By Sal Montemurro, Webmaster & Staff Writer
Prince Rogers Nelson, (June 7th, 1958 – April 21st, 2016) known as an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Regarded as one of the greatest musicians of his generation, Prince was known for his flamboyant, androgynous persona as well as his vast vocal range, which included everything from a far-reaching falsetto to high-pitched screams.
Prince produced all of his albums himself, pioneering the Minneapolis sound. His music incorporated quite a variety of styles, including rock, funk, soul, jazz, R&B, new wave, synth-pop, hip hop, and pop. From his sixth album, Purple Rain (1984), the song Purple Rain spent six months consecutively atop the Billboard 200.
In April 2016, at the age of 57, Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minn. Prince had a very productive output, releasing 39 albums during his life, with a large array of unreleased projects that were left in a vault at his home, only discovered after his death.
With his unreleased and released music, the complete number of songs written by Prince ranges anywhere from 500 to over 1,000. Prince sold over 150 million records worldwide, ranking him among the best-selling music artists of all time.
Some of his awards include the Grammy President’s Merit Award, an Academy Award, the Billboard Icon Award, the American Music Awards for Achievement and of Merit, and a Golden Globe Award. Back in 2004 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, then the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016, and most recently he was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame in 2022.