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That's a very high goal to have, study eight hours a day to be a concert pianist.

Nina Simone

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Nina Simone
Age: 75 †
Born: 1933
Born: February 21
Died: 2008
Died: April 21
Composer
Jazz Pianist
Recording Artist
Singer
Singer-Songwriter
Tryon
North Carolina
Eunice Kathleen Waymon
High Priestess of Soul
Eight
Study
High
Goal
Hours
Pianist
Concert
Concerts

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I think if I were over there in America, protest music would be more important. But I'm not going.
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I feel what they feel. And people who listen to me know that, and it makes them feel like they're not alone.
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I don't like drug addicts and she sounds like a cat.
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To be young, gifted and black!
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I only knew classical music, which to me was the only true music. The only way I could survive at the bar was to mix the classical music with popular songs, and that meant I had to sing. What happened was that I discovered I had a voice plus the talent to mix classical music together with more popular songs, which at the time I detested.
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I try to swim every damn day I can, and I've learned to scuba dive and snorkel.
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You don't have to live next to me / Just give me my equality.
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When I was studying... there weren't any black concert pianists. My choices were intuitive, and I had the technique to do it. People have heard my music and heard the classic in it, so I have become known as a black classical pianist.
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You have to learn to get up from the table when love is not being served.
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When I choose material for an album all these songs I grew up with pour into my head.
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You can't be different if you look at it. Being gifted is different. I had that in my piano playing. I'm very thankful for that. I'm very aware of that. The style and what I fed is just me. I never worked at it. It just happened.
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I had spent many years pursuing excellence, because that is what classical music is all about... Now it was dedicated to freedom, and that was far more important.
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Everything that happened to me as a child involved music. It was part of everyday life, as automatic as breathing.
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I don't like to go to strange places.
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It's a good time for black people to be alive.
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Jazz is a white term to define black people. My music is black classical music.
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This may be a dream, but I'll say it anyway: I was supposed to be married last year, and I bought a gown. When I meet Nelson Mandela, I shall put on this gown and have the train of it removed and put aside, and kiss the ground that he walks on and then kiss his feet.
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I'm sorry that I did not become the world's first black classic pianist. I think I would have been happier.
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