orig. Prince Rogers Nelson
born June 7, 1958, Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.
U.S. singer and songwriter.
The son of a jazz pianist, he taught himself several instruments and formed his own bands as a teenager. At age 19 he released his first album, on which he played all the instruments. His second album, Prince (1979), was followed by many others, including the best-selling 1999 (1982), the soundtrack of the film Purple Rain (1983), in which he also starred, and Diamonds and Pearls (1991). In 1993 he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol and became known as "the artist formerly known as Prince," but in 2000 he resumed his previous name. In 2004 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.