His Purple Majesty: Prince (1958-2016)

April 26, 2016

Still reeling from the shocking death of British singer David Bowie in January, the rock music world was again dealt a devastating blow when pop icon Prince died suddenly on April 21. The singer, musician, and songwriter was found unresponsive Thursday morning by Carver County sheriff’s deputies in an elevator of his Paisley Park studio and residence in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The cause of death was unknown. An autopsy was conducted Friday, but authorities said it may be days or weeks before results are complete. A private gathering was held at Paisley Park on Saturday to mourn the musician. He was 57.

Prince performs during the Super Bowl XLI halftime at the Miami Beach Convention Center on February 1, 2007 in Miami, Florida. Credit: © Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images

Prince is shown performing in concert on Feb. 1, 2007. He died on April 21, 2016. Credit: © Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images

Tributes to Prince from fans and celebrities alike poured out over social media over the weekend. Even United States President Barack Obama, a noted Prince fan, released a statement on Thursday, calling him “one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time.” At a press conference on Friday, the president said that he and his staff listened to Prince’s music ahead of a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron later that day. Prince had performed at the White House along with Stevie Wonder at a private concert in 2015.

An electrifying and versatile performer, Prince’s music touched many styles, including rhythm and blues, pop, soul, blues, jazz, funk, and hip-hop. He played guitar, keyboards, and drums. Prince became a rock music superstar in the 1980’s with the hits “Controversy” (1981); “1999” (1982); “Little Red Corvette” and “Delirious” (both 1983); “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy,” and “Purple Rain” (all 1984); “Raspberry Beret” and “Pop Life” (both 1985); “Kiss” (1986); and “Sign O’ the Times” and “U Got the Look” (both 1987). Prince’s fame spread with his starring appearance in the motion picture Purple Rain (1984), for which he won the 1984 Academy Award for best original score. He also composed the soundtracks for several other motion pictures, including Batman (1989), which produced the hit song “Batdance.”

Prince also aroused controversy. He was criticized for the strong sexual nature of his public performances and his song lyrics. In 1993, out of protest against his record label over artist independence, he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol and then to “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.” He changed his name back to Prince in 2000.

Prince was born on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His full name was Prince Rogers Nelson. His first album, For You, was released in 1978. Prince played all the instruments on the record himself. He went on to record hundreds of compositions, including many songs that became hits for other performers, including the Bangles, Sheila E., Sheena Easton, Tom Jones, Chaka Khan, and Sinead O’Connor. Prince also produced a number of groups, including the Time and Vanity 6 (whose lead singer, Denise Matthews, died earlier this year).

Prince continued to record and perform live throughout the 1990’s and early 2000’s. His later hits included “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” (1995), “Call My Name” (2004), and “Cinnamon Girl” (2004). He made a highly praised appearance at the halftime of the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl in 2007 before an estimated 140 million television viewers worldwide. Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

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