Born Prince Rogers Nelson at Mount Sinai Hospital in Minneapolis to parents John L. Nelson and Mattie Shaw. A jazz pianist, John used Prince as a nickname and stage name.
June 7, 1958
Recorded his first demos with his band Grand Central.
March 1975
Warner Bros. Records issued his first album, "For You," on which he played all the instruments. He was 18 years old, but press releases claimed he was 17.
April 7, 1978
Performed his first shows as Prince with a new band at the Capri Theater in north Minneapolis, a tryout of sorts for Warner Bros. executives.
Jan. 5-6, 1979