Prince, born on June 7 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, actor, and filmmaker. He’s known for his combination of funk dance and rock music. Prince signed his first record deal with Warner Bros at age 19, and released his first album, ‘For You’ in 1978. He released his sixth album in 1984, titled, ‘Purple Rain,’ which was also the soundtrack to the film of the same name, in which he made his acting debut. The album was wildly successful and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score.
In his illustrious career, Prince won seven Grammy Awards, seven Brit Awards, six American Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He was also honored with the Billboard Icon Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2016. Prince has sold over 100 million records worldwide, ranking him as one of the best-selling artists of all-time.
Prince died in April 2016 of an accidental fentanyl overdose at his Paisley Park home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. He was 57.
Here, Prince pictured during his performance at the 17th annual BRIT Awards in London on February 24, 1997. For more photos of the music legend, click through the gallery.