Hi, this is Jen Small from Chicago.

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It's Bullseye, I'm Jesse Thorne.

Before Nina Simone became Nina Simone,

she was a girl from North Carolina called Eunice Wayman.

She wanted to be the first great black classical pianist.

Things didn't go as planned.

The plan was to apply to the Curtis Institute where the tuition was paid for if you're accepted.

And she was not accepted to the Curtis Institute.

And her entire family had moved from North Carolina,

moved up north to be near her so she had the weight of their relocation

and financial responsibility on her so she immediately you know

discards the name Eunice Wayman becomes Simone, and starts playing out in bars and clubs.

She just played whatever piano music she could think of.

One night someone said to her, well you better sing, you're going to make more money,

otherwise, you know, I don't want you in my bar.

And then she started singing.

And that was the birth of Nina Simone

and maybe the death of Eunice Weaman at that moment.

It's Bullseye.

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