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Prince

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Prince Rogers Nelson was born on 7 June 1958 in Minneapolis, the son of a jazz singer and a pianist and songwriter. His father performed as Prince Rogers, and the son was named after that stage name. At only eighteen he signed a contract with Warner Bros., and two years later his first album, For You (1978), appeared.

Music and breakthrough

Critics were enthusiastic about Dirty Mind (1980), Controversy (1981) and 1999 (1982). In 1984 he had the number 1 in America at the cinema, in the album chart and in the singles chart at the same time, with the film Purple Rain, the soundtrack and When Doves Cry. He recorded that album with his backing band The Revolution. Kiss also became a number 1. After The Revolution came the double album Sign o' the Times (1987), which is often regarded as his best work. In 1993, in the middle of a conflict with Warner Bros., he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol. Only in 2000 did he carry on again as Prince.

Influence

Prince was singer, guitarist, keyboard player, bassist, dancer, producer and filmmaker all at once. He mixed funk, rock, pop and soul and was one of the founders of the Minneapolis sound, a tight, electronic kind of funk with synthesizers and drum machines. He worked tirelessly: in his lifetime he released 39 albums and he left a great deal of unreleased material. On 21 April 2016 he died, aged 57, at Paisley Park, his home and studio near Minneapolis, of an overdose of counterfeit painkillers.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to When Doves Cry (1984). Notice what is missing: the song has no bass part. Hear how the drum machine, the synthesizer and Prince's voices together fill the space.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Mentioned in other articles

See also

Categories: ArtistsContemporary R&B