Yesterday the music world was rocked by the sudden death of the influential artist Prince Rogers Nelson, known simply as Prince, who passed at age 57 in his Minnesota home.
The iconic musician exploded onto the music scene in the ’70s and was known for his glamorous style and hits like “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry”.
And although he lived a notoriously private life he remains one of the most fascinating men of the 21st century and has left behind a legacy that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
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Here are 10 things you may not have known about the late singer.
Prince Was a Self-Taught Musician
By the time Prince turned 14 he had taught himself how to play three different instruments. He learned how to play the piano at age seven, followed by the guitar at 13, and then the drums. Prince started his first band, Grand Central, during high school and signed with Warner Bros. Records shortly after.
He Had a Thing for Canadian Women
In the early ’80s, Prince collaborated with Canadian musician Vanity (Denise Matthews) and the pair were rumoured to have dated between 1982 and 1983. But Prince’s love for Canadian women didn’t end there. His second wife, North York-born Manuela Testolini worked for Prince’s charity Love4OneAnother. The pair were married for five years, lived in Toronto’s Bridal Path neighbourhood, and would often be seen at local clubs and Raptors games.
He Knew His Way Around a Basketball Court
Over the years, Prince’s former high school classmates revealed news clippings and photos of Prince playing ball in school. Prince was swift and easily dominated the court — despite only being 5’2.
He’s Gone by a Few Different Names
Although his real name is actually Prince, he changed it to an unpronounceable symbol, which he referred to as “Love Symbol No. 2,” in the early ’90s as a way of striking back at his record label. He became known as “Symbol Man,” “The Artist Formerly Known As Prince,” or just simply “The Artist.” He changed it back to Prince in 2000 when his contract expired.
He Wrote Countless Hits for Other Artists
In addition to his impressive catalogue of songs, Prince wrote many hits for other artists, including “Manic Monday” by The Bangles, “I Feel For You” by Chaka Khan, “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore” by Alicia Keys, and “When You Were Mine” by Cyndi Lauper.
He Was Not a Fan of the Internet
In 2010, the artist famously declared that the Internet is “outdated” and “completely over”. As online music streaming became popular he refused to work with music industry titan Spotify, as well as refusing to sell his music on iTunes. Prince even hired a team of lawyers to monitor YouTube for any uploaded Prince videos and had them removed as soon as they surfaced online.
Prince Had an Alter Ego
The singer had a feminine alter ego named Camille, who made her debut on “If I was Your Girlfriend” from his 1987 album “Sign O’ The Times”. Camille was also credited as the author of the controversial “The Black Album”.
He Gave Fans A Willy Wonka Moment
In 2006, Universal Records hid 14 purple tickets inside Prince’s “3121” album. Fans who found the tickets were invited to attend a private performance at his home.
Prince Was a Father
In 1996, Prince tied the knot with his backup dancer Mayte Garcia who later gave birth to their son Boy Gregory. Tragically the baby died just a week after he was born due to a skeletal abnormality known as Pfeiffer Syndrome.
He Was No Stranger to Topping the Charts
In 1984, the artist simultaneously topped the album and singles charts for the “Purple Rain” soundtrack and “When Doves Cry” and held the No. 1 spot at the movie box office for the film “Purple Rain”, which earned nearly $70 million.
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