Biography of Nina Simone

Eunice Kathleen Waymon, or Nina Simone as she is known to her fans, was born February 21, 1933. Throughout Nina Simone's music, a universal theme, the fight for civil rights, is present. "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" one of her songs, is thought to be the "National Anthem of Black America." Not only was Nina Simone a gifted black artist, she was also a gifted female in a largely male dominant profession. Nina composed over 500 songs, recorded almost 60 albums, was the first woman to win the Jazz Cultural Award, "Woman of the Year" in 1966 and was the female Jazz singer of the year in 1967.

Born in Tryon, North Carolina, Nina began playing piano at church. By the age of ten she was giving recitals. Even this early in life, Nina recognized inequality when she saw it. At a professional recital, her parents were asked to move to the back of the auditorium to give seats to whites, and ten year old Nina refused to touch the keyboard until her parents were given back their seats.

Coming from a poor family, a local fund was collected to send Nina to school. Her mother's employer recognized Eunice's unique talent and agreed to pay for her to have piano lessons. During her last year of high school, Eunice attended Juliard high school in order to prepare for The Curtis Institute only to be rejected from the institute a year later. Eunice based her rejection on the fact she was a black female. This further propelled her into the fight for civil rights.

Eunice began teaching piano lessons to make a living. Upon realizing that one of her students made more money than her performing in a local bar, she decided to give the local music scene a try.

In 1954, Eunice officially became Nina Simone, because she reportedly didn't want her mother to know she was playing the "devil's music." After playing in clubs for a while she debuted an album "Little Girl Blue." Although this album launched her career, Nina received little financial gain because of a clause in the contract giving away her rights to the royalties. Her next album "The Amazing Nina Simone" garnered more interest for Nina.

In 1958, Nina married Don Ross and divorced him the next year. In 1960, she married Andy Stroud and was blessed with a child, Lisa Celeste, the following year. With Nina's busy schedule and political interests, her marriage faltered and they were divorced in 1970.

Watching Nina perform was a unique experience. She demanded authority over the stage and audience. It wasn't until 1964 when Nina changed her record label that she openly addressed racial prejudice in "Nina Simone in Concert." After a church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama that resulted in four black children dead, overtones of civil rights rang in all her music.

Nina was a strong force in the civil rights movement and later the black power movement. Many of her songs were considered anthems of these movements. Some of her songs based on these movements were "Backlash Blues," "Old Jim Crow," "Four Women," and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black."

Nina Simone had a reputation for being a diva and somewhat difficult. She at one point attempted to shoot an executive when she thought he had stoled money from her. Nina's strange personality may be equated with bi-polar disorder.

Nina Simone was a gifted artist that used her talent and image to make public the inequality of the world. She is hailed as a humanitarian and brilliant musician.