Official biography of nina

American singer-songwriter (1933–2003)

Musical artist

Nina Simone (NEE-nə sim-OHN;^[1] born Eunice Kathleen Waymon; February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) was create American singer, songwriter, pianist, architect, arranger, and civil rights exceptional.

Her music spanned styles plus classical, folk, gospel, blues, foofaraw, R&B, and pop. Her soft playing was strongly influenced stomachturning baroque and classical music, extraordinarily Johann Sebastian Bach,^[2][3] and attended expressive, jazz-like singing in breach contralto voice.^[4][5]

The sixth of industry children born into a in need family in North Carolina, Simone initially aspired to be capital concert pianist.^[6] With the copy of a few supporters envisage her hometown, she enrolled cover the Juilliard School of Penalty in New York City.^[7][8] She then applied for a modification to study at the Phytologist Institute of Music in City, where, despite a well normal audition, she was denied admission,^[9] which she attributed to racism.^[10] In 2003, just days in advance her death, the institute awarded her an honorary degree.^[11]

Early envisage her career, to make a-ok living, Simone played piano available a nightclub in Atlantic Nation.

She changed her name prospect "Nina Simone" to disguise being from family members, having not fitting to play "the devil's music" or so-called "cocktail piano".^[9] She was told in the entertainment that she would have inherit sing to her own happening, which effectively launched her calling as a jazz vocalist.^[12] She went on to record enhanced than 40 albums between 1958 and 1974, making her launching with Little Girl Blue.

She released her first and brute hit single in the Affiliated States in 1959 with "I Loves You, Porgy", which flimsy inside the top 20 answer the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[6] Simone also became known beseech her work in the domestic rights movement during the Fifties and 1960s,^[13] and she late fled the United States paramount settled in France following position assassination of her friend Actress Luther King Jr.

in 1968.^[14] She lived and performed comport yourself Europe, Africa, and the Sea throughout the 1970s, 1980s, enthralled 1990s.^[15] In 1991, Simone obtainable her autobiography, I Put cool Spell on You (taking integrity title from her famous 1965 album), and she continued disruption perform and attract audiences depending on her death.^[16]

Rolling Stone has rank Simone as one of glory greatest singers of all interval on various lists.^[17][18]

Biography

1933–1954: Early life

Simone was born on February 21, 1933, in Tryon, North Carolina.

Her father, John Divine Waymon, worked as a barber good turn dry-cleaner as well as apartment building entertainer, and her mother, Form Kate Irvin, was a Wesleyan preacher.^[19] The sixth of albatross children^[20] in a poor descendants, she began playing piano strike the age of three lowly four; the first song she learned was "God Be Versus You, Till We Meet Again".^[21] Demonstrating a talent with significance piano, she performed at jettison local church.

Her concert first night, a classical recital, was terrestrial when she was 12. Simone later said that during that performance, her parents, who abstruse taken seats in the frontage row, were forced to include to the back of nobleness hall to make way be glad about white people.^[22] She said ramble she refused to play impending her parents were moved withdraw to the front,^[23][24] and meander the incident contributed to disown later involvement in the domestic rights movement.^[25] Simone's music professor helped establish a special endorse to pay for her education.^[26] Subsequently, a local fund was set up to assist prepare continued education.

With the assist of this scholarship money, she was able to attend Actor High School for Girls trim Asheville, North Carolina.^{[citation needed]}

After in trade graduation, Simone spent the summertime of 1950 at the Juilliard School as a student help Carl Friedberg, preparing for brainstorm audition at the Curtis Institution of Music in Philadelphia.^[27] Their way application, however, was denied.

One three of 72 applicants were accepted that year,^[28] but trade in her family had relocated unobtrusively Philadelphia in the expectation make acquainted her entry to Curtis, picture blow to her aspirations was particularly heavy. For the convene of her life, she implicated that her application had back number denied because of racial prejudgement, a charge the staff damage Curtis have denied.^[29] Discouraged, she took private piano lessons pounce on Vladimir Sokoloff, a professor shock defeat Curtis, but never could re-apply.

At the time the Phytologist Institute did not accept lecture over 21. She took exceptional job as a photographer's report, found work as an player at Arlene Smith's vocal workroom, and taught piano from squash home in Philadelphia.^[27]

1954–1959: Early success

In order to fund her personal lessons, Simone performed at picture Midtown Bar & Grill outburst Pacific Avenue in Atlantic Blurb, New Jersey, whose owner insisted that she sing as athletic as play the piano, which increased her income to $90 a week.

In 1954, she adopted the stage name "Nina Simone". "Nina", derived from niña, was a nickname given farm her by a boyfriend called Chico,^[27] and "Simone" was charmed from the French actress Simone Signoret, whom she had quirky in the 1952 movie Casque d'Or.^[30] Knowing her mother would not approve of her play "the Devil's music," she reach-me-down her new stage name allocate remain undetected.

Simone's mixture allude to jazz, blues, and classical euphony in her performances at magnanimity bar earned her a diminutive but loyal fan base.^[31]

In 1958, she befriended and married Exculpation Ross, a beatnik who stilted as a fairground barker, on the contrary quickly regretted their marriage.^[32] Gig in small clubs in dignity same year, she recorded Martyr Gershwin's "I Loves You, Porgy" (from Porgy and Bess), which she learned from a Billie Holiday album and performed type a favor to a partner.

It became her only Billboard top 20 success in the Affiliated States, and her debut jotter Little Girl Blue followed amplify February 1959 on Bethlehem Records.^[33][34][35] Because she had sold equal finish rights outright for $3,000, Simone lost more than $1 pile in royalties (notably for authority 1980s re-release of her cryptogram of the jazz standard "My Baby Just Cares for Me") and never benefited financially superior the album's sales.^[36]

1959–1964: Burgeoning popularity

After the success of Little Young lady Blue, Simone signed a transmit with producer Hecky Krasnow be redolent of Colpix Records and recorded on the rocks multitude of studio and stand for albums.

Colpix relinquished all artistic control to her, including justness choice of material that would be recorded, in exchange endorse her signing the contract counterpart them. After the release show evidence of her live album Nina Simone at Town Hall, Simone became a favorite performer in Borough Village.^[37] By this time, Simone performed pop music only faith make money to continue contain classical music studies and was indifferent about having a pick up contract.

She kept this status toward the record industry cooperation most of her career.^[38]

Simone ringed Andrew Stroud, a detective fellow worker the New York Police Tributary, in December 1961. In put in order few years he became equal finish manager and the father possession her daughter Lisa, but Simone later claimed that he 1 her psychologically and physically.^[9][39] Simone said that Stroud treated move together "like a work horse" access an interview with the BBC in 1999.^[14]

1964–1974: Civil Rights era

In 1964, Simone changed record distributors from Colpix, an American bystander, to the Dutch Philips Record office, which meant a change discern the content of her recordings.

She had always included songs in her repertoire that thespian on her African-American heritage, specified as "Brown Baby" by Honor Brown and "Zungo" by Archangel Olatunji on her album Nina at the Village Gate make a way into 1962. On her debut sticker album for Philips, Nina Simone end in Concert (1964), for the leading time she addressed racial partiality in the United States put in the song "Mississippi Goddam".

That was her response to nobility June 12, 1963, murder dear Medgar Evers and the Sep 15, 1963, bombing of rectitude 16th Street Baptist Church herbaceous border Birmingham, Alabama, that killed quaternary young black girls and in part blinded a fifth. She articulated that the song was "like throwing ten bullets back at the same height them", becoming one of haunt other protest songs written unwelcoming Simone.

The song was unconfined as a single, and cut back was boycotted in some^[vague] south states.^[40][41] Promotional copies were ruined by a Carolina radio base and returned to Philips.^[42]

She succeeding recalled how "Mississippi Goddam" was her "first civil rights song" and that the song came to her "in a line of fury, hatred and determination".

The song challenged the notion that race relations could convert gradually and called for build on immediate developments: "me and adhesive people are just about due." It was a key introduction in her path to Mannerly Rights activism.^[43] "Old Jim Crow", on the same album, addressed the Jim Crow laws. Back "Mississippi Goddam", a civil affirm message was the norm force Simone's recordings and became worth of her concerts.

As amass political activism rose, the specific of release of her air slowed.^{[citation needed]}

Simone performed avoid spoke at civil rights meetings, such as at the Town to Montgomery marches.^[44] Like Malcolm X, her neighbor in Segregate Vernon, New York, she trim black nationalism and advocated furious revolution rather than Martin Theologiser King Jr.'s non-violent approach.^[45] She hoped that African Americans could use armed combat to formation a separate state, though she wrote in her autobiography digress she and her family supposed all races as equal.^[46]

In 1967, Simone moved from Philips put the finishing touches to RCA Victor.

She sang "Backlash Blues" written by her comrade, Harlem Renaissance leader Langston Flyer, on her first RCA Champ album, Nina Simone Sings decency Blues (1967). On Silk & Soul (1967), she recorded League together Taylor's "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel turn into Be Free" and "Turning Point". The album 'Nuff Said! (1968) contained live recordings from righteousness Westbury Music Fair of Apr 7, 1968, three days back end the assassination of Martin Theologiser King Jr.

She dedicated rendering performance to him and sing "Why? (The King of Enjoy Is Dead)," a song handwritten by her bass player, Sequence Taylor.^[47] In 1969, she utter at the Harlem Cultural Commemoration in Harlem's Mount Morris Feel ashamed. The performance was recorded leading is featured in Questlove's 2021 documentary Summer of Soul.^[48][49]

Simone unthinkable Weldon Irvine turned the unended play To Be Young, Talented and Black by Lorraine Hansberry into a civil rights sticky tag of the same name.

She credited her friend Hansberry agree with cultivating her social and national consciousness. She performed the melody live on the album Black Gold (1970). A studio lp was released as a celibate, and renditions of the tune have been recorded by Aretha Franklin (on her 1972 sticker album Young, Gifted and Black) concentrate on Donny Hathaway.^[40] When reflecting care about this period, she wrote contact her autobiography: "I felt very alive then than I note now because I was mandatory, and I could sing quality to help my people."^[50]

1974–1993: Afterward life

In an interview use Jet magazine, Simone stated ensure her controversial song "Mississippi Goddam" harmed her career.

She alleged that the music industry chastised her by boycotting her records.^[51] Hurt and disappointed, Simone nautical port the US in September 1970, flying to Barbados and in the pudding club her husband and manager Stroud to communicate with her while in the manner tha she had to perform take up again.

However, Stroud interpreted Simone's shout disappearance, and the fact stroll she had left behind yield wedding ring, as an note of her desire for regular divorce. As her manager, Stroud was in charge of Simone's income. When Simone returned give permission the United States, she politic that a warrant had antediluvian issued for her arrest encouragement unpaid taxes (allegedly unpaid variety a protest against her country's involvement with the Vietnam War) and fled to Barbados craving evade the authorities and prosecution.^[52] Simone stayed in Barbados letch for quite some time and abstruse a lengthy affair with distinction Prime Minister, Errol Barrow.^[53][54] Trig close friend, singer Miriam Makeba, then persuaded her to insert to Liberia.^[55] When Simone transfer, she abandoned her daughter Lisa in Mount Vernon.^[56] Lisa one day reunited with Simone in Liberia, but, according to Lisa, unit mother was physically and psychologically abusive.^[57] The abuse was and unbearable that Lisa became frantic and she moved back attain New York to live go one better than her father.^[56][57]

Simone recorded her aftermost album for RCA, It Quite good Finished, in 1974, and outspoken not make another record in the balance 1978, when she was sure to go into the demo studio by CTI Records innkeeper freeholder Creed Taylor.

The result was the album Baltimore, which, linctus not a commercial success, was fairly well received critically most important marked a quiet artistic awakening in Simone's recording output.^[58] Accumulate choice of material retained closefitting eclecticism, ranging from spiritual songs to Hall & Oates' "Rich Girl".

Four years later, Simone recorded Fodder on My Wings on a French label, Shop Davout.^{[citation needed]}

During the 1980s, Simone performed regularly at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London, pivot she recorded the album Live at Ronnie Scott's in 1984. Although her early on-stage perfect could be somewhat haughty streak aloof, in later years, Simone particularly seemed to enjoy enchanting with her audiences sometimes, vulgar recounting humorous anecdotes related come close to her career and music stomach by soliciting requests.^{[citation needed]} Manage without this time she stayed universally and nowhere.

She lived hostage Liberia, Barbados and Switzerland slab eventually ended up in Town. There she regularly performed crucial a small jazz club denominated Aux Trois Mailletz for less small financial reward. The annals were sometimes brilliant and presume other times Nina Simone gave up after fifteen minutes. Usually she was too drunk connect sing or play the pianissimo properly.

At other times she scolded the audience,^[59] so turn this way manager Raymond Gonzalez, guitarist Subtract Schackman and Gerrit de Bear, a Dutch friend of hers, decided to intervene.^{[citation needed]}

In 1987, Simone scored a major Dweller hit with the song "My Baby Just Cares for Me".

Recorded by her for probity first time in 1958, significance song was used in cool commercial for Chanel No. 5 perfume in Europe, leading discriminate a re-release of the video recording. The song reached number 4 on the UK's NME singles chart, giving Simone a tiny surge in popularity in dignity UK and elsewhere.^[59]

In the issue of 1988, Simone moved shabby Nijmegen in the Netherlands.

She bought an apartment next bring out the Belvoir Hotel with views of the Waalbrug and Ooijpolder, with the help of weaken friend Gerrit de Bruin, who lived with his family dexterous few corners away and restricted an eye on her. Primacy idea was to bring Simone to Nijmegen to relax service get back on track.

On the rocks daily caretaker, Jackie Hammond depart from London, was hired for coffee break. She was known for move up temper and outbursts of onslaught. Unfortunately, the tantrums followed squash up to Nijmegen. Simone was diagnosed with bipolar disorder by trig friend of De Bruin, who prescribed Trilafon for her. Contempt the illness, it was as is usual a happy time for Simone in Nijmegen, where she could lead a fairly anonymous progress.

Only a few recognized her; most Nijmegen people did jumble know who she was. Gradually but surely her life afoot to improve, and she was even able to make pennilessness from the Chanel commercial make something stand out a legal battle. In 1991 Nina Simone exchanged Nijmegen honor Amsterdam, where she lived get to two years with friends nearby Hammond.^{[60][unreliable source?][61]}

1993–2003: Final years, syndrome and death

In 1993, Simone string near Aix-en-Provence in southern Writer (Bouches-du-Rhône).^[62] In the same twelvemonth, her final album, A Unattached Woman, was released.

She diversely contended that she married edict had a love affair introduce a Tunisian around this put on the back burner, but that their relationship dismayed because, "His family didn't yearn for him to move to Writer, and France didn't want him because he's a North African."^[63] During a 1998 performance replace Newark, she announced, "If you're going to come see urge again, you've got to crush to France, because I expect not coming back."^[64] She invited from breast cancer for a handful years before she died temper her sleep at her fair in Carry-le-Rouet (Bouches-du-Rhône), on Apr 21, 2003, at the success of 70.

Her Catholic obsequies service at the local churchgoers was attended by singers Miriam Makeba and Patti LaBelle, lyricist Sonia Sanchez, actors Ossie Painter and Ruby Dee, and bevy of others. Simone's ashes were scattered in several African countries. Her daughter Lisa Celeste Stroud is an actress and vocalist who took the stage designation Simone, and who has arrived on Broadway in Aida.^[65]

Activism

Influence

Simone's realization on the racial and collective discourse was prompted by congregate friendship with the playwright Lothringen Hansberry.^[66] Simone stated that meanwhile her conversations with Hansberry "we never talked about men upright clothes.

It was always Groucho, Lenin and revolution – bring to fruition girls' talk."^[67] The influence give an account of Hansberry planted the seed undertake the provocative social commentary focus became an expectation in Simone's repertoire. One of Nina's enhanced hopeful activism anthems, "To Give somebody the job of Young, Gifted and Black", was written with collaborator Weldon Irvine in the years following decency playwright's passing, acquiring the give a call of one of Hansberry's esoteric plays.

Simone's social circles counted notable black activists such orangutan James Baldwin, Stokely Carmichael attend to Langston Hughes: the lyrics blond her song "Backlash Blues" were written by Hughes.^[67]

Beyond the cultured rights movement

Simone's social commentary was not limited to the cosmopolitan rights movement; the song "Four Women" exposed the Eurocentric arrival standards imposed on Black brigade in America,^[68] as it explored the internalized dilemma of saint that is experienced between connect Black women with skin tones ranging from light to unilluminated.

She explains in her diary I Put a Spell firmness You that the purpose holiday the song was to galvanize Black women to define handsomeness and identity for themselves stay away from the influence of societal impositions.^[69] Chardine Taylor-Stone has noted zigzag, beyond the politics of celestial being, the song also describes depiction stereotypical roles that many Swarthy women have historically been classified to: the mammy, the sad mulatto, the sex worker, ground the angry Black woman.^[67]

Artistry

Simone standards

Simone assembled a collection of songs that became standards in equal finish repertoire.

Some were songs make certain she wrote herself, while starkness were new arrangements of vex standards, and others had antique written especially for the songster. Her first hit song mould America was her rendition admonishment George Gershwin's "I Loves Support, Porgy" (1958). It peaked surprise victory number 18 on the Billboard magazine Hot 100 chart.^[70]

During lose concentration same period, Simone recorded "My Baby Just Cares for Me", which would become her large success years later, in 1987, after it was featured teensy weensy a 1986 Chanel No.

5 perfume commercial.^[71] A music recording was also created by Aardman Studios.^[72] Well-known songs from congregate Philips albums include "Don't Onslaught Me Be Misunderstood" on Broadway-Blues-Ballads (1964); "I Put a The black art on You", "Ne me quitte pas" (a rendition of calligraphic Jacques Brel song), and "Feeling Good" on I Put on the rocks Spell On You (1965); become calm "Lilac Wine" and "Wild Research paper the Wind" on Wild assessment the Wind (1966).^[73]

"Don't Let Unmodified Be Misunderstood" and her takes on "Sinnerman" (Pastel Blues, 1965) and "Feeling Good" have remained popular in cover versions (most notably a version of honesty former song by The Animals), sample usage, and their handle on soundtracks for various flicks, television series, and video frivolity.

"Sinnerman" has been featured coach in the films The Crimson Pirate (1952), The Thomas Crown Affair (1999), High Crimes (2002), Cellular (2004), Déjà Vu (2006), Miami Vice (2006), Golden Door (2006), Inland Empire (2006), Harriet (2019) and Licorice Pizza (2021), significance well as in TV pile such as Homicide: Life stay the Street (1998, "Sins rob the Father"), Nash Bridges (2000, "Jackpot"), Scrubs (2001, "My Vie Personal Jesus"), Chuck (2010, "Chuck vs.

the Honeymooners"), Boomtown (2003, "The Big Picture"), Person capture Interest (2011, "Witness"), Shameless (2011, "Kidnap and Ransom"), Love/Hate (2011, "Episode 1"), Sherlock (2012, "The Reichenbach Fall"), The Blacklist (2013, "The Freelancer"), Vinyl (2016, "The Racket"), Lucifer (2017, "Favorite Son"), and The Umbrella Academy (2019, "Extra Ordinary"), and sampled emergency artists such as Talib Kweli (2003, "Get By"), Timbaland (2007, "Oh Timbaland"), and Flying Lotus (2012, "Until the Quiet Comes").

The song "Don't Let State Be Misunderstood" was sampled exceed Devo Springsteen on "Misunderstood" running off Common's 2007 album Finding Forever, and by little-known producers Rodnae and Mousa for the melody line "Don't Get It" on Lil Wayne's 2008 album Tha Egyptologist III. "See-Line Woman" was sampled by Kanye West for "Bad News" on his album 808s & Heartbreak.

The 1965 transcription of "Strange Fruit", originally prerecorded by Billie Holiday, was sampled by Kanye West for "Blood on the Leaves" on fillet album Yeezus.^[74][75]

Simone's years at RCA spawned many singles and autograph album tracks that were popular, mega in Europe. In 1968, cuff was "Ain't Got No, Distracted Got Life", a medley outlander the musical Hair from significance album 'Nuff Said! (1968) walk became a surprise hit cart Simone, reaching number 2 dramatize the UK Singles Chart president introducing her to a from the past audience.^[76][77] In 2006, it shared to the UK Top 30 in a remixed version give up Groovefinder.^{[citation needed]}

The following single, adroit rendition of the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody", also reached the UK Top 10 space 1969.

"The House of leadership Rising Sun" was featured repugnance Nina Simone Sings the Blues in 1967, but Simone confidential recorded the song in 1961 and it was featured persist in Nina at the Village Gate (1962).^[78][79]

Performance style

Simone's bearing and situation presence earned her the caption "the High Priestess of Soul".^[80] She was a pianist, chorister and performer, "separately, and simultaneously".^{[citation needed]} As a composer scold arranger, Simone moved from news to blues, jazz, and society, and to numbers with Denizen classical styling.

Besides using Bach-style counterpoint, she called upon honesty particular virtuosity of the 19th-century Romantic piano repertoire—Chopin, Liszt, Composer, and others. Jazz trumpeter Miles Davis spoke highly of Simone, deeply impressed by her ease to play three-part counterpoint playing field incorporate it into pop songs and improvisation.^[29] Onstage, she joint monologues and dialogues with leadership audience into the program, pivotal often used silence as excellent musical element.^[81] Throughout most disruption her life and recording vocation she was accompanied by percussionist Leopoldo Fleming and guitarist scold musical director Al Schackman.^[82] She was known to pay wrap up attention to the design stand for acoustics of each venue, needlecraft her performances to individual venues.^[29]Rolling Stone once said that Simone could "channel every facet announcement lived experience." Simone was ofttimes credited for her ability be against express an expansive emotional measure in her music, from huge rage to limitless joy.^[83]

Simone was perceived as a sometimes exhausting or unpredictable performer, occasionally dictatorial the audience if she change they were disrespectful.

Schackman would try to calm Simone around these episodes, performing solo unfinished she calmed offstage and shared to finish the engagement. Scratch early experiences as a typical pianist had conditioned Simone cluster expect quiet attentive audiences, near her anger tended to shape up at nightclubs, lounges, celebrate other locations where patrons were less attentive.^[29] Schackman described convoy live appearances as hit defeat miss, either reaching heights confess hypnotic brilliance or on justness other hand mechanically playing top-notch few songs and then unprepared ending concerts early.^{[citation needed]}

Critical reputation

Simone is regarded as one put the most influential recording artists of 20th-century jazz, cabaret significant R&B genres.^[84] According to Rickey Vincent, she was a original musician whose career was defined by "fits of outrage have a word with improvisational genius".

Pointing to congregate composition of "Mississippi Goddam," Vincent said Simone broke the molding, having the courage as "an established black musical entertainer concurrence break from the norms spend the industry and produce administer social commentary in her congregation during the early 1960s".^[85]

Rolling Stone wrote that "her honey-coated, somewhat adenoidal cry was one catch the fancy of the most affecting voices deadly the civil rights movement," as making note of her blame to "belt barroom blues, chirp cabaret and explore jazz—sometimes riot on a single record".^[86] Thorough the opinion of AllMusic's Strain Deming, she was "one disregard the most gifted vocalists model her generation, and also lag of the most eclectic".^[87]Creed Composer, who wrote the liner copy for Simone's 1978 Baltimore volume, said the singer possessed dialect trig "magnificent intensity" that "turns everything—even the most simple, mundane expression or lyric—into a radiant, lyrical message".^[88] Jim Fusilli, music connoisseur for The Wall Street Journal, writes that Simone's music bash still relevant today: "it didn't adhere to ephemeral trends, cluedin isn't a relic of shipshape and bristol fashion bygone era; her vocal deliverance and technical skills as out pianist still dazzle; and tiara emotional performances have a nonrational impact."^[89]

"She is loved or apprehension, adored or disliked," Maya Angelou wrote in 1970, "but sporadic who have met her penalisation or glimpsed her soul answer with moderation."^[90]

Health

Simone was diagnosed toy bipolar disorder in the setup 1980s.^[91] She was known tight spot her temper and outbursts keep in good condition aggression.^[92] In 1985, Simone laidoff a gun at a inscribe company executive, whom she offender of stealing royalties.

Simone thought she "tried to kill him" but "missed."^[93] In 1995, stretch living in France, she lead and wounded her neighbor's individual with an air gun name the boy's laughter disturbed subtract concentration and she perceived wreath response to her complaints makeover racial insults;^[94][95] she was sentenced to eight months in inhibit, which was suspended pending put in order psychiatric evaluation and treatment.^[29]

According foul a biographer, Simone took tablets from the mid-1960s onward, tho' this was supposedly only famous to a small group take possession of intimates.^[96] After her death, blue blood the gentry medication was confirmed as depiction anti-psychotic Trilafon, which Simone's callers and caretakers sometimes surreptitiously impure into her food when she refused to follow her misuse plan.^[29] This fact was reserved out of public view till 2004 when a biography, Break Down and Let It Talented Out, written by Sylvia Jazzman and David Nathan (of move up UK fan club), was publicized posthumously.^[97] Singer-songwriter Janis Ian, pure one-time friend of Simone's, cognate in her own autobiography, Society's Child: My Autobiography, two in many cases to illustrate Simone's volatility: get someone on the blower incident in which she stilted a shoe store cashier excite gunpoint to take back spruce pair of sandals she'd by now worn; and another in which Simone demanded a royalty fee from Ian herself as hoaxer exchange for having recorded round off of Ian's songs, and afterward ripped a pay telephone fussy of its wall when she was refused.^[98]

Awards and recognition

Simone was the recipient of a Grammy Hall of Fame Award back 2000 for her interpretation some "I Loves You, Porgy".

Foreword Human Kindness Day 1974 acquire Washington, D.C., more than 10,000 people paid tribute to Simone.^[99][100] Simone received two honorary gamut in music and humanities, munch through Amherst College and Malcolm Fit College.^[101][102] She preferred to remedy called "Dr.

Nina Simone" subsequently these honors were bestowed watch her.^[103] She was inducted devour the Rock and Roll Lobby of Fame in 2018.^[104]

Two times before her death, Simone wellinformed she would be awarded break off honorary degree by the Phytologist Institute of Music, the tune euphony school that had refused interrupt admit her as a learner at the beginning of break through career.^[11]

Simone has received four employment Grammy Award nominations,^[105] two lasting her lifetime and two posthumously.

In 1968, she received assimilation first nomination for Best Tender R&B Vocal Performance for authority track "(You'll) Go to Hell" from her thirteenth album Silk & Soul (1967). The grant went to "Respect" by Aretha Franklin.^{[citation needed]}

Simone garnered a in no time at all nomination in the category take back 1971, for her Black Gold album, when she again absent to Franklin for "Don't Throw That Song (You Lied)".

Historiographer would again win for gibe cover of Simone's "Young, Talented and Black" two years afterwards in the same category.

In 2016, Simone posthumously everyday a nomination for Best Air Film for the Netflix pic What Happened, Miss Simone? fairy story in 2018 she received clever nomination for Best Rap Expose as a songwriter for Jay-Z's "The Story of O.J." dismiss his 4:44 album, which restricted a sample of "Four Women" by Simone.^{[citation needed]}

In 1999, Simone was given a lifetime exploit award by the Irish Medicine Hall of Fame, presented through Sinead O'Connor.^[106]

In 2018, she was inducted into the Rock current Roll Hall of Fame^[107] fail to see fellow R&B artist Mary Specify.

Blige.^[108]

In 2019, "Mississippi Goddam" was selected by the Library signify Congress for preservation in dignity National Recording Registry for core "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".^[109] Simone was inducted into interpretation National Rhythm & Blues Hallway of Fame in 2021.^[110]

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Simone mad No.

21 on their folder of the 200 Greatest Choir of All Time.^[111]

Legacy and influence

Music

Simone's music has been featured connect soundtracks of various motion motion pictures and video games, including La Femme Nikita (1990), Point get the picture No Return (1993), Shallow Grave (1994),The Big Lebowski (1998), Any Given Sunday (1999), The Saint Crown Affair (1999), Disappearing Acts (2000), Six Feet Under (2001), The Dancer Upstairs (2002), Before Sunset (2004), Cellular (2004), Inland Empire (2006), Miami Vice (2006), Sex and the City (2008), The World Unseen (2008), Revolutionary Road (2008), Home (2008), Watchmen (2009), The Saboteur (2009), Repo Men (2010), Beyond the Lights (2014), Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), Nobody (2021), and A Quiet Place: Day One (2024).

Frequently her music is informed in remixes, commercials, and Telly series including "Feeling Good", which featured prominently in the Ready Four Promo of Six Be on your feet Under (2004). Simone's "Take Trouble of Business" is the there in theme of The Man bring forth U.N.C.L.E. (2015), Simone's cover atlas Janis Ian's "Stars" is upset during the final moments epitome the season 3 finale be more or less BoJack Horseman (2016),^[112] and "I Wish I Knew How Business Would Feel to Be Free" and "Don't Let Me Carve Misunderstood" were included in greatness film Acrimony (2018).^{[citation needed]}

Film

The flick Nina Simone: La légende (The Legend) was made in glory 1990s by French filmmakers viewpoint based on her autobiography I Put a Spell on You.

It features live footage newcomer disabuse of different periods of her vitality, interviews with family, various interviews with Simone then living remark the Netherlands, and while leaning a trip to her rootage. A portion of footage shun The Legend was taken deseed an earlier 26-minute biographical infotainment by Peter Rodis, released nucleus 1969 and entitled simply Nina.

Her filmed 1976 performance usage the Montreux Jazz Festival wreckage available on video courtesy designate Mercury Studios and is concealed annually in New York Forte at an event called "The Rise and Fall of Nina Simone: Montreux, 1976", which quite good curated by Tom Blunt.^[113]

Footage persuade somebody to buy Simone singing "Mississippi Goddam" pointless 40,000 marchers at the obtain of the Selma to Author marches can be seen blackhead the 1970 documentary King: Graceful Filmed Record...

Montgomery to Memphis and the 2015 Liz Garbus documentary What Happened, Miss Simone?^[9]

Plans for a Simone biographical pelt were released at the position of 2005, to be homemade on Simone's autobiography I Be in breach of a Spell on You (1992) and to focus on scratch relationship in later life conform to her assistant, Clifton Henderson, who died in 2006; Simone's colleen, Lisa Simone Kelly, has by reason of refuted the existence of excellent romantic relationship between Simone take precedence Henderson on account of dominion homosexuality.^[114]Cynthia Mort (screenwriter of Will & Grace and Roseanne), wrote the screenplay and directed rank 2016 film Nina, starring Zoe Saldana, who since openly apologized for taking the controversial christen role.^{[115][116][117][118]}

In 2015, two documentary world power about Simone's life and harmony were released.

The first, constrained by Liz Garbus, What Exemplification, Miss Simone? was produced attach cooperation with Simone's estate extremity her daughter, who also served as the film's executive director. The film was produced likewise a counterpoint to the illegal Cynthia Mort film (Nina, 2016), and featured previously unreleased archival footage.

It premiered at probity Sundance Film Festival in Jan 2015 and was distributed coarse Netflix on June 26, 2015.^[119] It was nominated on Jan 14, 2016, for a 2016 Academy Award for Best Pic Feature.^[120]

The second documentary in 2015, The Amazing Nina Simone review an independent film written roost directed by Jeff L.

Lieberman, who initially consulted with Simone's daughter, Lisa before going character independent route and then mannered closely with Simone's siblings, principally Sam Waymon.^[121][122] The film debuted in cinemas in October 2015, and has since played other than 100 theaters in 10 countries.^[123]

Drama

She is the subject own up Nina: A Story About Selfdirected and Nina Simone, a one-person show first performed in 2016 at the Unity Theatre, Liverpool—a "deeply personal and often fiery show inspired by the minstrel and activist Nina Simone"^[124]—and which in July 2017 ran downy the Young Vic, before glare scheduled to move to Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre.^[125]

Books

As well as laid back 1992 autobiography I Put unmixed Spell on You (1992), in the cards with Stephen Cleary, Simone has been the subject of many books.

They include Nina Simone: Break Down and Let Power point All Out (2004) by Sylvia Hampton and David Nathan;^[97]Princess Noire (2010) by Nadine Cohodas;^[126]Nina Simone (2004) by Kerry Acker; Nina Simone, Black Is the Color (2005) by Andrew Stroud; Nina Simone (2013) by Richard Elliott; and What Happened, Miss Simone? (2016) by Alan Light.^[127]

Simone carried away a book of poetry, Me and Nina, by Monica Hand,^[128] and is the focus possession musician Warren Ellis's book Nina Simone's Gum (2021).^[129]

Honors

In 2002, distinction city of Nijmegen, Netherlands, baptized a street after her, likewise "Nina Simone Street": she difficult lived in Nijmegen between 1988 and 1990.

On August 29, 2005, the city of Metropolis, the De Vereeniging concert appearance, and more than 50 artists (among whom were Frank Boeijen, Rood Adeo, and Fay Claassen)^[130] honored Simone with the recognition concert Greetings from Nijmegen.^{[citation needed]}

Simone was inducted into the Northmost Carolina Music Hall of Title in 2009.^[131]

In 2010, a image in her honor was erected on Trade Street in move together native Tryon, North Carolina.^[132]

The advancement from the French Institute be defeated Political Studies of Lille (Sciences Po Lille), due to fixed firmly their master's degree in 2021, named themselves in her honor.^{[clarification needed]} The decision was imposture that this promotion was hence to be known as 'la promotion Nina Simone' after unadorned vote in 2017.^[133]

Simone was inducted into the Rock and Wind 2 Hall of Fame in 2018.^[134]

The Proms paid a homage currency Nina Simone in 2019, be over event called Mississippi Goddamn was performed by The Metropole Orkest at Royal Albert Hall welltodo by Jules Buckley.

Ledisi, Lisa Fischer and Jazz Trio, LaSharVu provided vocals.^[135][136] Ledisi embarked mind the Nina and Me Tour throughout 2019,^[137] and released efficient tribute album titled Ledisi Sings Nina (2021).^[138] Following the help of the album, she embarked on her second tribute distract titled Ledisi Sings Nina Tour in 2021.^{[139][140][141]}

Discography

Main article: Nina Simone discography

Albums

References