NINA SIMONE (1933-2003)
Nina Simone was a singer, songwriter, composer, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music defied standard definitions and continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
Simone, née Eunice Kathleen Waymon, was born in North Carolina in 1933. Her talent as a musician was evident early on, when she started playing the piano by ear at the age of 3. Simone played piano in her mother’s church and began studying classical music.
Her concert debut happened at age 12. She later said that during this performance, her parents were removed from the front row and moved to the back of the hall to make way for white people. She refused to play until her parents were moved back to the front. This incident would set the stage for her later involvement in the civil rights movement.
After graduating valedictorian of her class, she spent the summer at Julliard in order to prepare for an audition at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia to study classical piano. Simone had aspirations of becoming the first Black classical pianist, but was denied admittance, despite a well-received audition, due to her race.
Simone continue to study classical piano, and began to teach music to local students in order to fund them. In 1954, she auditioned to play piano at a bar in Atlantic City, NJ. Not only did she get the job, she was required to sing. In order to disguise herself from family members, having chosen to play “the devil’s music” she chose the stage name Nina Simone. Word spread quickly about this new pianist who could combine classical music and transform the popular tunes of the day into a unique mix of jazz, blues, and classical.
At age 24, Simone came to the attention of the record industry. She was signed to Bethlehem Records. Her stay with them was short-lived and in 1959, she was signed to Colpix Records, where sherecorded a total of 9 albums.
In 1964, Simone switched to the Dutch distributor, Philips Records. She had always included songs that pulled on her African-American heritage, but this was the first time she addressed racial inequality with the song “Mississippi Goddam,” a song she penned in response to the murder of Medgar Evers and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church.
In the 1970’s, Simone grew tired of the American music scene and the country’s deeply divided racial politics and left for Barbados. She lived in several different countries, including Liberia, Switzerland, England, before eventually settling down in France.
Simone was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the late 1980s, while living in Switzerland, and was known for her temper and outbursts of aggression. In addition to her mental health struggles, Simone struggled financially, often clashing with managers, record labels, and the IRS due to unpaid taxes.
During her decades-long career, Simone recorded over 40 albums and is considered to be one of the most influential recording artists of the 20th century. She died in 2003 from breast cancer.
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