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Nina Simone: Home

Nina Simone was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

Nina Simone

Nina Simone's unapologetic rage and accusatory voice named names and took no prisoners in the African-American struggle for equality in the early 1960s.

Her triumphant voice sang what it meant to be young, gifted, and black in a sometimes unjust and troubled world. Her astonishing, unclassifiable range has made it especially difficult to assess Simone’s legacy – often considered a jazz singer (particularly because of her masterful piano playing), she was classically trained, yet her nickname was “The High Priestess of Soul.” If anything, she claimed that she was a folk singer, and her dazzling repertoire – Israeli folk tunes, compositions by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, songs by the Bee Gees and Leonard Cohen and George Harrison, traditional ballads, spirituals, children’s songs – remains unparalleled. More at rockhall.com...

 

Program for Nina Simone concert Promotional photo of Nina Simone Biography of Nina Simone Photo of Nina Simone Promotional photo of Nina Simone ​
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Archival Resources

Listed below are notable collections and items from the Rock Hall's Archives. You can find more by searching our catalog here.

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Influence and Legacy

Nina Simone was influenced by...

Nina Simone inspired musicians like...

  • Mary J. Blige
  • Ms. Lauryn Hill
  • Kanye West
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