William Prince (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Prince
Background information
Born	Selkirk, Manitoba
Origin	Winnipeg, Manitoba
Genres	Folk, country
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Years active	2012–present
Labels	Six Shooter Records, Glassnote Records
Associated acts	Indian City

William Prince is a talented Canadian singer and songwriter. He was born in 1986 and grew up to become a well-known artist in both folk and country music. William Prince lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and is known for his powerful voice and meaningful songs.

William Prince's Early Life and Music Journey

William Prince has a special connection to history; he is a direct descendant of Chief Peguis. He was born in Selkirk, Manitoba, and later moved with his family to Peguis First Nation. Music was always a part of his life. His father, Edward Prince, was also a musician and a preacher. William often traveled with his father, playing music at different places in northern Manitoba. This early experience helped him develop his own musical skills.

Starting His Solo Career

William Prince released his first solo album, Earthly Days, on December 11, 2015. One of the songs from this album, "Breathless," became very popular. It reached number 22 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts in 2018. This was a big step for his career.

New Albums and Collaborations

His second album, Reliever, came out on February 7, 2020. Later that year, in October 2020, William Prince released his third album, Gospel First Nation. This album was special because it featured country gospel songs. It included new songs he wrote, some songs written by his father, and classic gospel tunes.

William Prince also performed with other musicians in a band called Indian City. He played alongside Vince Fontaine and Don Amero in this group.

Notable Performances and Recent Music

In 2022, William Prince took part in a special concert honoring the legendary artist Buffy Sainte-Marie. The concert was called Buffy Sainte-Marie: Starwalker. He performed two songs: "Up Where We Belong" as a duet with Marie-Mai, and "Now That the Buffalo's Gone" with members of The Tragically Hip.

A big moment for him was on February 18, 2023, when he performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. This is a very famous stage for country music, and his performance was highly praised.

His fourth album, Stand in the Joy, was released on April 14, 2023, through Six Shooter Records. Before the album came out, he released two preview songs in February: "When You Miss Someone" and "Tanqueray."

William Prince's fifth album, Further from the Country, was released on October 17, 2025.

Awards and Achievements

William Prince has received many awards and honors for his music.

Early Awards

In 2016, he won the Western Canadian Music Award for Aboriginal Artist of the Year. He was also nominated for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year at the 12th Canadian Folk Music Awards.

His debut album, Earthly Days, won the Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2017. He was also a finalist for Indigenous Music Album of the Year that same year.

Recent Recognition

His song "The Spark" won the 2020 SOCAN Songwriting Prize, which is a big award for songwriters.

His 2020 album Reliever was nominated for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2021. He also won two Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2021: Contemporary Album of the Year and English Songwriter of the Year.

At the 2021 Juno Awards ceremony, William Prince performed "The Spark" with singer Serena Ryder. They also released two songs together in 2022, "Sing Me a Song" and "River of Tears."

His album Stand in the Joy won the Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2024. He was also nominated for Songwriter of the Year for three of his songs: "Broken Heart of Mine," "Easier and Harder," and "When You Miss Someone." At the 19th Canadian Folk Music Awards, he won Contemporary Album of the Year for Stand in the Joy, Solo Artist of the Year, and Single of the Year for "When You Miss Someone." Stand in the Joy was also nominated for Alternative Country Album of the Year at the 2024 Canadian Country Music Awards.

William Prince's Music Albums

Studio Albums

• Earthly Days (2015)
• Reliever (2020)
• Gospel First Nation (2020)
• Stand in the Joy (2023)
• Further from the Country (2025)

Singles

• "7" (2016)
• "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover" (2018)
• "Breathless (Acoustic)" (2018)
• "The Spark" (2019)
• "Always Have What We Had" (2020)
• "Sing Me a Song" (2022, with Serena Ryder)
• "River of Tears" (2022, with Serena Ryder)
• "When You Miss Someone" (2023)
• "Tanqueray" (2023)