Breaking News English Lesson on Prince

The rock star Prince has died at the age of 57. He passed away at his home in Minneapolis. Last week, his plane made an emergency landing to take him to hospital. He had dehydration and the flu. His death has shocked the entertainment world. Many celebrities have shared their thoughts about him online. Madonna wrote: "He changed the world. A true visionary." Barack Obama called him, "one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time". He added that: "Prince…was a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader, and an electrifying performer."

Prince was the son of a jazz pianist. His real name was Prince Rogers Nelson. He became famous in the late seventies. His singing, songwriting, guitar playing, performances and producing changed the music world over four decades. The Washington Post called him, "one of the most popular, inventive and influential recording artists of his generation". Prince sold over 100 million records. He is perhaps best known for his 1984 album 'Purple Rain'. The music magazine 'Rolling Stone' ranked Prince at number 27 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.