Happy Birthday, Nina Simone.

She didn’t have the prettiest voice. But without question Nina Simone had the prettiest words, scripting both overwhelmingly beautiful and powerfully haunting stories describing the essence of love between man and woman, the glory of life, the unnecessary strife between so called “races.” Her struggle with Juilliard School of Music made me so sad, while her success within the music industry gave me joy. Her story is unparalleled There has never been anything else like her since. Kinda sucks.

I miss this type of music and wonder why its creation has essentially ceased in someways (except for the whole gospel influence thing). Her music moves everything I do to this present day. My middle name comes directly from her middle name, as my father had a slight obsession with everything she was. I can understand why.

Happy Birthday Eunice K. Waymon.