Background
John L. Nelson was born in Louisiana, the son of Carrie (Jenkins) and Clarence Nelson.
John L. Nelson was born in Louisiana, the son of Carrie (Jenkins) and Clarence Nelson.
He is known for being the father of the musician Prince and a credited co-writer of some of his songs. He traveled to Minneapolis to become a musician in 1948. Playing the piano, he used Prince Rogers as a stage name and started The Prince Rogers Trio with local musicians.
Nelson maintained an on-off relationship with Vivian Nelson.
With her, he had four children: (born 1942), (1943—2006), Norrine (born 1947), and (born 1948). Nelson had another son, Duane, with Vivian in 1958.
In 1956, he met Mattie Della Shaw (1933—2002), at a show on the north side of Minneapolis. Shaw was an aspiring jazz musician who became the musical group"s singer.
When Nelson"s career failed in late 1960, the couple became estranged and formally separated in 1966.
Nelson died on August 25, 2001, aged 85, in his home in Chanhassen, Minnesota. That year Prince dedicated Joni Mitchell"s song "A Case of U", on his One Nite Alone.. album, to his father. With some of these songs, Prince gave Nelson a co-writing cr for using chord sequences Nelson often used, rather than Nelson actually co-writing the songs with Prince.
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers credits, or co-credits, him with the following: "Father"s Song" and "Purple Rain Cues", from the film Purple Rain, 1984 "Computer Blue" from the Purple Rain album and film, 1984 "Around the World in a Day" and "The Ladder", from the album Around the World in a Day, 1985 "Christopher Tracy"s Parade" and "Under the Cherry Moon" from the album Parade, 1986 "Under the Cherry Moon Cues" from the film Under the Cherry Moon, 1986 "Scandalous!" from the Batman album and film, 1989.