Taught himself to play piano at age seven; by age 12 had mastered over 20 instruments

Moved to New York to sell demo tape; returned to Minneapolis MN when he wouldn't surrender full control of music to record labels

Signed contract with Warner Bros.; Released first album at age 19 For You

Release third album Dirty Mind

Relased fifth album 1999, which became a hit, selling over three million copies

Released Purple Rain, which sold over ten million copies in the US and spent 24 weeks at number one

Feature acting debut (also composer, song performer), "Purple Rain"

Founded own record label, Paisley Park Records in Minneapolis

Composed and performed songs for feature, "Batman"

Established Paisley Park Films, an independent motion-picture production company and entertainment complex

Paisley Park Films produced first project, "Graffiti Bridge" at Paisley Park

Formed the New Power Generation; released their first album together, Diamonds and Pearls

Legally changed his name to the joined symbol of male and female

After becoming embroiled in contract disagreements with Warner Bros., Prince independently released the single "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"; the song became his biggest hit in years

Released his final two albums under the Warner Bros. label "The Gold Experience and Chaos & Disorder

Started own label, NPG (distributed by EMI), which released the three-disc Emancipation

Prince issued the remix collection 1999 (The New Master) with the end-of-the-millennium approaching

Signed with Arista, his first major record label deal in more than 10 years

Converted to the Jehovah's Witness faith, and released the religious album The Rainbow Children over the Internet

Signed with Columbia and released Musicology under his re-adopted name of Prince; copies of the album were included with the price of tickets to his 2004 sold-out tour; received five Grammy Nominations

Released his latest album, 3121; earned 5 Grammy nominations, including Best R&B Album

Performed in Las Vegas at the Rio Hotel's 3121 Jazz Club, named after Prince's latest album 3121

Wrote and performed "Song of the Heart," for the animated film "Happy Feet"; earned a Grammy nomination

Offered copies of his new album Planet Earth in the July 15, 2007 issue of The Mail on Sunday, making it the first place in the world to get the album; this sparked controversy among music distributors; earned a Grammy nomination