Prince dead at 57

Prince sits courtside in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Prince sits courtside in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Oklahoma City Thunder at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 95 Caption Close Prince dead at 57 1 / 95 Back to Gallery

Prince, the most protean pop star of his generation, has been found dead on his Minneapolis estate at the age of 57.

Authorities responded to a medical emergency call Thursday morning at Paisley Park in Minnesota, where the pop superstar has his recording studios. Deputies found the artist unresponsive in an elevator, said Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson.

First responders tried CPR but couldn't revive the 57-year-old musician, Olson said, adding that Prince was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m. Thursday, about half an hour after deputies arrived.

Olson says the death is under investigation. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday, according to a report from the Associated Press.

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Paisley Park Studios, a large compound in Chanhassen, Minnesota, served as both his record studio and his home. He's recorded several of his hit records at the complex, including "Parade," "Diamonds and Pearls" and "Around the World in a Day."

Prince was reported to have been hospitalized in Illinois on Friday on his way back from his final concert in Atlanta. He subsequently appeared at a dance party at Paisley Park.

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President Barack Obama is lamenting the loss of a "creative icon" with the death of rock superstar Prince.

In a statement, the president called Prince "one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of our time" and that "nobody's spirit was stronger, bolder or more creative" than Prince's.

In videos, movies and innovative, provocative single after single, Prince helped define '80s pop culture with a blend of R&B, slinky funk, hard rock guitar and a fearless embrace of sexuality.

The cover of 1980's "Dirty Mind," featuring a bare-chested Prince in black bikini underwear, made that plain. But it was his 1982 album "1999" that put him over the top, with its upbeat title track about partying at the end of the millennium — every bit as prophetic as George Orwell's "1984" —and the supremely seductive "Little Red Corvette."

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"Purple Rain," the 1984 album and movie about the rise of a Prince-like rock star, secured his place in the pop pantheon. It also made him infamous when Tipper Gore, the wife of Sen. Al Gore, and other founders of the Parents Music Resource Center placed the "Purple Rain" track "Darling Nikki" at the top of their "Filthy Fifteen" list of objectionable songs. Prince, it should be noted, also had a hand in "Filthy Fifteen" songs by Sheena Easton and Vanity.

At his peak, Prince seemed to re-create pop music in his image with every new single: "When Doves Cry," "Raspberry Beret," "Kiss," "Sign O the Times."

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He also became an advocate for artist's rights in a long, well-publicized struggle with his record label, Warner Bros. For most of the '90s, he replaced his name with a symbol combining elements of male and female; he commonly was referred to as "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince."

Prince was not much of a presence on the pop charts in the new millennium, but the party didn't end in 1999. He continued to tour and create, releasing double albums, triple albums, three CDs at once, music via online services and more.

His most recent, "HITnRUN: Phase One" and "HITnRUN: Phase Two," were released late last year.

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Fans of the music superstar gathered outside Paisley Park, as well as the downtown Minneapolis nightclub where much of the movie "Purple Rain" was filmed.

About 50 to 60 people were standing on the sidewalk outside First Avenue on Thursday afternoon to mourn the death of the musician, who died hours earlier. Prince received an Academy Award in 1985 for his music from "Purple Rain," the movie in which he starred as a young musician.

About a dozen bouquets, some balloons, candles and a guitar were left at the club. Some people stood with their heads bowed, while others quietly chatted about what Prince's music meant to them.

One fan, 32-year-old Amy Fox, says she came to the nightclub because it's where Prince began his career.

TMZ first reported his death.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

twhite@mysa.com