LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Prince Rogers Nelson, known
to the world as Prince, a pop icon, singer-songwriter, musician, record
producer, actor and distinguished citizen

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor and pay trib-
ute to the lives of individuals whose commitment and creative talents
have contributed to the entertainment and cultural enrichment of the
State of New York and beyond; and
WHEREAS, Prince Rogers Nelson, known to the world as Prince, a pop
culture icon, died on April 21, 2016; and
WHEREAS, Prince was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to African-Ameri-
can parents, on June 7, 1958; and
WHEREAS, After recording a demo tape with producer Chris Moon, Prince
was introduced to Minneapolis businessman Owen Husney, who signed him to
a management contract at the age of 17; and
WHEREAS, The talented young musician was signed to Warner Brothers
Records and released his first album, "For You", in 1978, producing,
arranging, composing and playing all 27 instruments on the recording;
and
WHEREAS, The exceptionally prolific artist would release 39 albums,
including the seminal "Purple Rain" soundtrack in 1984, which sold more
than 22 million copies worldwide, and was ranked the 15th greatest album
of all time by TIME magazine; and
WHEREAS, The "Purple Rain" film, containing several concert scenes,
marked Prince's movie debut, and grossed more than 80 million dollars at
the box office; and
WHEREAS, The innovative megastar changed his name to a symbol in 1993,
and was often referred to as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, before
reverting back to his Prince moniker in 2000; and
WHEREAS, Billboard ranked his 2007 performance at the Super Bowl XLI
press conference the greatest Super Bowl performance of all time; and
WHEREAS, Prince sold over 100 million records worldwide, standing as
one of the best-selling artists in history, and won seven Grammy Awards,
a Golden Globe and an Academy Award, and was inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame in 2004; and
WHEREAS, This musical pioneer creatively mixed rock, R&B, funk, hip-
hop, disco, psychedelia, jazz and pop, and his charismatic stage
performance and wide vocal range continue to be emulated by countless
artists citing him as a creative influence; and
WHEREAS, This distinguished citizen was known for philanthropic acts,
announcing in 2004 that he would donate 1.5 million dollars to New
York's Harlem Children's Zone, Uptown Dance Academy and American Ballet
Theatre; and
WHEREAS, The contributions of Prince will never be replicated, but
will be forever remembered and celebrated as his legacy stands the test
of time; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Prince Rogers Nelson, known to the world as Prince, a
pop icon, singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, actor and
distinguished citizen; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of the late Prince Rogers Nelson.