Prince

Published on

April 21, 2016

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Prince was named after his father, a jazz pianist and songwriter whose stage name was Prince Rogers, and his mother, singer with the Prince Rogers Trio.

The young Prince, (whose childhood name was “Skipper”) wrote his first tune, “Funk Machine” on his father’s piano when he was seven. His first band was Grand Central, (later known as Champagne), who he joined with his cousin, Charles Smith, while they were attending Minneapolis’s Central High School. After recording demos aged 17, Prince signed a recording contract with Warner Bros, who agreed to give the young performer creative control for his first three albums.

Prince saw some success with hits on the R&B charts and made his break-through in late 1982, with the double album, 1999, which went on to sell over three million copies. The title track was a protest against nuclear proliferation and became his first top ten hit in countries outside the US.

Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” was one of the first two videos by a black artist played in heavy rotation on MTV, along with Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”.

Prince’s 1984 album Purple Rain sold more than thirteen million copies in the US and spent twenty-four consecutive weeks at number 1 on the chart. The film of the same name won an Academy Award and grossed more than $80 million.

At one point in 1984, Prince simultaneously had the number one album, single, and film in the US, the first time a singer had ever achieved this feat.

Thanks to Prince we have the Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics sticker on album sleeves after Tipper Gore heard her 12-year-old daughter Karenna listening to Prince’s song “Darling Nikki”. The now-estranged wife of Al Gore went on to found the Parents Music Resource Center, which advocates the mandatory use of the warning label to advise language or lyrical content ‘unsuitable for minors’.

Prince had been romantically linked with many celebrities including Kim Basinger, Madonna, Sheila E., Carmen Electra and Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles.

Prince became a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2001 saying he didn’t consider it a conversion, but a “realization” and occasionally knocks on people’s doors to discuss his faith. He has reportedly needed double-hip-replacement surgery since 2005 but won’t undergo the operation unless it is a bloodless surgery because Jehovah’s Witnesses do not accept blood transfusions. The condition is rumored to be aggravated by repeated onstage dancing in high-heeled boots.

He was a vegetarian and was once voted the “world’s sexiest vegetarian”.

During the legal battle between Prince and Warner Bros, he appeared in public with the word “slave” written on his cheek.

“Prince” is a trademark owned by Paisley Park Enterprises, Inc.

Prince worked under many pseudonyms including Jamie Starr and The Starr, Alexander Nevermind and Christopher (used for his song writing credit of “Manic Monday” for The Bangles).

He won seven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the first year of his eligibility.

In 1989, Prince appeared on Madonna’s studio album Like a Prayer, co-writing and singing the duet “Love Song” and playing electric guitar (uncredited) on the songs “Like a Prayer”, “Keep It Together”, and “Act of Contrition”.

In 2006, Prince received a Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his “visionary” use of the Internet; Prince was the first major artist to release an entire album, 1997’s Crystal Ball, exclusively on the Internet.

Prince died on 21 April 2016 in an elevator in Paisley Park in Carver County, Minnesota of an accidental overdose of fentanyl at the age of 57.

Important Dates In The Life Of Prince:

On this day in music

24 Sep 2024 American choreographer, dancer, singer, and rapper Cat Glover died at the age of 62. Glover is best known for her work with Prince in the late 1980s. She choreographed and appeared in several of his videos and his concert film Sign o' the Times, and as a backing vocalist and dancer on the Sign o' the Times Tour and Lovesexy Tour, and rapped on both The Black Album track 'Cindy C.' and the Lovesexy song 'Alphabet St.'
3 Mar 2023 American musician David Lindley died age 78. He founded the rock band El Rayo-X and worked with many other performers including Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, Warren Zevon, Curtis Mayfield and Dolly Parton. He mastered such a wide variety of instruments that Acoustic Guitar magazine referred to him as a "maxi-instrumentalist." On stage, Lindley was known for wearing garishly coloured polyester shirts with clashing pants, gaining the nickname the Prince of Polyester.
15 Jan 2023 British television director and producer Bruce Gowers died age 82. His music video for Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' brought him international recognition, leading to his relocation to the United States in the late 1970s. He also directed videos and musical specials for Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Prince, Britney Spears and John Cougar 'Jack and Diane' which spent four weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982.
18 Feb 2021 American rapper, songwriter and producer, Prince Markie Dee died age 52. He was a member of the Fat Boys, a pioneering rap group that gained fame during the 1980s. Morales was also the vice-president of Uncle Louie Music Group.
31 Aug 2019 Ellie Goulding married art dealer Caspar Jopling at York Minster Cathedral, England, in a wedding attended by Katy Perry and her boyfriend Orlando Bloom, Tracey Emin, Sienna Miller, James Blunt, Princess Eugenie, and Sarah, Duchess of York.
18 Apr 2017 Court documents showed that numerous opioid painkillers were found at US singer Prince's home shortly after his death last year. Some of the pills discovered at Prince's Paisley Park estate in Minnesota had prescriptions in the name of his friend and bodyguard. But the documents did not offer evidence about the source of the fentanyl that killed the singer on 21 April 2016.
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10 Feb 2017 Universal Records struck a deal to release much of the late musician Prince's private archive. Universal said the deal gave it exclusive licensing rights to Prince's "highly anticipated trove of unreleased works". It had also acquired the rights to 25 albums that Prince released through NPG Records, the label that he founded.
12 Oct 2016 David Bowie and Prince were both new entries in the latest list of top-earning dead celebrities compiled by Forbes. Prince's pre-tax income from 1 October 2015 to 1 October 2016 was estimated at $25m (£20.5m) by the business magazine, putting him fifth in the list. Bowie, meanwhile, was ranked at 11th for an estimated income of $10.5m (£8.5m). Both, however, are dwarfed by Michael Jackson who topped the list once again with a record-breaking estimated income of $825m (£672.8m).
8 Sep 2016 Jamaican singer, songwriter and producer, Prince Buster died in a hospital in Miami, Florida, after suffering heart problems. The first Jamaican to have a top 20 hit in the UK, Prince Buster defined the sound of ska in the 1960s before going on to inspire the Two Tone movement of the late '70s.
22 Aug 2016 It was reported that pills seized from the home of Prince contained the dangerously powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl but were mislabelled. Officials investigating the artist's death said the pills were labelled as hydrocodone, a weaker type of opioid. Autopsy results released in June revealed Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose.
26 Jun 2016 An electric guitar owned by Prince and a lock of David Bowie's hair sold at auction in the US for a total of more than $150,000 (£110,000). The Yellow Cloud guitar, said to be one of Prince's favourites, was bought for $137,500. Bowie's hair, which sold for $18,750, came from a former employee of Madame Tussauds in London who had used it to recreate the music icon's 1983 hairdo.
25 Jun 2016 The Yellow Cloud guitar owned by Prince and said to be one of his favourites was bought at auction for $137,500 (£110,000), by the owner of the American Football team Indianapolis Colts. A lock of David Bowie's hair also sold for $18,750 at the same auction.
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17 Jun 2016 Prince Be one half of P.M. Dawn died of renal disease at the age of 46 at a New Jersey hospital. Their biggest hit was the early 90s hit 'Set Adrift on Memory Bliss' which reached No.1 on Billboard's Hot 100.
31 May 2016 A report, from the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office in Minnesota said Prince died from an accidental overdose of the painkiller fentanyl. According to the autopsy report, Prince self-administered fentanyl, an opioid many times more powerful than heroin.
8 May 2016 Following his unexpected death, Prince had the top two spots on the Billboard albums chart with The Very Best of Prince at No.1 and Purple Rain at No.2. With his music unavailable on most streaming services and download distributors, physical albums were in many cases the best way to get his music.
7 May 2016 Following his unexpected death, Prince had the top two spots on the Billboard albums chart with The Very Best of Prince at No.1 and Purple Rain at No.2. With his music unavailable on most streaming services and download distributors, physical albums were in many cases the only way to buy his music.
29 Apr 2016 Fifteen of Prince's albums made it into the UK chart as fans rushed to buy his music following his sudden death. Six were in the top 40 with The Very Best Of, Ultimate and Purple Rain at two, three and four.
21 Apr 2016 Prince was found dead at his home in Minnesota at the age of 57, after Police were summoned to his Paisley Park estate and found his body in a lift. The acclaimed and influential musician became a global superstar in the 1980s, with albums such as 1999, Purple Rain and Sign O' the Times and recorded more than 30 albums.
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4 Feb 2016 Van Morrison described becoming a Sir as "amazing" and "exhilarating" after receiving a knighthood from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace. He received his knighthood for services to the music industry and tourism in Northern Ireland.
4 Sep 2015 Cuban-born Jamaican ska and reggae trombonist Rico Rodriguez died aged 80. He recorded with many artists including Karl Pitterson, Prince Buster, and Lloyd "Matador" Daley. He was known as one of the first and most distinguished ska artists, and from the early 1960s performed and recorded in Britain, with the Specials, Jools Holland, Paul Young, and others.
20 May 2014 Prince Rupert Loewenstein, the Bavarian banker credited with turning The Rolling Stones into the world's richest rock band, died at the age of 80. It was on Loewenstein's advice that the Stones became tax exiles, decamping to the South of France in the 1970s. He famously wrote he was "never a fan of the Stones' music".
30 Jan 2013 Mick Jagger was named the most stylish rock star of all time by lifestyle website Complex. Jagger lead their top 50 list ahead of Prince, David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, Sid Vicious and Keith Richards. Complex stated, "Even today, he wears silk scarves and suits with more rakish appeal than most men – and he’s pushing 70."
24 Feb 2010 Promotions company MCD launched a $2.3 million lawsuit against Prince for pulling out of a concert in Dublin, Ireland in June, 2008, just ten days before it was to take place. The singer blamed the William Morris Agency for booking the event without permission, but the agency said the star cancelled the gig and gave "no reason of substance" for deciding to pull out.
6 Mar 2009 Michael Jackson was mobbed by screaming fans as he took his two youngest children to see Oliver! at Drury Lane. The youngest two of Jackson's three children - seven-year-old Prince Michael II (known as Blanket) and 11-year-old Paris, hid their faces as they were escorted through the crowd. Jackson was in London, England to announce his series of summer concerts at the O2. Jackson died three weeks before the shows were to start.
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3 Jul 2008 Kylie Minogue received an OBE for services to music from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace, England. Earlier this year, she was also presented with the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government for her "contribution to the enrichment of French culture".
28 Sep 2007 Michael Jackson's spokeswoman, Raymone Bain, denied that the Pop star had married his children's nanny, Grace Rwaramba. A statement issued to the press read: "Wide-spreading reports regarding Michael Jackson being married are not true. Documents stating otherwise are a hoax." Jackson had already been married twice and had three children, Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II.
1 Aug 2007 Prince kicked off a series of 21 sold out UK shows at London's O2 arena. Tickets for the events cost £31.21 - the same figure used by the singer to name his album, website and perfume. After completing the 21 nights the Jehovah's Witness was planning to take time out to study the Bible.
15 Jul 2007 The UK music industry reacted angrily at a decision to give away ‘Planet Earth’ the new album by Prince as a ‘covermount’ with the Mail on Sunday newspaper. The 10-track CD was not due to be released in stores until 24 July. Stephen Miron, the newspaper's managing director, said: "No one has done this before. We have always given away CDs and DVDs, but this is just setting a new level."
13 Jul 2007 Rod Stewart collected his CBE from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. The singer who was honoured for his services to music wore a skull and crossbones tie, white trousers and a stripy shirt instead of the conventional morning suit.
8 Jul 2007 Prince was forced off stage by police halfway through his set at the First Avenue nightclub during a late-night gig in his home town of Minneapolis. The club was only allowed to stay open until 3.am but Prince took to the stage at 2.45am. The singer had already played two concerts in Minneapolis before his late-night club appearance; His first performance was at a department store, where he promoted his new cologne with a nine-song, 45-minute set.
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14 Jun 2007 Bob Dylan won Spain's Prince of Asturias Arts Award, one of the country's most prestigious honours. Jury chairman Jose Llado called Dylan a 'living legend of popular music and the guiding star of a generation that dreamed of changing the world'. Previous winners of the annual prize include US film-maker Woody Allen.
21 Jan 2007 Mika scored his debut UK No.1 hit single with 'Grace Kelly', which went on to become the third biggest-selling single in the UK in 2007 and spent five weeks at the top of the chart. The song is titled after Academy Award-winning American film actress and Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly. The bit of dialogue used in the song is from the film The Country Girl, which stars Kelly.
28 Jul 2006 Prince second wife Manuela Testolini Nelson filed for divorce. His first marriage, to dancer Mayte Garcia, took place in 1996 but only lasted two years.
12 Jun 2006 Prince received a Webby Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his "visionary" use of the Internet; Prince was the first major artist to release an entire album, 1997's Crystal Ball, exclusively on the internet.
3 May 2006 The first Bob Dylan radio program was aired on XM Satellite Radio. Tracks played on his show included Blur, Prince, Billy Bragg, Wilco, Mary Gauthier, L.L. Cool J and The Streets.
31 Oct 2005 The white suit worn by John Lennon on the cover of the Beatles' Abbey Road album sold for $118,000 (£66,385) at an auction in Las Vegas. And an Austin Princess hearse driven by the late star in the documentary Imagine sold for $150,000 (£84,388). A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the items went to Amnesty International.
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10 Feb 2005 Prince topped Rolling Stone magazine's annual list of the years biggest money earners after his 2004 tour grossed over $90 million (£53 million). Madonna came in second place after earning $54.9 million (£34.3 million) and Metallica came third with $43 million (£25.3 million).
8 Sep 2004 Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant was guest of honour at the unveiling of a statue of 15th century rebel leader Owain Glyndwr at Pennal church, near Machynlleth in Wales. Plant, who owns a farmhouse in the area had donated money towards a bronze sculpture of the Welsh prince.
27 Mar 2004 Prince kicked off his Musicology tour in Reno, Nevada. The average ticket costs $61, which includes a copy of the Musicology album. These are counted as sales according to Billboard, so the album rises to #3 (his previous three albums failed to chart). The tour takes in $87.4 million from 77 shows in 52 cities across the United States and sells more than 1.4 million tickets making it the highest-grossing of 2004.
12 Dec 2003 Mick Jagger became a Sir after being knighted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Jagger's 92-year-old father was at the Palace to see his son receive the award.
1 Nov 2003 Organisers of the MTV Europe Awards 2003 recruited 500 'screamers' to attend this year's event. The music lovers were selected at an audition held in Edinburgh's Princes Street Gardens. About 1,500 pop-mad teenagers and adults screamed themselves hoarse in a bid to get their hands on a ticket to the exclusive event.
13 Aug 2002 Adam Ant pleaded guilty to threatening drinkers at The Prince Of Wales Pub in London in January of this year. The former 1980s pop star had returned to the bar with a starting pistol after being refused entry. He had also thrown a car alternator through the window of the pub.
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22 May 2002 Adam Ant appeared at The Old Bailey in London charged with possession of an imitation firearm. Ant, (Stuart Goddard) had been arrested in January after an altercation at The Prince of Wales pub in London when a bouncer refused to let him in.
15 Jan 2002 1980s British pop legend Adam Ant was arrested and charged with throwing a car alternator through a window at the Prince of Wales pub in Camden, London and then threatening patrons with a starting pistol. He was later fined £500 and placed under a 12-month Community Rehabilitation Order for psychiatric care, with a suspended sentence.
16 Jan 2000 It was reported that Mick Jagger had lost the chance of a knighthood because of his errant ways, British Prime Minister Tony Blair having doubts about the message it would give about family values. This decision was changed and on 12 December 2003, Mick Jagger was made a Knight Bachelor by The Prince of Wales for services to music, as Sir Michael Jagger.
1 Jul 1999 Jamaican reggae singer Dennis Brown died aged 42, the official cause of his death was a collapsed lung. During his career, he recorded more than 75 albums and had the 1979 UK No.14 single 'Money In My Pocket.' Bob Marley cited Brown as his favourite singer, naming him ‘The Crown Prince of Reggae."
11 Oct 1997 Elton John went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Candle In The Wind 97' A re-write of his 1974 hit about Marilyn Monroe. This version was raising funds for the Diana, Princess of Wales charity, following her death in Paris. It went on to become the biggest selling single in the world ever.
20 Sep 1997 Elton John started a six week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Something About The Way You Look Tonight', and 'Candle In The Wind 97.' A re-write of his 1974 hit about Marilyn Monroe. This version was raising funds for the Diana, Princess of Wales charity, following her death in Paris. It went on to become the biggest selling single in the world ever.
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6 Sep 1997 Elton John recorded a new version of 'Candle In The Wind' after performing the song live at Diana Princess of Wales funeral. An estimated 2.5 billion people around the world watched Elton play the special tribute to Diana. The track went on to become the biggest selling single of all-time.
11 Jul 1996 Jonathan Melvoin keyboard player with the Smashing Pumpkins died from a drug overdose in New York City aged 34. Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin who was with Melvoin tried but failed to revive him after Chamberlin was allegedly advised by 911 operators to put Melvoin's head in the shower. Several songs were inspired by his death, including Sarah McLachlan's hit single 'Angel.' He was the brother of Susannah and Wendy Melvoin of Prince and the Revolution. Melvoin had also been a member of The Dickies.
14 Feb 1996 T.A.F.K.A.P. married Mayte Garcia in a Minneapolis church, he also composed a special song for his wife, 'Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother, Wife', which she heard for the first time when they had their first wedding dance. Garcia had appeared on the US television program 'That's Incredible!' at the age of 8 as the world's youngest professional belly dancer. She came to the attention of Prince in 1990 when her mother submitted a video cassette of Mayte performing. The couple split in 1998.
12 Mar 1995 The Spin Doctors played a gig at singer Chris Barron's old School in Princeton and raised $10,000 (£5,882) towards a trip to France and the UK for the school choir.
16 Apr 1994 Prince had his first UK No.1 with 'The Most Beautiful Girl In The World', (his 37th single release). It was his first release since changing his stage name to an unpronounceable symbol.
25 Sep 1993 Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince started a two week run at No.1 in the UK with the single 'Boom! Shake The Room'. Featuring Will Smith who was a rapper and actor starring in TV show The Fresh Prince of Belle Aire in 1993.
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9 Nov 1991 Prince and the New Power Generation started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Cream', a No.15 hit in the UK.
13 Jul 1991 Bryan Adams went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You," which featured on the soundtrack for the film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves."
19 Jun 1990 Prince played the first of 12 sold-out nights at Wembley Arena in London, England on his current Nude European tour.
30 Apr 1990 Prince played a concert at Rupert's Night-club, Minneapolis. The $100 a head ticket proceeds all went to the family of his former bodyguard Charles 'Big Chick' Huntsberry, who had died from a heart attack.
21 Apr 1990 Sinead O’Connor started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with her version of the Prince song 'Nothing Compares To You'. The track was also a No.1 hit in 18 other countries. The video was shot in Paris, and consists almost solely of a close-up on O'Connor's face as she sings the lyrics. Towards the end of the video, two tears roll down her face. The clip won Best Video at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards - the first video by a female artist to win in this category.
3 Feb 1990 For the first time ever, the UK Top 3 singles featured non-British and non-American acts. Ireland's Sinead O’Connor, Australia's Kylie Minogue and Belgium's Technotronic. Sinead O'Connor had her first No.1 single with Nothing Compares To U', a song written by Prince.
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21 May 1988 Prince scored his first UK No.1 album with 'Lovesexy.' The cover (based on a photo by Jean Baptiste Mondino) caused some controversy upon release as it depicts Prince in the nude. Some record stores refused to stock it or wrapped the album in black.
30 Mar 1987 Prince released his ninth studio album Sign o' the Times which produced three top-ten hit singles, 'If I Was Your Girlfriend', 'U Got the Look', (with Sheena Easton) and the title track 'Sign o' the Times. In 1989, Time Out magazine ranked it as the greatest album of all time.
12 Aug 1986 Prince started a run of three nights at Wembley Arena, London, his first UK shows for five years.
19 Apr 1986 Prince started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Kiss.' Prince also had the No.2 song 'Manic Monday', by The Bangles, which he wrote under the pseudonym 'Christopher.'
15 Mar 1986 The Bangles were at No.2 on the UK singles chart with 'Manic Monday', a song written by Prince under the pseudonym Christopher, it also made No.2 in the US, held of No.1 by Prince with 'Kiss'.
1 Jun 1985 Prince & The Revolution started a three-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with Around The World In A Day.
11 Feb 1985 The Police won Outstanding Contribution to British music at the fourth annual Brit Awards held in London. Other winners included Prince for best International Act and Best Soundtrack for Purple Rain, British Single was Frankie Goes To Hollywood 'Relax', British Video was Duran Duran for 'Wild Boys', British Comedy Recording Neil 'Hole In My Shoe', British Album went to Sade for 'Diamond Life', British Male Solo Artist was won by Paul Young, British Female Solo Artist, Alison Moyet and Best British Group went to Wham!
10 Nov 1984 Former Rufus singer Chaka Khan was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I Feel For You.' Written by Prince, the song featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica and the Rap was by Grandmaster Melle Mel. The repetition of Khan's name by rapper Melle Mel at the beginning of the song was originally a mistake made by producer Arif Mardin, who then decided to keep it.
4 Nov 1984 Prince played the first of seven nights at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan at the start of his 87-date North American Purple Rain tour. The outing marked the live debut of his new band The Revolution.
29 Sep 1984 Prince and the Revolution started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Let's Go Crazy', his second US No.1, and a No.7 hit in the UK. It was the opening track on both the album and the film Purple Rain.
31 Aug 1984 'Purple Rain' the movie-starring Prince opened at cinemas across the UK with special late night previews. The film grossed more than US $80 million at the box office and became a cult classic.
4 Aug 1984 Prince started a 24 week run at the top of the US album charts with Purple Rain. His sixth studio album which features the hits 'When Doves Cry' and 'Let's Go Crazy', as well as the title track has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, becoming the seventh best-selling soundtrack album of all time.
7 Jul 1984 Prince started a five week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'When Doves Cry', his first US No.1 which went on to sell over 2 million copies, it made No. 4 in the UK.
25 Jun 1984 Prince released his sixth studio album Purple Rain the first to feature his band the Revolution, and the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. The first two singles from the album, 'When Doves Cry' and 'Let's Go Crazy', topped the US singles charts, and were hits around the world, while the title track went to No.2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
22 Apr 1984 Prince released his seventh album, Around The World In A Day, the follow-up to Purple Rain. It's was the first issued on his Paisley Park imprint and primarily recorded at his Paisley Park studios. The album became Prince and the Revolution's second No.1 album on the US Billboard 200. Two of its four singles reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100: 'Raspberry Beret' and 'Pop Life'.
16 Aug 1983 After dating for six years, Paul Simon married actress Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia in the first Star Wars trilogy. The marriage would last less than two years, but the two continued to date off and on after they split.
11 Nov 1982 Prince kicked off his 87-date '1999' North American tour at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
29 Apr 1982 Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni were named Songwriters of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards and their No.1 hit 'Stand And Deliver' released as the lead single from their third studio album, Prince Charming (1981) was named the best-selling single.
9 Oct 1981 During a North American tour The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Support act was Prince, who dressed in his controversial bikini briefs and trench coat ran off stage after 15 minutes due to the crowd booing and throwing beer cans at him.
21 Sep 1981 Adam And The Ants were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their second chart topper 'Prince Charming'.
2 Jun 1981 Prince made his live British debut at The Lyceum Ballroom, London, (he would not play the UK again for five years).
4 Dec 1980 Prince played the first night on his 31 date Dirty Mind North American tour at Shea’s in Buffalo, New York. After being told by his managers he couldn't wear spandex pants without any underwear, Prince began performing in a long trench coat, black high heeled boots and leggings, and bikini brief trunks.
26 Jan 1980 Prince made his TV debut on the US show American Bandstand. When interviewed after his performance the singer froze and struggled to reply to the questions he was being asked.
8 Jan 1980 Prince made his national television debut in the US, performing 'I Wanna Be Your Lover' and 'Why You Want To Treat Me So Bad' on the NBC variety show Midnight Special.
5 Jan 1979 Prince made his live debut at the Capri Theatre, Minneapolis. Warner Bros. executives attended the show but decided that Prince and the band needed more time to develop his music.
19 Aug 1974 The Three Degrees were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'When Will I See You Again.' The girl group's only UK No.1. They were Prince Charles' favourite group of the 70s.
16 Aug 1969 During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park with Joe Cocker as support. Zeppelin had been asked to perform at Woodstock but due to this gig commitment were unable to attend. And down the road Bruce Springsteen's band Child played the first of two shows over two days at the Student Prince, Ashbury Park. Springsteen was also unable to attend Woodstock due to these gigs.
4 Nov 1963 The Beatles topped the bill at The Royal Variety Show at The Prince Of Wales Theatre, London. With the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret in the audience, this was the night when John Lennon made his famous remark ‘In the cheaper seats you clap your hands. The rest of you, just rattle your jewellery’. The show was broadcast on UK television on the Nov 10th 1963.
13 Oct 1962 Don Everly collapsed during rehearsals on stage at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London on the eve of a 22 date Everly Brothers UK tour. He was flown back to the US for treatment and the tour continued with Phil Everly performing solo.

Prince

Important Dates In The Life Of Prince:

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