The music world is saying goodbye to one of its royals.
Legendary artist Prince passed away Thursday morning
at his Paisley Park estate in Minnesota, his publicist confirmed to Access Hollywood. He was 57.
“It is with profound
sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince
Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age
of 57,” the rep said in a statement.
The sad news comes just days after he was briefly
hospitalized with the flu when his private jet made an emergency landing in Illinois.
Born in Minneapolis, the musician’s career spanned nearly four decades, beginning with his 1978 debut album “For You.” His trademark multi-genre sound incorporated elements of funk, soul, R&B, pop, disco, jazz and more.
His appearance at the 2007 Super Bowl halftime
show made headlines after he performed in the midst of a rainstorm, churning
out renditions of his hits “1999” and “Let’s Go Crazy,” as
well as covers of classics like “All Along the Watchtower” and
“Proud Mary.”
PHOTOS: Music Legend Prince: A Look Back
More recently, he guest-starred in the third season of Fox comedy “New Girl,” and took the stage as a presenter at the 2015 American Music Awards.
In addition to winning seven Grammys, Prince also took
home a Best Original Song Academy Award for his song “Purple Rain,”
featured in the 1984 movie of the same name in which he also starred.
Prince’s album sales total more than 100 million worldwide,
making him one of the most successful recording artists of all time.
— Erin Biglow
Copyright © 2024 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.