Eunice Kathleen Waymon, better known as Nina Simone, originally wanted to be a classical pianist, but she traded that dream in to become The High Priestess Of Soul. While she is well known for her recordings of soulful jazz, blues, folk and R&B, she was also an outspoken civil rights advocate, and it was this potent combination that made her the declared idol of many. Her first recordings were made in New York City during 1957 for Bethlehem and feature Simone backed by Jimmy Bond on bass and Albert Heath on drums, delivering classic and emotional renditions of such standards as "Mood Indigo", "Good Bait", "You'll Never Walk Alone", "Don't Smoke In Bed", "Love Me Or Leave Me", "My Baby Just Cares For Me" and her soulful version of Gershwin's "I Loves You Porgy," which gave her a Top 20 hit.