美国名人 歌手 作曲家 钢琴表演家 妮娜·西蒙.docx

美国名人歌手作曲家钢琴表演家妮娜西蒙NinaSimone,1933-2003:SingerWasActiveintheCivilRightsMovementplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-15:18repeatByCatyWeaver2009-10-3VOICEONE:mFaith1.apidus.VOICETWO:AndmSteveEmberwiththeVOASpecialEnglishprogramPEOP1.EINAMERICA.TodaywetellaboutsingerNinaSimoneandplaysomeofhermusic.Shewasalsoactiveinthecivilrightsmovementofthenineteensixties.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:NinaSimoneSilkandSoulAlbumNinaSimonewroteandperformedthesongyoujustheard.Itiscalled"Young,GiftedandBlack."Inthenineteensixties,amajorblackcivilrightsgroupdeclareditthenationalsongofblackpeopleinAmerica.NinaSimonewasveryyoungwhenhermusicalabilityfirstappeared.Shecouldplaysongsonthepianowhenshewasthreeyearsold.Shelearnedbylisteningtomusicandthensearchingforthecorrectpianokeys.Inabookaboutherlife,NinaSimonewrotethateverythingthathappenedtoherasachildinvolvedmusic.Shesaidherfirstmemorywasofhermothersinging.ShesaidhermotheralwayssangChristiansongsaroundthehouse.Thatinfluenceshowsupyearslaterintherecordingof"IfYouPrayRight"onMissSimone'salbum"Baltimore."(MUSIC)VOICETWO:NinaSimonewasbornEuniceKathleenWaymoninnineteenthirty-threeinthesoutherntownofTryon,NorthCarolina.Herparentsownedseveralbusinessesthere.HermotherwasalsoaMethodistminister.Thefamilyoftenlivedinabighouseandmadegoodearnings.However,difficulteconomictimesintheUnitedStateshurtthefamily'sbusinesses.Thefamilyhadtomovetosmallerhomesastheirfinancescontinuedtoshrink.VOICEONE:Intime,Eunice'smotherwenttoworkcleaninghouseforawhitewomaninthetown.ThewomanknewaboutNina'spianoplaying.ShesuggestedthatMissusWaymonsendherdaughtertoapianoteacherforlessons.WhenMissusWaymonsaidthefamilydidnothavethemoney,heremployersaidshewouldpayforthegirl'sfirstyearoflessons.NinaSimonewrotethatshegrewtoloveherfirstpianoteacher,awhitewomanfromEngland.Infact,theteacherhelpedsetupfinancialassistanceforNina'slessons.NinaSimonealsowroteabouthowmuchshelikedhermother'semployer.Shewrotethat,asachild,sheexpectedallwhitepeopletobeaskindastheywere.VOICETWO:EuniceWaymonhadherfirstpublicperformancewhenshewaseleven.Manypeopleinthetownhadgivenmoneytohelppayforlessonsfortheyoungpianist.MissSimonewrotethatitwasexpectedshewouldperformtoshowthemwhattheirmoneyhadproduced.Theperformancewasatthetownhall.Eunicewasatthepiano.Shelookedatherparentsjustbeforeshewastoplay.Shesawthembeingforcedfromtheirseatsinthefront.Awhitefamilywantedtositintheirplace.Herparentsdidnotresist.Theyounggirlstoodupandspoke.Shesaidnoonewouldhearherplayifherparentswerenotreturnedtotheirseats.Theywereandtheconcertbegan.VOICEONE:NinaSimonewrotethatherwholeworldchangedinthatmoment.Shesaidnothingwaseasyanymore.Shewrotethatracismbecamerealforherliketheturningonofalight.NinaSimonecontinuedtostandupandspeakout.OneofhermostfamoussongsexpressedherangeraboutthetreatmentofblackpeopleinAmerica."MississippiGoddam"wasreleasedinnineteensixty-three.MissSimonewrotethesonginreactiontoextremeviolenceagainstblackAmericans.TheincidentsincludedthemurderofacivilrightsactivistinMississippiandthekillingsoffouryounggirlsinAlabama.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:EuniceWaymongraduatedfromhighschoolatthetopofherclassinnineteenfifty.ShemovedtoNewYorkCitytoattendthefamousJuilliardSchoolofMusic.Shehadbeenawardedmoneytopayforoneyearattheschool.Afterthatfirstyear,Eunicehadtosupportherselffinancially.Forawhilesheworkedasapianoplayerforpeoplestudyingsinging.ThenshelearnedofsummerjobsinAtlanticCity,NewJersey,thatpaidmoremoney.ShewenttoAtlanticCityandgotajobplayingpianoatadrinkingplace.Onhersecondnight,shewastoldshehadtosingalso.Eunicehadneversunginpublicbefore.NinaSimonelatertoldareporterthatshedecidedjusttotrytosoundlikethefamoussingerBillieHoliday.Shegotthejob.NinaSimonerecordedanumberofsongsmadefamousbyBillieHoliday.SomeofMissSimone'sversionsalsobecamepopular;likethissong,"Don'tExplain."(MUSIC)VOICEONE:EuniceWaymonbecameNinaSimonebecauseofthejobatthedrinkingplace.Shesaidshechangedhernamebecauseshedidnotwantherparentstoknowwhatshewasdoing.Butshecouldnothidehercareerforverylong.Innineteenfifty-eight,NinaSimonerecordedherfirstalbum.ltwascalled"1.ittleGirlBlue."OnesongbecameatopradiohitinAmerica.Itis"I1.ovesYou,Porgy"fromGeorgeGershwin'sopera,"PorgyandBess."(MUSIC)VOICETWO:NinaSimonebecameveryactiveinthecivilrightsmovementinthenineteensixties.Shecametobeknownasaprotestsinger.Shewasalsocalledthe"HighPriestessofSoul."Butshedidnotlikeeitherdescription.NinaSimoneoftensaidshehatedtobelinkedwithanyonekindofmusicormessage.Shesangitall-blueszjazz,Christianspirituals,rockandrollandpop.MissSimonewasmarriedtwotimes.Shehadadaughter,1.isa,whoisalsoasinger.NinaSimonelefttheUnitedStatesinnineteenseventy-three.ShesaidshewasangryaboutthetreatmentofblackpeopleinAmerica.ShelivedintheCaribbeanandAfricabeforesettlinginFrance.Shediedthereattheageofseventyintwothousandthree.OneofNinaSimone'smostpopularsongswas"IPutaSpellOnYou."Shetookthetitleforthebookshewroteaboutherlife,publishedinnineteenninety-two.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:ThisSpecialEnglishprogramwaswrittenandproducedbyCatyWeaver.mFaith1.apidus.VOICETWO:AndI'mSteveEmber.JoinusagainnextweekforanotherPEOP1.EINAMERICAprogramontheVoiceofAmerica.