Nina Simone

Iconic American Jazz and Soul Singer-Pianist

Nina Simone was a highly influential American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933, in Tryon, North Carolina, she initially aspired to become a classical pianist. Her musical path shifted when she started playing jazz and blues in nightclubs in the 1950s, adopting the stage name Nina Simone to disguise her nightclub singing from her family. Simone's career spanned several decades during which she recorded more than 40 albums. Her music defies simple categorization, blending jazz, blues, classical, and folk styles into a unique sound that became her signature.