Nina Simone (1933-2003) was an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist whose music moved freely between jazz, blues, soul, folk, and classical - a range so wide that critics struggled to categorize her. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina, she was denied entry to the Curtis Institute of Music, which she attributed to racial discrimination, and went on to build one of the most distinctive careers in 20th-century music. Songs like "Mississippi Goddam" and "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" made her a defining voice of the civil rights movement. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
The documentary "Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat", which features Nina Simone's music and archival footage, was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards.
The Blu-ray and DVD release of "Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat" became available in January 2025, featuring archival performances by Nina Simone alongside Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie.
A new compilation album "Nina's Back" was released in 2024, continuing the posthumous reissue program of her catalog.
Nina Simone was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, more than 15 years after her death.
