
09/26/2025
Nina Simone fused classical training with jazz, blues, folk, and soul to create a singular voice. Breaking through in the late 1950s with I Loves You Porgy, she became a force in the 1960s civil rights era with Mississippi Goddam, To Be Young Gifted and Black, and Four Women. Simone’s piano anchored daring reinterpretations while her contralto delivered fierce conviction. She turned music into testimony and refuge, inspiring artists who value truth, artistry, and fearless social conscience.