Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Nina Simonewas an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist who worked in a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionJazz Singer
Date of Birth21 February 1933
CityTyron, NC
CountryUnited States of America
long joy remember
Music has been a burden and a joy for as long as I can remember.
alive chance feels
I feel more alive now than I ever have in my life. I have a chance to live, as I've dreamed.
singing done singers
I was not reluctant to become a singer. Singing has been an activity I've done my whole life, without thought.
music song misunderstood
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," a song that was written for Simone, she confronted the band's lead singer, Eric Burdon. "So you're the honky," she said, "who stole my song and got a hit out of it?
music white people
Jazz is a white term to define black people. My music is black classical music.
people naked kind
The allusion was that I was actually naked. I loved that. It always, kind of shocked people enough that they became mine immediately.
music song voice
I only knew classical music, which to me was the only true music. The only way I could survive at the bar was to mix the classical music with popular songs, and that meant I had to sing. What happened was that I discovered I had a voice plus the talent to mix classical music together with more popular songs, which at the time I detested.
philadelphia racism black
I applied for a scholarship to Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. I knew I was good enough, but they turned me down. And it took me about six months to realize it was because I was black. I never really got over that jolt of racism at the time.
pay intimate audience
I am particular about the seating of the audience - also about how much money they pay - but most of all where they are seated. If I am going to sing something intimate, who am I going to sing it to?
strange-places way hours
I don't like to go to strange places. I was in Italy for about five hours on my way to Africa.
music people choices
When I was studying... there weren't any black concert pianists. My choices were intuitive, and I had the technique to do it. People have heard my music and heard the classic in it, so I have become known as a black classical pianist.
teacher world concerts
Once I understood Bach's music, I wanted to be a concert pianist. Bach made me dedicate my life to music, and it was that teacher who introduced me to his world.
music looks use
It's time to take a look at my failures and stop calling them successes. Now I can start working at something that can use me best.
music cat drug
I don't like drug addicts and she sounds like a cat.