Like you we are reeling from the news that superstar musician Prince died today at the age of 57. A pioneer of pop music, a bad-ass guitarist and a cultural disruptor who helped usher in the Minneapolis sound in the ’80s, Prince fought for his rights as a recording artist, publicly battling Warner Bros. over ownership of his music. He blazed trails at every turn.
“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,” said his publicist Yvette Noel-Schure.
Earlier this month, Prince canceled at least one concert in Atlanta, reportedly due to a case of the flu. The singer’s plane made an emergency landing after he performed in Atlanta and he was rushed to the hospital.
During his career, which began at 19, Prince sold more than 100 million records and won seven Grammy Awards in addition to receiving countless other awards and accolades. Five of his singles have topped the charts and 14 other songs hit the Top 10. He won an Oscar for the original song score to the classic film Purple Rain.
More as this story develops.