Prince

Obsessive, eccentric and provocative describe Prince's approach, persona, and lyrics, but passion must surely be his leitmotiv. Both led by and leading his Muse, the artist formerly-and-once-again known as Prince is a supremely creative performer and producer of funk/punk, black/white, rock/pop/dance music whose every invention and reincarnation thrills old and attracts new fans. From the astounding "Dirty Mind" in 1980 to "Purple Rain," his 1984 release that achieved acclaim enough to satisfy even the most greedy, Prince has shown a remarkable ability and willingness to change and experiment. From first name to no name and mainstream to Jehovah's Witness, from conventional to Internet sales and fade-away to comeback, the word most often associated with Prince is "masterpiece," and the size of the appreciative audience matters less to him than the quality of the effort.