She was affectionately known as the “High Priestess of Soul.” This marks her first nomination for the coveted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an accolade she has been eligible for since 1983.
As indicated by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame homepage, Simone’s triumphant vocals sang what it meant to be “young, gifted and black” in a sometimes unjust and troubled world.
Rolling Stone Magazine listed Simone as one of its “100 Greatest Singers of All Time,” and multi-Grammy-winning R&B songstress Mary J. Blige praised Simone as an artist that “could sing anything”; moreover, Bob Dylan described her as an “overwhelming artist, singer and piano player,” as well as somebody who was “very outspoken” and “dynamite” to perform, thus sharing his admiration for Simone.
As an arranger, her musical compositions have been covered by a wide range of artists including George Michael, The Animals, Whitney Houston, Jeff Buckley and Michael Buble.
Simone was a musical icon whose tortured life became the subject of the critically-acclaimed documentary, What Happened, Miss Simone?, which earned a 2015 Academy Award nomination for “Best Documentary Feature.”
To learn more about the musical legacy of Nina Simone, check out her official website.
