Biography prince singer
•
Lester Cohen/WireImage // Getty Images
Prince: The life story you may not know
Prince onstage at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.
Looking back at Prince’s four-decade career, it’s clear that when he signed his record deal with Warner Bros. at just 18 years old that he was destined to lead an influential trajectory. From a young age, Prince Rogers Nelson, better known mononymously as Prince, was certain of his talents. And once he hit the stage, so was the rest of the world.
His commitment, liberation, and vision came through in his Minneapolis Sound—a genre blending a sonically experimental mix of funk, synth-pop, and wailing electronic guitar riffs—that positioned him to become one of music’s most respected and recognizable artists. Throughout his career, he would challenge how he presented himself to the world, whether that be with his androgynous style or his artistry that knew no bounds.
He was always striving for originality in his work. This was evident in his acting, writing, and production. His influence would go beyond music—the prolific musician and producer’s sharp-eyed outlook on life and creative independence would make him one of the most iconic visionary geniuses of his time. To recognize his achievements, Stacker compiled a list of
•
Min-
nea
polisRead
his Story
Prince Rogers Nelson was born on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a city with a rich and surprisingly complex history that would shape the young artist in significant ways.
The Prince Rogers Trio / Photo by John F. Glanton, courtesy Hennepin County Library
Mattie Shaw and Prince / Copyright The Prince Estate
Prince’s parents, John Lewis Nelson and Mattie Della Shaw, found one another through music, and when their child was born they gave him John’s stage name, Prince Rogers.
In the 1950s John Nelson had made a name for himself in the music scene playing piano and leading the Prince Rogers Trio, a jazz group who would play in clubs and community centers on the North Side like the Phyllis Wheatley House, a historic building that opened in 1924 to provide social services for African-American families moving to North Minneapolis. It was while he was playing with his group at the Blue Note jazz club that he first met Prince’s mother, Mattie, and recruited her to sing in his band. Their musical union developed into a romantic partnership as well, and almost exactly nine months after marrying (their wedding was August 31, 1957), they welcomed their son Prince into the world.
“There were 2 Princes in the house where we lived,” Prince
•
Prince (musician)
Prince | |
|---|---|
Prince the theater during interpretation Nude Trip in Yedo, Japan, din in 1990 | |
| Born | Prince Dancer Nelson (1958-06-07)June 7, 1958 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | April 21, 2016(2016-04-21) (aged 57) Chanhassen, Minnesota, U.S |
| Cause of death | Accidental painkiller and opioid intoxication |
| Resting place | Paisley Park, Chanhassen, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Other names |
|
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1975–2016 |
| Spouse(s) | Mayte Garcia (m. 1996–1999, divorced) Manuela Testolini (m. 2001–2006, divorced) |
| Children | 1 (deceased) |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals, bass, bass bass, piano, keyboards, tambourine, sitar, synthesizers, drums, oud, influence cymbals, kettledrum, violin, viola, tenor string, cello, cellone, double voice, concert illmannered, vibraphone, xylophone, B-flat proclaim, accordion, koto, concert wood, B-flat sharp clarinet, E-flat alto sax, B-flat tone saxophone, E-flat alto sarrusophone, B-flat bias sarrusophone, harp, drum machines |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Paisley Park, NPG, EMI, Town, Arista |
| Website | arto
|