Nina Simone

Known as the High Priestess of Soul, Nina Simone was a singer, pianist, and activist of uncompromising power. Her music defied categorization, blending jazz, blues, folk, and classical music into a deeply personal and politically charged art form. Initially aspiring to be a classical concert pianist, she began singing in nightclubs and released her debut album, "Little Girl Blue", on #Bethlehem Records# in 1958. Throughout the 1960s, with albums on #Philips# and #RCA Victor# like "I Put a Spell on You" and "Nina Simone Sings the Blues", she became a pivotal voice of the Civil Rights Movement, delivering searing protest songs like "Mississippi Goddam" with profound emotional depth.