Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), better known by her stage name Nina Simone (/ˈniːnə sɨˈmoʊn/), was an American
singer-songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with
jazz music. Simone aspired to become a classical pianist while working in a broad range of styles including
classical,
jazz,
blues,
soul,
folk,
rnb,
gospel, and
pop. Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on 21st February 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina, one of eight children.