Nina Simone - One of The Most Prominent Singers of 20 Century

Eunice Kathleen Waymon also known as Nina Simone, was born on the 21rst of February, 1933, in Tryon, North Carolina. At an early age of just three years Nina Simone got interested in music and started to learn how to play the piano. As years went by she practiced singing at her church and joined her church choir. In school, her music teacher helped Simone with a special fund to pay for her education and once she graduates high school, the same fund was used to send her to New York’s famed Julliard School of Music to train with her singing and her piano skills. While Simone was at Julliard, she taught piano to others and worked as an accompanist for other performers. She eventually had to leave the school because she did not have enough funds. She then moved to her family in Philadelphia and raised money to get into a more affordable music program. Simone then tried to get into the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, but she then was later rejected. She claimed they did not except her because she was African American. She soon stopped playing classical music and starting play jazz and blues in Atlantic City clubs in the 1950’s. She soon got her stage name “Nina Simone”. Nina was inspired from the Spanish word “nina” and Simone got inspired from a French actress Simone Signoret.

In the late 1950’s, Simone began recording her own music and in the year of 1957, Simone came out with her own album. From the late 50’s to the early 70’s, Simone released many albums. Some records were The Amazing Nina Simone, Wild is the wind, or Nina Simone Sings Ellington! Her training in classical music helped a lot in her career. No matter what song she sang you her classical training showed through with genres such as gospel, pop, and folk. By many, she was called “High Priestess of Soul” she hated that name though. In her autobiography, she wrote that “If I had to be called something, it should have been a folk singer because there was more folk and blues then jazz I’m playing. By the mid-1960’s, Simone was a voice of the Civil Rights Movement. She wrote “Mississippi Goddam” because of the assassination of Medgar Evers and the Birmingham Church bombing. She also wrote “Four Women” and “Young, Gifted and Black”. During the 60’s, Simone made some hits in England with names of “I Put a Spell on You” “Ain’t Got No- I Got Life/Do What You Gotta Do” and “To Love Somebody”.

Toward the end of the 60’s, Simone got tired of the American music scene and racial politics. She moved to multiple countries such as Switzerland, Liberia, England, Barbados and eventually rested in the south of France. Simone also was struggling with her mental health and her finances, she had a hard time with her managers, and record labels. In the 70’s Simone had to take a break from recording but soon came back in 1978 with her new album called “Baltimore”. In the 80’s, Simone’s song called “My Baby Just Cares For Me” was played in Chanel No.5 Perfume Commercial. She toured during the 90’s with a strong fan base that filled concert halls. In 1999, Simone performed in Dublin with her daughter joining her in a few of songs. Simone showed up in a Broadway performance named “Aida”.

In her last couple of years, people reported that she was battling breast cancer. She died at the age of seventy on April 21rst, 2003, at her home in Carry-le-Rouet, France. Even though she may be gone, her legacy will be remembered. Her amazing songs and albums that touched people’s hearts will be remembered. She sang her truth and inspired many people.