 Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in South Carolina but raised in Tryon , North Carolina . The sixth of eight children in a poor family , she began playing piano at age three ; the first song she learned was " God Be With You , Till We Meet Again " . Demonstrating a talent with the instrument , she performed at her local church . But her concert debut , a classical recital , was given when she was 12 . Simone later said that during this performance , her parents , who had taken seats in the front row , were forced to move to the back of the hall to make way for white people . She said that she refused to play until her parents were moved back to the front , and that the incident contributed to her later involvement in the civil rights movement . 
 Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in South Carolina but raised in Tryon , North Carolina . The sixth of eight children in a poor family , she began playing piano at age three ; the first song she learned was " God Be With You , Till We Meet Again " . Demonstrating a talent with the instrument , she performed at her local church . But her concert debut , a classical recital , was given when she was 12 . Simone later said that during this performance , her parents , <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> taken seats in the front row , <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> forced to move to the back of the hall to make way for white people . She said that she refused to play until her parents <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> moved back to the front , and that the incident contributed to her later involvement in the civil rights movement . 
Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in South Carolina but raised in Tryon , North Carolina . da sixth of eight children in a poor family , she began playing piano at age three ; the first song she learned was " God Be With youu , til We Meet Again " . Demonstrating a talent wid the instrument , she performed at her local church . But her concert debut , a classical recital , was given when she was 12 . Simone later said dat durin dis performance , her parents , done taken seats in the front row , was forced to move to tdaback of the hall to make way for white people . She said tdatshe refused to play untill her parents was moved back to the front , and thdathe incident contributed to her later involvement in thdaivil rights movement .