What happened,
Miss Simone?
A BIOGRAPHY
ALAN LIGHT
First published in Great Britain in 2016 by Canongate Books Ltd, 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE
This digital edition first published in 2016 by Canongate Books
Copyright © 2016 by RadicalMedia LLC and the Estate of Nina Simone
The moral right of the author has been asserted
First published in the United States by Crown Archetype, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available on request from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 78211 871 8
EXPORT ISBN 978 1 78211 872 5
eISBN 9 781 78211 873 2
Book design by Lauren Dong
But what happened, Miss Simone? Specifically, what happened to your big eyes that quickly veil to hide the loneliness? To your voice that has so little tenderness, yet flows with your commitment to the battle of Life? What happened to you?
𠇄MAYA ANGELOU, 1970
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations
Born Eunice Waymon, she changed her name to Nina Simone when she started playing nightclubs in Atlantic City, knowing that her mother (a preacher) would disapprove. Herb Snitzer
Nina was blessed with perfect pitch. She understood that she had a gift to share with the world. Herb Snitzer
Nina was highly style conscious and had her own distinctive fashion sense—a perfect blend of elegant sophistication and black pride. Courtesy of the Estate of Alfred Wertheimer
Nina’s home in Mount Vernon, New York, where she and husband Andrew Stroud entertained luminaries like Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, Harry Belafonte, and Sidney Poitier. Courtesy of the Estate of Alfred Wertheimer
Lisa Simone, age two, at the piano. Nina always had music playing in her home growing up and continued the tradition with her own family. Courtesy of the Estate of Alfred Wertheimer
Nina in a contemplative moment on the road. Bernard Gotfryd/Courtesy of Lisa Simone Kelly
Trained as a classical pianist, Nina taught herself to incorporate multiple, independent music lines into one improvisation that blended everything from Bach to pop. Courtesy of the Estate of Alfred Wertheimer
Nina with her dear friend James Baldwin. Bernard Gotfryd/Courtesy of Lisa Simone Kelly
Nina’s new Afro coincided with her increasing interest in black pride and a commitment to using her talent in the fight for racial equality. Jack Robinson/Getty
Nina loved to look theatrical when she went on stage; she often had sequins glued to her eyebrows and eyelids for her performances. Courtesy of the Estate of Alfred Wertheimer
Nina pointing to her name on the marquee at the Luxor Theatre in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Gerrit De Bruin
With Andrew in their hotel room on the road. He became her manager in 1962 and helped her realize her dream of playing Carnegie Hall the following year. Courtesy of the Estate of Alfred Wertheimer
Nina greeting fans after a show; she often complained that Andrew worked her too hard. Bernard Gotfryd/Courtesy of Lisa Simone Kelly
Nina reviewing her set list before her Carnegie Hall appearance. She was the first black female soloist to appear at the legendary theater. Courtesy of the Estate of Alfred Wertheimer
She played eighteen pieces, an eclectic set list ranging from an Israeli folk tune to a Leadbelly song. Courtesy of the Estate of Alfred Wertheimer
Nina was aware of her power as a performer—she described it as “mass hypnosis . . . a spell that you cast.” Bernard Gotfryd/Courtesy of Lisa Simone Kelly
Released in 1963, Nina Simone at Carnegie Hall was an artistic triumph and became one of her signature albums. Courtesy of the Estate