Celebrating The Music of Prince

We associate a lot of days on the calendar like 9/11 (World Trade Center bombing), 4/20. (Legalization of marijuana), 12/25 (Christmas), 4/16 (Tax Deadline) 2/4. (The Day the Music died) or 7/4 (Independence Day).

But 4/21 will remembered in rock music history will be remembered as the day Prince Rogers Nelson or Prince died of overdose at the peak age of 57.

Prince was not only a high-powered musician that commanded the music world with his songs and lyrics, but also a influential songwriter, revolutionary guitarist, and a shrewd businessman that got the most out of his royalties and musicians that played and worked for him.

He was responsible for fighting for his rights to his music when Warner Bros tried to claim his music cheating him out of millions of dollars. Prince sued Warner Bros over royalties and got out of his multi year contract by starting his own label Paisley Park label and singing music acts from the Minneapolis area and discovering up and coming talent.

Born on June 7, 1958 as Prince Rogers Nelson in Minneapolis, Miinesota; his parents are John Nelson, a musician whose stage name was Prince Rogers, and Mattie Shaw, a jazz singer who performed with the Prince Rogers Band.

Prince in the streets of his hometown “Minneapolis”.

Prince Rogers Nelson

Prince took interest in music at an early age being highly proficient in every instrument. He signed a contract with Warner Brothers in 1980 at 17 years old releasing the album For You. Later was followed by the Self-titled album Prince, Dirty Mind, Controversy and the ground-breaking 1999 which went platinum.

The breakthrough album Purple Rain became his greatest success in 1984 not only as a soundtrack, but as a movie and spawned the careers of Morris Day and the Time, Apollonia 6 and Sheila E.

He also followed up with the fairly successful Around the World in a Day, and tried to duplicate his movie success of Under the Cherry Moon but failed at the box office despite some critical acclaim.

Under the Cherry Moon movie

Prince Rogers Nelson

Prince also released more albums including Sign of the Times, Lovesexy, Graffiti Bridge and more, as he continued to demonstrate various styles including rock, funk, jazz, soul, in a eclectic and eccentric fashion. During a dispute with Warner Brothers, he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol which was referred to as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince or TAFKAP.

As Prince continued to progress in his work and develop new styles in music, his music career ended being cut short by death at his home in Chanhassen, Minnesota or best known at his estate called Paisley Park. Prince was taking painkillers for an undisclosed illness and was found unresponsive in an elevator at the estate. It was ruled an accidental overdose of Fentanyl and no charges were filed.

Prince and President of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Neil Portnow, present Barbra Streisand with the 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year award in Los Angeles, February 11, 2011.

Prince Rogers Nelson has been named in the 100 of most influential musicians of all time, won 8 Grammy Awards and Academy Award and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and will be remembered on this day.

Author: Mike Wagner from Plexus Radio. 

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