July 1965, London 

I’m on the set for the British television show ‘Ready Steady Go!’  Nina Simone is about to perform for the first time on TV in the UK.  I’m in her dressing room and it’s my first time alone in the presence of this amazing artist for whom I’ve formed a British appreciation society.  Through the loud speaker comes the song ‘God Bless The Child’.  Nina is furious?  ‘Shit, who is singing Billie’s song?’ she asks me, referring to the legendary Billie Holiday.  I have no idea!  Turns out it is the blue-eyed-soul duo The Righteous Brothers, I later discover.  Nina turns to me and booms, ‘Do you believe in God?’  Before I can answer, she is racing around the room like a witch without a broomstick, exhorting me, ‘You gotta believe in God!’  I timidly reply that, yes, I do…

While we’re waiting for her to go on, Nina and husband/manager Andy are watching the RSG! dancers (much like Shindig! on US television in the 60s). Nina turns to me, all of 17 and slightly geeky at the time, and asks if I dance! I reply meekly, ‘no’ and Nina, grinning ear-to-ear beams, ‘Well, honey, you gotta learn to dance or have sex! You gotta express rhythm SOMEHOW!’ I turn every shade of red! I’m spared further embarrassment when it’s time for Nina to perform. She’s supposed to do two songs including her then-latest recording “I Put A Spell On You” but producer Vicki Wickham (who will be in my life for many more decades) has the unenviable task of letting her know she can only do one. Nina chooses a rousing gospel song Children Go Where I Send You – and grins at me directly! Oh…and the PS: having dinner with Nina two years later, I let her know – with a broad grin – that I have now learned both of her rhythmic instructions from 1965, ‘I know how to dance now and I’ve had sex!’ Nina literally laughs out loud!

This video clip of Nina performing ‘I Put A Spell On You’ is from three years later, in June 1968, when Nina is the subject of a BBC ‘Sound Of Soul’ television special… at 0:21 in the clip, you can see me wearing glasses, applauding…the special aired in September 1968…