Nina Simone
Nina Simone in the sixties
Background information
Born	February 21, 1933(1933-02-21)
Origin	North Carolina, United States
Died	April 21, 2003 (aged 70)
Genre(s)	Jazz, Blues, soul, R&B, folk, gospel
Years active	1954-2003
Label(s)	RCA Victor, Philips, Bethlehem, Colpix, Legacy Recordings
Website	www.ninasimone.com

Eunice Kathleen Waymon, better known by her stage name Nina Simone (IPA: ninɐ sʌmɞnɑ) (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), was a fifteen-time Grammy Award-nominated American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger and civil rights activist. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Soul music is a Music genre that combines Rhythm and blues and Gospel music, originating in the United States. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous Gospel music is Music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life as well as (in terms of the varying music styles to In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music RCA Records (originally The Victor Talking Machine Company, then RCA Victor is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. Philips Records is a Record label that was founded by Dutch electronics giant Philips. Bethlehem Records was a record label founded by Gus Wild and bought by King Records. Colpix Records was the first recording company for Columbia Pictures - Screen Gems. Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment 's catalog division A stage name, also called a screen name, is a Pseudonym used by Performers and Entertainers such as The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA is a system of phonetic notation based on the Latin alphabet, devised by the International Phonetic Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1933 ( MCMXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra Activism, in a general sense can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change

Although she disliked being categorized, Simone is generally classified as a jazz musician. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a Simone originally aspired to become a classical pianist, but her work covers an eclectic variety of musical styles besides her classical basis, such as jazz, soul, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop music. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Soul music is a Music genre that combines Rhythm and blues and Gospel music, originating in the United States. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous Gospel music is Music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life as well as (in terms of the varying music styles to Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure Her vocal style is characterized by intense passion, a loose vibrato, and a slightly androgynous timbre, in part due to her unusually low vocal range which veered between the alto and tenor ranges (occasionally even reaching baritone lows). Sometimes known as the High Priestess of Soul, she paid great attention to the musical expression of emotions. Within one album or concert she could fluctuate between exuberant happiness or tragic melancholy. These fluctuations also characterized her own personality and personal life, worsened by a bipolar disorder with which she was diagnosed in the mid-1960s, but was kept secret until 2004. ^[1]

Simone recorded over 40 live and studio albums, the biggest body of her work being released between 1958 (when she made her debut with Little Girl Blue) and 1974. An album or record album is a collection of related audio or Music tracks distributed to the public Little Girl Blue is the debut album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933–2003 for Bethlehem Records. Songs she is best known for include "My Baby Just Cares for Me", "I Put a Spell on You", "I Loves You Porgy", "Feeling Good", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", "Sinnerman", "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", "Strange Fruit", "Ain't Got No/I Got Life" and "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl". " My Baby Just Cares for Me " is a song written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn. " I Put a Spell on You " is a 1957 song written by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, whose recording was selected as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's " I Loves You Porgy " is an Aria from the Opera Porgy and Bess with music by George Gershwin and Lyrics by " Feeling Good " (aka Feelin' Good) is a song written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint—the " Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood " is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for the singer/pianist Nina Simone, who first recorded " Sinner Man " or " Sinnerman " is an American traditional spiritual song that has been recorded by a number of performers " To Be Young Gifted and Black " is a song by Nina Simone with Lyrics by Weldon Irvine. " Strange Fruit " is a song performed most famously by Billie Holiday. "Ain't Got No/I Got Life" is a 217 single by the American songwriter Nina Simone. Her music and message made a strong and lasting impact on African-American culture^[2], illustrated by the numerous contemporary artists who cite her as an important influence (among them Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Jeff Buckley, and Lauryn Hill), as well as the extensive use of her music on soundtracks and in remixes. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Mary Jane Blige (surname pronounced /blaɪʒ/) (born January 11, 1971) is an American Singer-songwriter, Rapper Alicia J Augello-Cook (born January 25 1981 professionally known as Alicia Keys, is an American R&B, soul, and Neo soul Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17 1966 – May 29 1997 raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American Singer-songwriter and Guitarist He was the son Lauryn Noel Hill is a Grammy Award -winning American Singer, Rapper, Musician, Songwriter, producer, and A remix is an alternative version of a song different from the original version

Biography

Youth (1933–1954)

Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina, one of eight children. Tryon is a town in Polk County, North Carolina, United States. She began playing piano at her local church and showed prodigious talent on this instrument. Her concert debut, a classical piano recital, was made at the age of ten. During her performance, her parents, who had taken seats in the front row, were forced to move to the back of the hall to make way for white people. Simone refused to play until her parents were moved back. ^[3][4] This incident contributed to her later involvement in the civil rights movement. The American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968 refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at abolishing racial discrimination against African

Cover of Simone's debut album Little Girl Blue (1958), also known as Jazz as Played in an Exclusive Side Street Club

Simone's mother, Mary Kate Waymon (who lived into her late 90s) was a strict Methodist minister; her father, John Divine Waymon, was a handyman and sometime barber who suffered bouts of ill-health. Little Girl Blue is the debut album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933–2003 for Bethlehem Records. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Mrs. Waymon worked as a maid and her employer, hearing of Nina's talent, provided funds for piano lessons. ^[5] Subsequently, a local fund was set up to assist in Eunice's continued education. At 17, Simone moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she taught piano and accompanied singers to fund her own studying as a classical music pianist at New York City's Juilliard School of Music. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music The City of New York The Juilliard School, located in New York City, is a world renowned Performing arts conservatory. With the help of a private tutor she studied for an interview to further study piano at the Curtis Institute, but she was rejected. The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia Pennsylvania that offers courses of study leading to a performance Diploma Bachelor of Music Simone believed that this rejection was directly related to her being black, as well as being a woman. ^[6] It further fueled her hatred of the widespread and institutionalized racism present in the U. List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that S. during the period.

Early success (1954–1959)

Simone played at the Midtown Bar & Grill on Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City to fund her study. The owner said that she would have to sing as well as play the piano in order to get the job. She took on the stage name "Nina Simone" in 1954 because she did not want her mother to know that she was playing "the devil's music". The Devil is the "Nina" (from "niña", meaning "little girl" in Spanish) was a nickname a boyfriend had given to her and "Simone" was after the French actress Simone Signoret, whom she had seen in the movie Casque d'or. Legal residents and citizens To be French according to the first article of the Constitution is to be a citizen of France regardless of one's origin race or religion ( Simone Signoret (simɔn siɲɔˈʀɛ in French ( March 25, 1921 - September 30, 1985) is a beloved Academy Award winning legend Casque d'or ( Golden Helmet) is a 1952 French Film directed by Jacques Becker. ^[7] Simone played and sang a mixture of jazz, blues and classical music at the bar, and by doing so she created a small but loyal fan base. The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression ^[8]

After playing in small clubs she recorded a rendition of George Gershwin's "I Loves You Porgy" (from Porgy and Bess) in 1958, which was learned from a Billie Holiday album and performed as a favor to a friend. George Gershwin (September 26 1898 &ndash July 11 1937 was an American Composer. Porgy and Bess is an Opera, first performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, Libretto by DuBose Heyward, and Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7 1915 – July 17 1959 was an American Jazz singer and songwriter It became her only Billboard top 40 hit in the United States, and her debut album Little Girl Blue soon followed on Bethlehem Records. See Billboard (Turkish magazine Billboard is a weekly American Magazine devoted to the Music industry The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Little Girl Blue is the debut album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933–2003 for Bethlehem Records. Bethlehem Records was a record label founded by Gus Wild and bought by King Records. Simone would never benefit financially from the album; she sold the rights for $3000, missing out on more than $1 million of royalties (mainly because of the successful re-release of "My Baby Just Cares for Me" in the 1980s). " My Baby Just Cares for Me " is a song written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn. ^[9]

Becoming "popular" (1959-1964)

After the success of Little Girl Blue, Simone signed a contract with the bigger label Colpix Records, followed by a string of studio and live albums. Colpix Records was the first recording company for Columbia Pictures - Screen Gems. Colpix relinquished all creative control, including the choice of material that would be recorded, to her in exchange for her signing with them. Simone, who at this point only performed pop music to make money to continue her classical music studies, was bold with her demand for control over her music because she was indifferent about having a recording contract. Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure She would keep this attitude towards the record industry for most of her career. ^[10]

Civil rights era (1964–1974)

This photo of Simone on the cover of Silk & Soul (1967) is characteristic of her stage appearance in the mid-sixties

Simone was made aware of the severity of racism in America by her friends Langston Hughes, James Baldwin and Lorraine Hansberry (author of the play Raisin in the Sun). Silk & Soul is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that Langston Hughes (February 1 1902 &ndash May 22 1967 was an American Poet, Novelist Playwright, Short story writer and Columnist James Arthur Baldwin ( August 2, 1924 – November 30, 1987) was an American Novelist, Writer, Playwright Lorraine Hansberry ( May 19, 1930 - January 12, 1965) was an African American LGBT Playwright and Author A Raisin in the Sun is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in 1959 In 1964, she changed record labels, from the American Colpix to the Dutch Philips, which also meant a change in the contents of her recordings. In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Colpix Records was the first recording company for Columbia Pictures - Screen Gems. Philips Records is a Record label that was founded by Dutch electronics giant Philips. Simone had always included songs in her repertoire that hinted to her African-American origins (such as "Brown Baby" and "Zungo" on Nina at the Village Gate in 1962). Nina Simone at the Village Gate (1962 is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 But on her debut album for Philips, Nina Simone In Concert (live recording, 1964), Simone for the first time openly addresses the racial inequality that was prevalent in the United States with the song "Mississippi Goddam". Nina Simone in Concert is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone. Mississippi Goddam is a song written and performed by United States singer and pianist Nina Simone. It was her response to the murder of Medgar Evers and the bombing of a church in Birmingham, Alabama, killing four black children. Medgar Willy Evers ( July 2, 1925 June 12, 1963) was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi Birmingham (ˈbɝmɪŋhæm is the largest City in the US state of Alabama and is the County seat of Jefferson County. The song was released as a single, being boycotted in certain southern states. A boycott is a form of Consumer activism involving the act of voluntarily abstaining from using buying or dealing with someone or some other organization as an expression of ^[11][2] With "Old Jim Crow" on the same album she reacts to the Jim Crow Laws. The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws enacted primarily but not exclusively in the Southern and border states of the United States between 1876 and 1965

From then onwards, the civil rights message was standard in Simone's recording repertoire, where it had already become a part of her live performances. Simone performed and spoke at many civil rights meetings, such as at the Selma to Montgomery marches. The Selma to Montgomery marches, which included Bloody Sunday, were three marches that marked the Political and emotional peak of the American civil rights ^[12] She covered Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" (on Pastel Blues (1965)), a song about the lynching of black men in the South, and sang the W. Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7 1915 – July 17 1959 was an American Jazz singer and songwriter " Strange Fruit " is a song performed most famously by Billie Holiday. Pastel Blues is a studio album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 Cuney poem "Images" on Let It All Out (1966), about the absence of pride in the African-American woman. Let It All Out is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 Simone wrote the song Four Women and sings it on Wild Is the Wind (1966). for the Nina Simone song see Four Women (song Four Women is an American five-part limited series published by Wild Is the Wind is Singer / Pianist / Songwriter Nina Simone 's (1933-2003 sixth album under record company Philips. It is about four different stereotypes of African-American women. An ethnic stereotype is a generalized representation of an Ethnic group, composed of what are thought to be typical characteristics of members of the group ^[2]

Simone moved from Philips to RCA Victor in 1967. RCA Records (originally The Victor Talking Machine Company, then RCA Victor is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. She sang "Backlash Blues", written by her friend Langston Hughes on her first RCA album, Nina Simone Sings The Blues (1967). Langston Hughes (February 1 1902 &ndash May 22 1967 was an American Poet, Novelist Playwright, Short story writer and Columnist Sings the Blues is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 On Silk & Soul (1967) she recorded Billy Taylor's "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" and "Turning Point". Silk & Soul is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 Billy Taylor (born July 24, 1921 in Greenville North Carolina) is an American Jazz Pianist, Composer, The album Nuff Said (1968) contains live recordings from the Westbury Music Fair, April 7, 1968, three days after the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. Nuff Said! is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Martin Luther King Jr ( January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, Activist and prominent leader She dedicated the whole performance to him and sang "Why? (The King Of Love Is Dead)", a song written by her bass player directly after the news of King's death had reached them. A bass player (bassist is a Musician who plays a Double bass, Bass guitar, keyboard bass or wind ^[13]

Together with Weldon Irvine, Simone turned the late Lorraine Hansberrys unfinished play "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" into a civil rights song. Weldon Jonathan Irvine Jr ( October 27, 1943 &ndash April 9, 2002) also known Master Wel, was an American Composer Lorraine Hansberry ( May 19, 1930 - January 12, 1965) was an African American LGBT Playwright and Author " To Be Young Gifted and Black " is a song by Nina Simone with Lyrics by Weldon Irvine. She performed it live on Black Gold (1970). Black Gold is a live album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone recorded in 1969 at the Philharmonic Hall, New York. A studio recording was released as a single, and the song became the official "National Anthem of Black America" and has been covered by Aretha Franklin (on 1972s Young, Gifted and Black) and Donny Hathaway. In Popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition ( Performance or Recording) of a previously recorded commercially released Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25 1942 Franklin has had a total of twenty number-one singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart, two of which became #1 hits on the Young Gifted and Black is a soul album by Aretha Franklin, released in 1972 Donny Hathaway ( October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul musician ^[14][2]

Later life (1974–2003)

Cover of Simone's last album A Single Woman (1993)

Simone left the United States in September 1970. A Single Woman is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events in September It is the start of the academic year in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. She flew to Barbados, expecting her husband and manager, Andrew Stroud, to contact her when she had to perform again. Barbados ( Portuguese word for bearded-ones, bɑrˈbeɪdoʊz -dɒs situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent Island nation However, Stroud interpreted Simone's sudden disappearance (and the fact that she left behind her wedding ring) as a cue for a divorce. Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. As her manager, Stroud was also in charge of Simone's income. This meant that after their separation Simone had no knowledge about how her business was run, and what she was actually worth. Upon returning to the United States she also learned that she was wanted for unpaid taxes, causing her to go back to Barbados again to evade the authorities and prosecution. ^[15] Simone stayed in Barbados for quite some time, and had a lengthy affair with the Prime Minister, Errol Barrow. Errol Walton Barrow ( 21 January 1920 &ndash 1 June 1987) was a Caribbean statesman and the first Prime Minister of ^[16][17] A close friend, singer Miriam Makeba, convinced her to come to Liberia. Miriam Makeba (b March 4, 1932) is a Grammy Award-winning South African singer also known as Mama Afrika. Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire After that she lived in Switzerland and the Netherlands, before settling in France in 1992. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

She recorded her last album for RCA Records, It Is Finished, in 1974. RCA Records (originally The Victor Talking Machine Company, then RCA Victor is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. It was not until 1978 that Simone was convinced by CTI Records owner Creed Taylor to record another album, Baltimore. CTI Records ( Creed Taylor International or Creed Taylor Incorporated) was a Jazz Record label founded in 1967 by Creed Taylor Creed Taylor (b1929 in Lynchburg Virginia) is an American Record producer. Baltimore is an album by Singer / Pianist / Songwriter Nina Simone. While not a commercial success, the album did get good reviews and marked a quiet artistic renaissance in Simone's recording output. ^[18] Her choice of material retained its eclecticism, ranging from spiritual songs to Hall & Oates' "Rich Girl". Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single Paradigm or set of assumptions but instead draws upon multiple theories styles or ideas to Hall & Oates are a Pop music duo made up of Daryl Hall and John Oates. Four years later Simone recorded Fodder On My Wings on a French label. Fodder on My Wings is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone. In the 1980s Simone performed regularly at Ronnie Scott's jazz club in London, where the album Live at Ronnie Scott's was recorded in 1984. Ronnie Scott ( January 28 1927, in Aldgate, East London &ndash December 23 1996) was a British Jazz London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Live at Ronnie Scott's is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 Though her on-stage style could be somewhat haughty and aloof, in later years, Simone particularly seemed to enjoy engaging her audiences by recounting sometimes humorous anecdotes related to her career and music and soliciting requests. Her autobiography, I Put a Spell on You, was published in 1992 and she recorded her last album, A Single Woman in 1993. An autobiography, from the Greek αὐτός autos "self" βίος bios "life" and γράφειν graphein "to write" I Put A Spell On You is the autobiography by Nina Simone (1933-2003 A Single Woman is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003

In 1993 Simone settled near Aix-en-Provence in Southern France. Aix (ɛks or Aix-en-Provence ( Provençal Occitan: Ais de Provença in classical norm or Ais de Prouvènço in Mistralian norm to distinguish Southern France (or the South of France) colloquially known as Le Midi, is a loosely defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that She had been ill with breast cancer for several years before she died in her sleep at her home in Carry-le-Rouet, Bouches-du-Rhône on April 21, 2003, aged 70. Breast cancer is a Cancer that starts in the cells of the Breast in women and men Carry-le-Rouet ( Occitan: Carri lo Roet) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. Bouches-du-Rhône ( Occitan: Bocas de Ròse, lit "Mouths of the Rhône River" is a department in the south of France named after the Events 753 BC - Romulus and Remus found Rome ( traditional date) Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Her funeral service was attended by singers Miriam Makeba and Patti Labelle, poet Sonia Sanchez, actor Ossie Davis and hundreds of others. Miriam Makeba (b March 4, 1932) is a Grammy Award-winning South African singer also known as Mama Afrika. Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24 1944) best known as her stage name Patti Labelle, is an American R&B and soul Sonia Sanchez is an African American poet most often associated with the Black Arts Movement. Ossie Davis ( December 18 1917 – February 4 2005) was an American Film Actor, director, Elton John sent a floral tribute with the message "We were the greatest and I love you". Sir Elton Hercules John CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947 is an English pop / rock Singer, Composer ^[19] Simone's ashes were scattered in several African countries. She left behind a daughter, Lisa Celeste, now an actress/singer who took on the stagename Simone who has appeared on Broadway in Aida. Simone (born Lisa Celeste Stroud on September 12, 1962) is a Broadway actress/singer and the daughter of Nina Simone. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located This article is about the marketing term AIDA For other uses of the term see Aida (disambiguation. ^[20]

Simone standards

Throughout her career, Simone gathered a collection of songs that would become standards in her repertoire (apart from the civil rights songs) and for which she is still remembered, even though most of these songs didn't do well on the charts at the time. These songs were self-written tunes, cover versions (usually with a new arrangement by Simone), or songs written especially for Simone. Her first hit song in America was a cover of George Gershwin's "I Loves You Porgy" (1958). George Gershwin (September 26 1898 &ndash July 11 1937 was an American Composer. " I Loves You Porgy " is an Aria from the Opera Porgy and Bess with music by George Gershwin and Lyrics by It peaked at number 18 in the pop singles chart and number 2 on the black singles chart. ^[21] In that same period Simone recorded "My Baby Just Cares for Me", which would become her biggest hit years later in 1987, when it featured in a Chanel no. " My Baby Just Cares for Me " is a song written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn. Chanel SA ʃəˈnɛɫ) is a Parisian fashion house created by Coco Chanel. 5 perfume commercial. A music video was then created by Aardman Studios. A music video is a Short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music most commonly a Song with lyrics Aardman Animations Ltd, also known as Aardman Studios, is an Academy Award -winning British Animation studio based in Bristol, ^[22]

Well known songs from her Philips albums include "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" on Broadway-Blues-Ballads (1964), "I Put a Spell on You", "Ne Me Quitte Pas" (a Jacques Brel cover) and "Feeling Good" on I Put A Spell On You (1965), "Lilac Wine" and "Wild Is the Wind" on Wild is the Wind (1966). Broadway-Blues-Ballads is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 Jacques Romain Georges Brel (ʒak bʀɛl in French (8 April 1929 &ndash 9 October 1978 was a Belgian Singer-songwriter. I Put a Spell on You is a 1965 album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 for Philips Records. Wild Is the Wind is Singer / Pianist / Songwriter Nina Simone 's (1933-2003 sixth album under record company Philips. ^[23] Especially the songs "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", "Feeling Good" and "Sinnerman" (Pastel Blues, 1965) have great popularity today in terms of cover versions (most notably The Animals's version of the former song), sample usage and its use on various movie-, TV-series- and videogame soundtracks. " Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood " is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for the singer/pianist Nina Simone, who first recorded " Feeling Good " (aka Feelin' Good) is a song written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint—the " Sinner Man " or " Sinnerman " is an American traditional spiritual song that has been recorded by a number of performers Pastel Blues is a studio album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s known in the United States as part of the British Invasion. "Sinnerman" in particular has been featured on movies like The Thomas Crown Affair and sampled by artists like Talib Kweli and Timbaland. " Sinner Man " or " Sinnerman " is an American traditional spiritual song that has been recorded by a number of performers Talib Kweli Greene (born October 3, 1975) better known as Talib Kweli, is an American MC from Brooklyn, New Timothy Z Mosley (born March 10, 1971) better known by his Stage name Timbaland, is an American Record producer, The song "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" was sampled by Kanye West on "Misunderstood" from Common's 2007 album "Finding Forever. " Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood " is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for the singer/pianist Nina Simone, who first recorded Kanye Omari West (ˈkɑnjɛj born June 8 1977 is a ten-time Grammy Award -winning American Rapper, Record producer and Singer. COMMON is the largest association of users of IBM Midrange computers and IBM-compatible technology in the world Finding Forever is the Grammy Award Winning seventh album by Common, released on July 31 2007 on G "

Simone's years at RCA-Victor spawned a number of singles and album songs that were popular, particularly in Europe. In 1968 it was "Ain't Got No, I Got Life", a medley from the musical Hair from the album Nuff Said (1968) that became a surprise hit for Simone, reaching number 2 on the UK pop charts and introducing her to a younger audience. "Ain't Got No/I Got Life" is a 217 single by the American songwriter Nina Simone. Hair The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a Rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt Nuff Said! is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 ^[24] In 2006, it returned to the UK Top 30 in a remixed version by Groovefinder. The following single, the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody" also reached the UK top 10 in 1969. The Bee Gees were a singing trio of brothers — Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. " To Love Somebody " is the second single released by the Bee Gees from their third LP Bee Gees 1st. "House of the Rising Sun" featured on Nina Simone Sings The Blues in 1967, but Simone had recorded the song earlier in 1961 (featuring on Nina At The Village Gate, 1962), predating versions by Dave Van Ronk and Bob Dylan. Sings the Blues is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 Nina Simone at the Village Gate (1962 is an album by singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone (1933-2003 Dave Van Ronk ( June 30 1936 – February 10 2002) was a Folk singer born in Bob Dylan (born Robert Zimmerman, May 24 1941 in Duluth, Minnesota) is an American singer-songwriter author poet and painter who has been a major ^[25][26] It was later picked up by The Animals and became their signature hit. The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s known in the United States as part of the British Invasion.

Performing style

Simone's regal bearing and commanding stage presence earned her the title "High Priestess of Soul". Her live performances were regarded not as mere concerts, but as happenings. A happening is a performance event or situation meant to be considered as Art. In a single concert she could be a singer, pianist, dancer, actress, activist, as well as both therapist and patient all simultaneously. ^[27] On stage, Simone moved from gospel to blues, jazz and folk, to numbers infused with European classical styling, and counterpoint fugues. This article is about the canonical books of the New Testament Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous In Music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and Rhythm, and interdependent in Harmony In Music, a fugue (ˈfjuːg is a type of contrapuntal composition or technique of composition for a fixed number of parts, normally referred She incorporated monologues and dialogues with the audience into the program, and often used silence as a musical element. ^[28] Simone compared it to "mass hypnosis. I use it all the time"^[14] Throughout most of her live and recording career she was accompanied by percussionist Leopoldo Flemming and guitarist and musical director Al Schackman. A guitarist is a Musician who plays the Guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres ^[29]

Simone had a reputation in the music industry for being volatile and sometimes difficult to deal with, a characterization with which she strenuously took issue. In 1995, she shot and wounded her neighbor's son with a pneumatic pistol after his laughter disturbed her concentration. BB guns are a type of Air gun designed to shoot projectiles called BB after the Birdshot pellet of approximately the same size ^[30] She also fired a gun at a record company executive whom she accused of stealing royalties. ^[31] It is now recognised that this 'difficulty' was the result of bipolar disorder. Simone reluctantly took medication for her condition from the mid-1960s on. ^[32] All this was only known to a small group of intimates, and kept out of public view for many years, until the biography Break Down And Let It All Out written by Sylvia Hampton and David Nathan revealed this secret in 2004.

Honors

On Human Kindness Day 1974 in Washington DC more than 10,000 people paid tribute to Simone. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D ^[33][34] Simone received two honorary degrees in music and humanities from the University of Massachusetts and Malcolm X College. An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa ( Latin: 'for the sake of the honour' is an Academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding The University of Massachusetts (officially nicknamed UMass) is the five-campus public university system of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Malcolm X College is a two-year college of the City Colleges of Chicago located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, USA at 1900 W Van Buren St ^[35] She preferred to be called "Dr. Nina Simone" after these honors were bestowed upon her. ^[36] Only two days before her death, Simone was awarded an honorary diploma by the Curtis Institute, the school that had turned her down at the start of her career. The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia Pennsylvania that offers courses of study leading to a performance Diploma Bachelor of Music ^[37]

Views on race and homosexuality

Simone had quite radical views on race and how racism had to be fought. For example, she preferred the violent revolution during the civil rights period as opposed to Martin Luther King's non-violent solution^[38], and hoped that the African Americans could by thus doing so achieve a separate state. Martin Luther King Jr ( January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, Activist and prominent leader ^[14]

Simone's fanbase and personal circle included a significant number of gay people. In the English language, gay is an Adjective that in modern usage refers to Homosexuality. Her view on homosexuality can be described as ambivalent. ^[39] On the one hand her viewpoint was colored by her strict religious upbringing, opposing homosexuality. On the other hand, Simone was aware of widespread homosexuality within her fanbase and the entertainment industry. ^[40] Many of the people close to her were gay, including her younger brother, the writers Lorraine Hansberry, Langston Hughes, and James Baldwin, and the founders of her European fanclub, David Nathan and Sylvia Hampton. Lorraine Hansberry ( May 19, 1930 - January 12, 1965) was an African American LGBT Playwright and Author Langston Hughes (February 1 1902 &ndash May 22 1967 was an American Poet, Novelist Playwright, Short story writer and Columnist James Arthur Baldwin ( August 2, 1924 – November 30, 1987) was an American Novelist, Writer, Playwright The latter two stated in their biography of Simone that she had no problem with homosexuality, as long as she did not have to hear about it explicitly ^[39][41].

Legacy

Nina Simone is often cited by artists from diverse musical fields as a source of inspiration. Musicians who have cited her as important for their own musical upbringing are among others Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, and Jeff Buckley. Mary Jane Blige (surname pronounced /blaɪʒ/) (born January 11, 1971) is an American Singer-songwriter, Rapper Lauryn Noel Hill is a Grammy Award -winning American Singer, Rapper, Musician, Songwriter, producer, and Alicia J Augello-Cook (born January 25 1981 professionally known as Alicia Keys, is an American R&B, soul, and Neo soul Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17 1966 – May 29 1997 raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American Singer-songwriter and Guitarist He was the son ^{[2] [42] [43] [44]} John Lennon cited Simone's version of "I Put a Spell on You" as a source of inspiration for the Beatles song "Michelle". John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 " Michelle " is a Grammy Award –winning love Ballad by The Beatles, mainly written by Paul McCartney, which is featured on their ^[44] Musicians who have covered her work (or her specific renditions of songs) include Aretha Franklin, Katie Melua, Timbaland, Donny Hathaway, Jeff Buckley, David Bowie, The Animals, Muse, Cat Power and Michael Bublé. Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25 1942 Franklin has had a total of twenty number-one singles on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart, two of which became #1 hits on the Timothy Z Mosley (born March 10, 1971) better known by his Stage name Timbaland, is an American Record producer, Donny Hathaway ( October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul musician Jeffrey Scott Buckley (November 17 1966 – May 29 1997 raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American Singer-songwriter and Guitarist He was the son David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s known in the United States as part of the British Invasion. In Greek mythology, the Muses ( Ancient Greek, hai moũsai: perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root * men- "think" are Cat Power is the stage name of American Singer/songwriter Charlyn "Chan" Marshall (born Charlyn Marie Marshall on 21 January Michael Steven Bublé (ˈbuːbleɪ or boo-BLAY (born 9 September, 1975) is a Canadian Big band singer and Actor. Simone's music has featured in soundtracks of various motion pictures and video games. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Her music is frequently used in remixes, commercials and TV series. A remix is an alternative version of a song different from the original version A television advertisement or television commercial (often just commercial or advert (US or ad (UK is a span of television programming produced

On soundtracks

A contemporary view of Nina Simone on the cover of Remixed and Reimagined (2006)

• Point of No Return (1993), featuring "Here Comes The Sun", "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl", "Feeling Good", "Wild Is the Wind" and "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair". Remixed and Reimagined is the first album in the Legacy Remixed series released by Sony BMG. For other meanings of "point of no return" see Point of no return (disambiguation. " Feeling Good " (aka Feelin' Good) is a song written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Wild Is the Wind is a 1957 film which tells the story of a rancher who marries his Italian sister-in-law after the passing of his wife but she falls " Black Is the Colour (of My True Love's Hair " ( Roud 3103 is a traditional Folk song first known in the Appalachian Mountains region of
• Shallow Grave (1994), featuring "My Baby Just Cares for Me". Shallow Grave is a 1994 British crime thriller feature film that marks the directorial debut of Danny Boyle with an original " My Baby Just Cares for Me " is a song written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn.
• Stealing Beauty (1996), also featuring "My Baby Just Cares for Me". Stealing Beauty is a 1996 Italian / French / British Drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and written by Bertolucci " My Baby Just Cares for Me " is a song written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by Gus Kahn.
• The Big Lebowski (1998), featuring a cover of Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good". The Big Lebowski is a 1998 American Comedy film / Film noir written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29 1899 &ndash May 24 1974 was an American Composer, Pianist, and Bandleader.
• Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998) featuring "Love Me or Leave Me". Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss is a 1998 independent, Gay -themed Romantic comedy film written and directed by Tommy O'Haver " Love Me or Leave Me " is a US popular Song from the 1920s
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1999), featuring "Sinnerman". The Thomas Crown Affair is a 1999 Heist film by John McTiernan, a Remake of the 1968 film of the same name " Sinner Man " or " Sinnerman " is an American traditional spiritual song that has been recorded by a number of performers
• Scarlet Diva (2000) featuring "Wild Is the Wind"
• Scrubs (2001), featuring "Sinner Man". Scarlet Diva is a 2000 Italian movie by actress and first time director and Writer Asia Argento. Wild Is the Wind is a 1957 film which tells the story of a rancher who marries his Italian sister-in-law after the passing of his wife but she falls Scrubs is an Emmy and Peabody Award -winning American Comedy-drama that premiered on October 2 2001 on NBC. " Sinner Man " or " Sinnerman " is an American traditional spiritual song that has been recorded by a number of performers
• The Bourne Identity (2002)
• The Dancer Upstairs (2002), featuring "Who Knows Where the Time Goes". The Bourne Identity is a 2002 Spy film loosely based on Robert Ludlum 's novel of the same name. The Dancer Upstairs is a 2002 Film starring Javier Bardem, and the directorial debut of John Malkovich.
• Cellular (2004), featuring a remix of "Sinnerman" by Felix da Housecat. Cellular is a 2004 Suspense thriller, directed by David R Ellis and starring Kim Basinger and Chris Evans Felix da Housecat (born Felix Stallings Jr on August 27, 1971 in Chicago, Illinois
• Before Sunset (2004), "Just in Time" is an important part of the movie's ending. Before Sunset ( 2004) is an American film the Sequel to the film Before Sunrise (1995
• Kinky Boots (2005), featuring the songs "Wild is the Wind" and "I Put A Spell On You".
• Indigo Prophecy (2005, videogame), featuring "No Good Man"
• Six Feet Under, Vol. 2: Everything Ends (2005), featuring "Feelin' Good"
• Miami Vice (2006), featuring a remix of "Sinnerman" by Felix da Housecat. Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in the United States and Canada) is a Video game that was released in September Six Feet Under is an American Television Drama created by Alan Ball that was originally broadcast from 2001 to 2005 Miami Vice is a 2006 American crime drama film about two Miami police dectives Crockett and Tubbs, who Felix da Housecat (born Felix Stallings Jr on August 27, 1971 in Chicago, Illinois
• Inland Empire (2006), featuring an edited version of "Sinnerman". INLAND EMPIRE is a 2006 feature film written and directed by David Lynch.
• Last Holiday (2006), featuring "Feeling Good"
• Cellular (2006), featuring "Sinner Man"
• The Reaping (2007), featuring "Take Me to the Water". Last Holiday is a 2006 American Comedy film directed by Wayne Wang. The Reaping is an American, Religion -themed Horror film based on the Ten Plagues of Egypt, released on April 5, 2007
• Wild Tigers I Have Known(2007), featuring "When I Was In My Prime"
• Tajnosti (2007), featuring "Little Girl Blue", "Wild Is The Wind", "Feeling Good" and "Love Me or Leave Me".
• Nuovomondo (The Golden Door) (2007), featuring "Feeling Good" and "Sinner Man"
• Entourage (2007), featuring "Sinner Man"
• Bella (2007), featuring "Nearer Blessed Lord"
• Sex and the City: The Movie (2008), featuring a remix of "the Look of Love"

On film

The documentary Nina Simone: La Legende (The Legend) was made in the '90s by French filmmakers. Nuovomondo è un Film del 2005 di Emanuele Crialese; il film è girato totalmente in Lingua siciliana. Entourage is an Emmy Award -winning HBO original series created by Doug Ellin that chronicles the rise of Vincent Chase — a Bella is a 2006 film directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde starring actor Eduardo Verastegui and Tammy Blanchard. " The Look of Love " is a popular Song. Since its first appearance in the 1967 James Bond film Casino Royale, it ^[14] It was based on her autobiography I Put A Spell On You and features live footage from different periods of her career, interviews with friends and family, various interviews with Simone herself while she was living in the Netherlands, and on a trip to her birthplace. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands A significant amount of footage from The Legend was taken from an earlier 26-minute biographical documentary by Peter Rodis, released in 1969 and titled simply Nina. ^[45]

Plans for a Nina Simone biographical film were released at the end of 2005. A biographical motion picture &mdash often shortened to biopic &mdash is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people The movie will be based on Simone's autobiography I Put A Spell On You (1992) and will also focus on her relationship in later life with her assistant, Clifton Henderson, who died in 2006. TV writer Cynthia Mort (Will & Grace, Roseanne) is working on the script, and singer Mary J. Blige will play the lead role. Will & Grace is a popular Emmy Award -winning American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from 1998 to 2006 Roseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from 1988 to 1997 starring Stand-up comedian Roseanne See also Pre-production Screenwriting A screenplay or script is a written plan authored by a Screenwriter, for a Film or Television Mary Jane Blige (surname pronounced /blaɪʒ/) (born January 11, 1971) is an American Singer-songwriter, Rapper The movie is scheduled for 2009. ^[46]

Discography

References

Further reading

• Brun-Lambert, David [October 2006]. Nina Simone, het tragische lot van een uitzonderlijke zangeres, Introduction by Lisa Celeste Stroud, afterword by Gerrit de Bruin (in Dutch, translated from French original), Zwolle: Sirene. ISBN 90-5831-425-1.  
• Feldstein, Ruth (March 2005). ""I Don't Trust You Anymore": Nina Simone, Culture, and Black Activism in the 1960s". Journal of American History 91 (4). The Journal of American History (sometimes abbreviated as JAH) is the official journal of the Organization of American Historians.  
• Hampton, Sylvia [2004]. Break Down and Let It All Out, David Nathan, introduction by Lisa Celeste Stroud, London: Sanctuary. ISBN 1-86074-552-0.  
• Simone, Nina; Stephen Cleary [1992] (2003). I Put a Spell on You, introduction by Dave Marsh, 2nd edition, New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80525-1.  

External links

• Nina Simone - Official Site
• L'hommage: Nina Simone - Tribute and Archival Site
• The Nina Simone Web - A comprehensive Nina Simone website
• Nina Simone at The Music Box - A collection of reviews
• [1] - Eunice Waymon-Nina Simone Memorial Project (Tryon, NC-based scholarship, statue & music festival)