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