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
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 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.
music white people
Jazz is a white term to define black people. My music is black classical music.
artist
How can you be an artist and not reflect the times?
effort dying aversion
That is why we fly from the inner void, since God might steal into it. It is not the pursuit of pleasure and the aversion for effort which causes sin, but fear of God. We know that we cannot see him face to face without dying, and we do not want to die.
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.
long joy remember
Music has been a burden and a joy for as long as I can remember.
music mean play
To most white people, jazz means black and jazz means dirt, and that's not what I play. I play black classical music.
love goal heartache
What is love but a prelude to sorrow...with heartache ahead for your goal.
crazy home thinking
Greed has driven the world crazy. And I think I'm lucky that I have a place over here that I can call home.
thinking people black
I think the rich are too rich and the poor are too poor. I don't think the black people are going to rise at all; I think most of them are going to die.
mother emotional missing
Every day has its emotional difficulties. I miss my mother whether I'm singing her music or not.
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?
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?