Boy, 2016’s turning out to be a beast of a year. Bowie, Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest and Glenn Frey of The Eagles have already left the earthly building, and now, another music icon is taken from us. Prince, the man who fused pop, funk, R&B, psychedelic and buckets of sex appeal, died yesterday of as-yet-unknown causes at his home in Paisley Park, Minnesota. He was 57.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, Prince – real name Prince Rogers Nelson – was an electrifying force in American music. His ambitious, chameleonic and eccentric tunes, not to mention his virtuosity on the guitar, made him one of the last giants of contemporary pop and rock. You’ll only need to listen to any present-day R&B track to hear Prince’s vast influence.
Not that he was content to sit on his purple throne. Prince was an effortlessly prolific musician, releasing 39 studio albums over his career, including two – HITnRUN Phase One and Phase Two – last year alone. Also among his crown jewels: seven Grammys, a Golden Globe and an Oscar.
But enough from us. We’ll leave you with one of our favourite Prince performances: his set during the half-time show of the 2007 Super Bowl. Hope you’re jamming up there with the best of ’em, Purple One.
