Known as "The High Priestess Of Soul," enigmatic cabaret singer, pianist, black activist and expatriate, Nina Simone has performed jazz, soul, spoken word, gospel, African spirituals and just about anything else imaginable to move and mystify audiences for 40 years. Deep with mood and emotion, her husky, raw, mournful voice is unlike any other.

Simone's professional career began in Atlantic City in 1954. Her fine piano technique (honed at Julliard) and her unique, untrained voice were a winning combination and Simone became a sensation in the clubs of Philadelphia. In 1957, Simone recorded her first album, Jazz As Played In An Exclusive Side Street Club, (aka Little Girl Blue) that contained her breakout cover of "I Loves You Porgy," along with several other tracks that would become concert staples. As racial tensions worsened in the '60s, Simone took an angrier, more political stance with songs like "Pirate Jenny," "Strange Fruit" and "Mississippi Goddam." In 1969, Simone renounced the U.S. and moved abroad. She continued to perform throughout the world, but seemed to be her own worst enemy--a triumphant '84 date at Ronnie Scott's in London, for example, led to a return engagement, but Simone failed to show up. In 1987, "My Baby Just Cares For Me," a track from her first album, was featured in an ad campaign for Chanel No.5, sparking a revived public interest in Simone that many say has softened the volatile singer.

This Biography was written by John Quaintance