Nina Simone

February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003

Born on February 21, 1933, in Tryon, North Carolina, Nina Simone studied classical piano at the Julliard School in New York City, but left early when she ran out of money. Performing in night clubs, she turned her interest to jazz, blues and folk music and released her first album in 1957, scoring a Top 20 hit with the track “I Loves You Porgy.” In the ‘60s, Simone expanded her repertory in exemplary fashion while becoming identified as a leading voice of the Civil Rights Movement. Her popularity diminished; venues didn’t invite her to play, and radio stations didn’t play her songs. But she pressed on—even after the Civil Rights Movement.Nina Simone released over 40 albums during her decade-spanning career including studio albums, live versions, and compilations and scored 15 Grammy nominees. She  loved to travel New York City, Liberia, Barbados, England, Belgium, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands were all places that Simone called home. Nina also made plenty of friends along the way living next to Malcolm X and his family in Mount Vernon, New York. He wasn’t her only famous pal. Simone was very close with playwright Lorraine Hansberry. After Hansberry’s death, Simone penned “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” in her honor, a tribute to Hansberry’s play of the same title. Though enjoying a big career resurgence in the 1980s, Simone never reclaimed her prowess in the eyes of her peers but she amassed a respectable following from a younger generation of entertainers such as  Lauryn Hill, Jazmine Sullivan, Usher, Alice Smith, Kayne West and Lil Wayne. Sources (www.ninasimone.com, Biography.com, www.wikipedia.com)