By Jaclyn Breeze — Nina Simone (born Eunice Waymon) was a singer, pianist, and composer, spanning many genres including classical, gospel, jazz, and pop. Her music was often inspired by classical music, with Bach being one of her main influences. Nina was born in North Carolina in 1933, and she wanted to be a concert pianist when she grew up. She studied at Julliard for one summer after high school, and applied at Curtis, but was denied. She attributed this rejection to racial prejudice. She took private lessons with a professor at Curtis, but was never able to join the school. She took accompanying jobs, taught piano out of her home, and performed at a restaurant in Atlantic City. She gained a small fanbase from her performance of jazz, blues, and classical, and started playing in small clubs. She recorded her first song in 1958, which became her only Billboard Top 20 song, and she released her first full album the following year. She continued to record studio and live albums and perform pop music, but only to continue her classical music studies. Throughout her career, she felt indifferent about having a recording contract.
Much of Nina’s music drew from her African-American Heritage, and she began addressing the United States racial inequity with protest songs in the 60s. She performed and spoke at many civil rights meetings.
Starting in 1970, Nina relocated many times to countries including Barbados, Liberia, England, and Switzerland. She eventually ended up staying in Paris where she regularly performed at a small jazz club and continued recording and doing some touring. She died in 2003 in her sleep at home.
Nina’s music has been featured in more than 20 movies and is often used in commercials and TV shows. Several documentaries have been released about her, and there is also a theater production version of her biography. She has been inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, as well as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and she was awarded an honorary degree from Curtis days before her death.
Listen to some of her work here:
For the parents:
Nina Simone: Four Women is playing at Geva Theater Jan. 14 – Feb. 9, 2025. Read more and buy tickets here.
Recommended Ages: 14+
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