Nina Simone

[cachluv]

02/21/33---04/21/03







Legendary jazz and blues singer Nina Simone died at the age of 70 at her home in southern France.Simone was one of the last divas of jazz and was considered one of the finest songwriters and musicians of her day.

In 1959 she released her first single, Gershwin's I Loves You Porgy. It was an instant hit and was soon followed by the famed My Baby Just Cares For Me. The song was re-released some 30 years later, bringing her to a new generation of listeners, and it became one of the most listened to songs of the 20th century. Soul singer India Arie paid her homage in an e-mail to the Associated Press: "She was ahead of her time as a concert-level piano player who sang, wrote and spoke her mind. I aspire to be more like her."

'Ill for some time'

At the height of her fame she was closely associated with the black civil rights movement, connected with both the radical black playwright Lorraine Hansberry and the controversial Malcolm X.



"It is with great regret and sadness that we announce the death of the legendary jazz singer, the great Nina Simone, who died this morning at her home," her manager Clifton Henderson said.
"Nina Simone has not been feeling very well for quite a while," he added, without giving further details. Mr Henderson, who was at Simone's bedside at her death, said she died of "natural causes" in her sleep.
Born in North Carolina and raised in a family of seven children, Simone studied piano at New York's prestigious Juilliard School of Music, a rare opportunity for a black woman in the 1950s.
She later changed her name from Eunice Wayman, releasing her first single as Nina Simone in 1959.
She lived variously in Barbados, Switzerland, France, Liberia, Trinidad and Britain, before moving to the south of France eight years ago.
When she died she had been living in the Mediterranean town of Carry-le-Rouet just outside Marseille.
Her last public performance was last Poland.
Simone was twice married and divorced, and was survived by one daughter, Lisa Celeste Shroud - who is now known simply as Simone. She will be cremated.

[Jazbabee]

Beautiful voice and a beautiful spirit !

[Kathyf]

Great singer! Thanks for the background.

[poppie]

Nina Simone recorded, and one of her most requested songs, was BLACK IS THE COLOUR of my true love's hair. If I am wrong, I feel certain someone will correct me - but BLACK IS THE COLOUR is actually an Irish song. Whatever, her version was more than wonderful and I never tire of listening to that song.

[Dan33185]

.

[qulevergrrl]

I actually was going to see her the year she died. I had made a promise to see her at the Hollywood Bowl that year. I will always regret it.

[Jaxxx]

Oh my God, I loved Nina!!!! Thanks for this forum, I think everyone should listen to her. Summertime is my favorite.

[Finnegan]

Traditional Scottish Songs
- Black is the Colour of My True Love's Hair


This folk song, about a girl whose lover has failed to return, found its way to the Southern Appalachians.


Black is the Colour of My True Love's Hair
But Black is the colour of my true love's hair.
His face is like some rosy fair,
The prettiest face and the neatest hands,
I love the ground whereon he stands.
I love my love and well he knows,
I love the ground whereon he goes,
If you no more on earth I see,
I can't serve you as you have me.

The winter's passed and the leaves are green,
The time is passed that we have seen,
But still I hope the time will come
When you and I shall be as one.

I go to the Clyde for to mourn and weep,
But satisfied I never could sleep.
I'll write to you a few short lines,
I'll suffer death ten thousand times.

So fare you well, my own true love
The time has passed, but I wish you well.
But still I hope the time will come
When you and I will be as one.

I love my love and well he knows,
I love the ground whereon he goes.
The prettiest face, the neatest hands,
I love the ground whereon he stands.


Return to the Index of Traditional Scottish Songs

[SueWahoo]

She always seems so damn ANGRY to me but the music that comes out of that is amazing.

Some Nina brilliance:

Ain't got no/I got life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUcXI2BIUOQ

What You Gonna Do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAtMEsIVLVo

[amaranthaseven]

Her daughter was in the touring company of "Rent" that I saw a few years ago. She is quite a talented singer and performer herself.

[Serendipity09]

She had been ill with breast cancer for several years before she died in her sleep at her home in Carry-le-Rouet, Bouches-du-Rhône on April 21, 2003, aged 70. Her funeral service was attended by singers Miriam Makeba and Patti Labelle, poet Sonia Sanchez, actor Ossie Davis and hundreds of others. Elton John sent a floral tribute with the message "We were the greatest and I love you". Simone's ashes were scattered in several African countries.

[Serendipity09]

a film is in the works about Nina Simone coming out around 2009

http://ninasimone.com/movie.htm

[Zoe_Zeppelin]

I love Nina Simone! Her 2-disc Anthology album was almost always in my stereo. Until one of my relatives "borrowed" it and never returned it.

BTW - Any new info on the Nina film?

EDIT - It seems the "Untitled Nina Simone Project" is set for release in 2012

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493076/

[cash]

she wasn't a nice person as per her daughter

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...singers-804547

[DesertGypsy]

I saw that a couple of days ago. Glad she was outed how she was an abuser.