Prince Rogers Nelson (June 7, 1958 – April 21, 2016), commonly known mononymously as Prince , was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. The recipient of numerous awards and nominations , he is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation. [3] He was known for his flamboyant, androgynous persona; [4] [5] his wide vocal range, which included a far-reaching falsetto and high-pitched screams; and his skill as a multi-instrumentalist, often preferring to play all or
Born and raised in Minneapolis , Prince signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records at the age of 19, soon releasing the albums For You (1978) and Prince (1979). He went on to achieve critical success with the influential albums Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981), and 1999 (1982). His sixth album, Purple Rain (1984), was recorded with his new backing band the Revolution , and was also the soundtrack to the film of the same name in which he starred. Purple Rain garnered continued success for Prince and
After signing with Arista Records in 1998, Prince reverted to his original name in 2000. Over the next decade, six of his albums entered the U.S. top 10 charts. [10] [11] In April 2016, at the age of 57, Prince died after accidentally overdosing on fentanyl at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota . He was a prolific musician who released 39 albums during his life, with a vast array of unreleased material left in a custom-built bank vault underneath his home after his death, in