Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist
widely associated with jazz music. Simone aspired to become a classical
pianist while working in a broad range of styles including classical,
jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop. Born the sixth child of a preacher's family in North Carolina, Simone
aspired to be a concert pianist. Her musical path changed direction
after she was denied a scholarship to the prestigious Curtis Institute
of Music in Philadelphia, despite a well-received audition. Simone was
later told by someone working at Curtis that she was rejected because
she was black. When she began playing in a small club in Philadelphia
to fund her continuing musical education and become a classical pianist
she was required to sing as well. She was approached for a recording
by Bethlehem Records, and her rendering of "I Loves You Porgy"
was a hit in the United States in 1958. Over the length of her career
Simone recorded more than 40 albums, mostly between 1958 — when she made
her debut with Little Girl Blue — and 1974.
Her musical style arose from a fusion of gospel and pop songs with classical music, in particular with influences from her first inspiration, Johann Sebastian Bach, and accompanied with her expressive jazz-like singing in her characteristic contralto. She injected as much of her classical background into her music as possible to give it more depth and quality, as she felt that pop music was inferior to classical. Her intuitive grasp on the audience-performer relationship was gained from a unique background of playing piano accompaniment for church revivals and sermons regularly from the early age of six years.
After 20 years of performing, she became involved in the civil rights movement and the direction of her life shifted once again. Simone's music was highly influential in the fight for equal rights in the US.
Nina Simone.1957 - Little Girl Blue
Nina Simone.1959 - Nina Simone At Town Hall
Nina Simone.1959 - The Amazing Nina Simone
Nina Simone.1960 - Nina Simone At Newport
Nina Simone.1961 - Forbidden Fruit
Nina Simone.1962 - Nina At The Village Gate
Nina Simone.1962 - Nina Sings Duke Ellington
Nina Simone.1963 - Nina Simone At Carnegie Hall
Nina Simone.1964 - Broadway Blues Ballads
Nina Simone.1964 - Folksy Nina
Nina Simone.1964 - In Concert
Nina Simone.1965 - I Put A Spell On You
Nina Simone.1965 - Pastel Blues
Nina Simone.1966 - Let It All Out
Nina Simone.1966 - Nina With Strings
Nina Simone.1966 - Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone.1967 - High Priestess Of Soul
Nina Simone.1967 - Nina Simone Sings The Blues
Nina Simone.1967 - Silk & Soul
Nina Simone.1968 - Suzanne
Nina Simone.1969 - Nina Simone & Piano!
Nina Simone.1969 - To Love Somebody
Nina Simone.1970 - Black Gold
Nina Simone.1971 - Here Comes The Sun
Nina Simone.1972 - Emergency Ward
Nina Simone.1974 - It Is Finished
Nina Simone.1978 - Baltimore
Nina Simone.1982 - Fodder On My Wings
Nina Simone.1984 - Live At Ronnie Scott's
Nina Simone.1985 - Live & Kickin
Nina Simone.1987 - Let It Be Me (Live At Vine St.)
Nina Simone.1993 - A Single Woman
