Nina Simone
Some folks might wonder why a journal that devotes itself to what we have defined as "The Mountain South" would feature a internationally known artist like Nina Simone. The answer is that Simone, born Eunice Kathleen Waymon, was raised the sixth child of a preacher in the Western North Carolina town of Tryon. Like many Appalachians, she had complicated feelings about her place of birth, but she used her upbringing to fill her songs with emotional knowledge about family, acceptance, and individuality. In this tune from the musical Hair Simone manages to up the ante of the original songwriter's intent (adding many of her own lines along the way) and showcasing her incredible strength, defiance, and ferocity--true traits of the people of the region STILL: The Journal hopes to highlight and represent in all of its complexity and diversity.
Learn more about Nina Simone.
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