Dec 2, 20233 min read

and i'm feelin' good~

Updated: Mar 28

nina simone~~an artist's duty is to reflect the times...

I'll tell you what

freedom is to me:

~no fear.

Nina Simone (born Eunice Kathleen Waymon; February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, arranger, and civil rights activist. She was known for her powerful and expressive voice, her passionate performances, and her commitment to social justice.

This is the world you have made for yourself now you have to live in it~~

Simone was born in Tryon, North Carolina, to a poor family. She began playing the piano at a young age and showed a natural talent for music. She studied classical music at the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music, but she was denied admission to both schools due to her race.

In the early 1950s, Simone began performing in nightclubs and developing her own unique style. She combined elements of jazz, blues, and folk music, and she often wrote her own songs. Her first hit single, "I Loves You Porgy," was released in 1959.

To survive, she began teaching music to local students. One fateful day in 1954, looking to supplement her income, Eunice auditioned to play piano at the Midtown Bar & Grill on Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The owner informed her that not only would she be hired to play but she was also required to sing. Despite her dreams and plans to become the first Black female classical pianist, Eunice needed the income and accepted the job.

Eunice Waymon becomes "Nina Simone"

Word spread about this new pianist and singer who was dipping into the songbooks of Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, and the like, transforming popular tunes of the day into a unique synthesis of jazz, blues, and classical music. Her rich, deep velvet vocal tones, combined with her mastery of the keyboard, soon attracted club goers up and down the East Coast. In order to hide the fact that she was singing in bars, Eunice’s mother would refer to the practice as “working in the fires of hell”,

overnight Eunice Waymon became Nina Simone by taking the nickname “Nina” meaning “little one” in Spanish and “Simone” after the actress Simone Signoret.

In the 1960s, Simone became a leading voice in the civil rights movement. She performed at rallies and protests, and she wrote songs that spoke to the struggles of African Americans. Her song "Mississippi Goddam" was a powerful condemnation of racism and violence in the South.

Simone continued to record and perform throughout the 1970s and 1980s. She released a number of acclaimed albums, including "Nina Simone Sings the Blues" (1963), "Wild Is the Wind" (1966), and "Nina Simone and Friends" (1991). She also toured extensively, performing around the world.

Simone was a complex and controversial figure. She was known for her fiery temper and her outspokenness. She was also a perfectionist, and she often clashed with record labels and managers.

Despite her personal struggles, Simone remained a powerful and influential artist. She was a pioneer in the field of soul music, and she helped to shape the sound of popular music in the 20th century.

Nina with Poet James Baldwin~