This song put her back on the map in smaller countries around the world, and also in the United States. After fading from the radar during much of the 1970s, she made a comeback in Europe with her song My Baby Just Cares for Me in 1987. Some of these include I Put a Spell on You (1964), To Be Young, Gifted and Black (1966) and, of course, protest songs such as Mississippi Goddamn (1963). It was during the Civil Rights Movement era of the 1960s that some of Simone’s most powerful and notable songs were recorded. Simone’s stay with Colpix records resulted in nine successful studio albums. She became revered for her “rich, deep velvet vocal tones,” combined with her mastery of the keyboard.īy the age of 24, Simone caught the eye of several recording companies, and after submitting a demo of songs she had recorded in New Hope, Penn., she was signed by Syd Nathan (owner of King Records) to his jazz imprint, Bethlehem Records. Her time with the record label was short lived, and in 1959, Simone relocated to New York City and signed by Joyce Selznick, a talent scout for Colpix Records. Soon after her debut LP for the label (titled The Amazing Nina Simone), she began to play at her first major NYC venue, the Manhattan Town Hall. Word began to spread about this “prolific songwriter” and “generous interpreter of music from various genres.” Simone often transformed popular tunes of the day into unique syntheses of jazz, blues, gospel, and folk music. At twenty years old, Simone had never sang and performed in public, but after her debut, she became an instant success. By 1954, she had accepted a job playing piano at the Midtown Bar and Grill in Atlantic City, N.J., where the owner expected her to play and sing. In her teenage years, Simone went on to study classical music at the Juilliard School in New York with the help of some of her supporters in her home town. (Her music recorded during the Civil Rights Movement would be a large extension of this.)
This incident was a pivotal moment in Simone’s life, and her profound passion to advocate for Black rights in America ensued.
Confused and enraged, Simone repeatedly refused to play until her parents were moved back to their original seats in the front row. During this performance, Simone had her first profound encounter with racial discrimination when her parents were forced from the front rows of the recital hall to the back, in order to make room for white patrons. Demonstrating her inherent talent, Simone began performing at her local church, and made her first classical recital performance debut at the mere age of 12. At around the age of three, Simone began to play piano, and it soon became her dream to become a concert pianist.
21, 1933, to a family of 10 in Tyron, N.C. Click here to find out more.Įunice Kathleen Waymon, known professionally as Nina Simone, was born on Feb. Continue reading at Wikipedia.This biographical article is part of JAZZ.FM91’s supplementary research component to expand on The Journey to Jazz and Human Rights documentary podcast series. Her musical style fused gospel and pop with classical music, in particular Johann Sebastian Bach, and accompanied expressive, jazz-like singing in her contralto voice. She had a hit single in the United States in 1958 with "I Loves You, Porgy". She went on to record more than 40 albums between 19, making her debut with Little Girl Blue. She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment, which effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist. She changed her name to "Nina Simone" to disguise herself from family members, having chosen to play "the devil's music" or so-called "cocktail piano". To make a living, Simone started playing piano at a nightclub in Atlantic City. In 2003, just days before her death, the Institute awarded her an honorary degree. She then applied for a scholarship to study at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she was denied admission despite a well-received audition, which she attributed to racism. With the help of a few supporters in her hometown, she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. The sixth of eight children born to a poor family in Tryon, North Carolina, Simone initially aspired to be a concert pianist. Her music spanned a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop. Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, arranger, and civil rights activist.
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