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.

Simone was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009. Simone performed and spoke at many civil rights meetings such as at the Selma to Montgomery marches. Simone's music has been featured in soundtracks of various motion pictures and video games including but not limited to The Big Lebowski (1998) Point of No Return (AKA The Assassin 1993)"La Femme Nikita" (film) Notting Hill (1999) Any Given Sunday (1999) The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) Six Feet Under (2001) The Dancer Upstairs (film) (2002) Before Sunset (2004) Cellular (2004) Inland Empire (2006) Miami Vice (2006) Sex and the City (2008) The World Unseen (2008) Revolutionary Road (2008) Watchmen (2009) The Saboteur (2009) Repo Men (2010).

Born the sixth child of a preacher's family in North Carolina Simone aspired to be a concert pianist. She was approached for a recording by Bethlehem Records and her rendering of "I Loves You Porgy" was a hit in the United States in 1958. When Nina Simone began playing in a small club in Philadelphia to fund her continuing musical education and become a classical pianist Nina Simone was required to sing as well.