Legendary musician Prince passed away on April 21, 2016. At the age of 57, Prince Nelson Rogers had an unexpected death that confused the world. He was an idol who influenced millions of citizens, singers, actors, and other celebrities. His fame revolved around his incredible talent in music. He mastered many instruments such as the guitar, piano, keyboard, drums, bass, and saxophone.

Prince was born on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His parents were both singers. The name, “Prince,” was given to him by his dad. He became interested in music at a young age and was a self-taught musician. Prince’s parents separated when he was only ten years old.

In high school, he played with his first band Grand Central,. which was later renamed  Champagne. In 1978, Prince signed with Warner Bros. Records. Controversy was one of the most famous songs Prince performed. He recorded this song in 1981, and it reached number 3 on the R&B charts. He became world famous with the release of his 1982 album, 1999.

Prince is probably best known for his hit album, Purple Rain. In 1984, this song topped the U.S. box office with $70 million. This track also reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1987, Prince released the double album, Sign ‘O’ the Times. This track became no. 3 on the pop charts and no. 1 in R&B. Prince found more success in the new ‘90s with the album Power Generation. In 1991, he released Diamonds and Pearls, which became number 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart. In 1992, Prince signed a $100 million deal with Warner Bros., which is still considered the largest recording and music publishing contract in history.  

On Valentine’s Day in 1996, Prince married Mayte Garcia who was a backup singer and dancer. They had a son on October 16, 1996, but the child died a week later because of a rare genetic disorder. Prince and Mayte were divorced on 2000. In 2001 he married his second wife, Manuela Testolini. They divorced in 2006.

Prince was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. In spring 2004 he released Musicology during a tour which became the top concert in the United States at the time. The album won two Grammy awards. In 2006, he wrote and performed Song of the Heart which was in the movie Happy Feet. The song won a Golden Globe award for best original song. In 2007 he performed at the Super Bowl XLl halftime show. The stage was shaped as his favorite symbol, amid pouring rain. Billboard.com said that his performance was the best ever. He was also recognized as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. To top off all his achievements, he ended the year with an induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

In April 2016, Prince was flying when his plane made an emergency stop. Prince had a severe flu and was hospitalized. On April 21, 2016, Prince, age 57, was found dead inside his home, Paisley Park. He will always be remembered by his talent in music. “Yeah, everybody’s got a bomb, we could all die any day. But before I’ll let that happen, I’ll dance my life away.” That is exactly what he did.