“Feeling Good” was the first Nina Simone song I heard.
I was 31, recently divorced, and I needed to find her. Her recordings became a frequent companion. Nina Simone gave me the sound of her soul — as an activist, as a woman want of love, full of wit, and hardened by pain. She deserves to be celebrated.
Joyeux anniversaire Mme. Simone!
~Stefni Bell, coordinating producer
Tuesday Evening Melody: “Plain Gold Ring” by Kimbra
by Chris Heagle, producer
Kimbra’s refreshing cover of Plain Gold Ring is a love letter to Nina Simone and her classic song. Built up from loops of her own voice created live in studio (watch the mic on the left), this mellow groove is instantly infectious. Don’t be fooled though, the her powerful voice takes us along to the stratosphere before floating back to earth. And, now, the music of New Zealand’s up-and-coming, 21-year-old chanteuse is finally available in the U.S.
