Sam Waymon’s Purpose
Kai Meyer | February 15, 2024
Sam Waymon, a composer, songwriter, activist and brother to the legendary Nina Simone, has spent the past 80 years of his life taking action toward his purpose. Waymon’s performance on Friday, Feb. 16, at Warren Wilson College (WWC) will be a “full circle” moment for him, distilling a lifetime of curiosity, joy and wisdom through the power of music.
The concert will feature songs from his latest album, “Purpose,” as well as personal favorites from his storied career.
Waymon grew up in Tryon, North Carolina — just an hour from WWC — along with his seven older siblings during the Jim Crow Era. It was a difficult time. Waymon has contrasting memories of Tryon's rural beauty and racist attitudes.
“There was racism of the highest order here in Tryon,” Waymon said.
Segregation touched every aspect of life; even just walking down the sidewalk, Waymon would have to cross the street if a white person were to cross his path. Direct experiences with the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and daily discrimination were a natural part of Waymon’s experience growing up Black in the rural South.
Waymon’s music sheds light on injustices and racist attitudes while creating a sense of hope and joy. Waymon’s single, “Hell No Jim Crow (I Don’t Go For That)” is a reflection of contrasting emotionally heavy lyrics with upbeat rhythms to uplift listeners and bring greater awareness. That is Waymon’s purpose: to communicate knowledge, emotion and joy through music.
“‘Don't abuse it, don't misuse it, or you will lose it,’” Waymon’s mother would say to him and his sister, referring to their musical gifts. Those three pillars have stuck with Waymon throughout his life and musical career, serving as guideposts to illuminating his purpose.
Waymon’s music was intertwined with his sister from a very early age, beginning with when the pair would walk two miles across the train tracks for classical piano lessons up until nearly 20 years later when Simone asked Waymon to join her at the Village Gate, an established club in New York.
“From that moment on, she and I became inseparable because I did everything possible to protect her,” Waymon said.
Waymon became Simone’s right-hand man; a barrier between her and the world. She was seen as a difficult performer to work with and Waymon’s familial bond allowed him to read her needs more easily than most. Waymon took great pride in ensuring that the little details of a performance were taken care of so that Simone could focus solely on her music.
“My sister did not believe that she would be remembered for her music because back in those days she was not being paid what she deserved,” Waymon said.
Simone was often underpaid and mistreated because of her race and gender. Waymon took over managerial responsibilities to ensure that Simone could trust that she was being represented and compensated fairly.
Waymon said that his favorite part of working with his sister was performing with her. The two already had remarkable chemistry on stage, Simone on the piano and Waymon on the Hammond organ, otherwise known as “The Beast.” The two would look into each other's eyes, allowing their music to speak between them.
“It was beautiful,” Waymon said. “After we [performed duets like ‘Let It Be Me’], she would say ‘ladies and gentlemen, that's my brother, Samuel Waymon.’”
Simone held a great respect and admiration for Waymon and was influenced by his musical style, inspired by genres such as R&B and blues. Waymon composed and co-wrote several of her most famous songs and produced her album “Here Comes The Sun.” This deep love for one another was the grounds for their collaboration which lasted over 25 years.
The two were also heavily involved with the Civil Rights Movement. They traveled throughout the country to perform in support of the rallies and marches taking place. Waymon was also at the Philadelphia Black Postal Workers Strike in 1970, fighting for equal wages and raises for Black postal workers. The strike halted the postal service, causing President Nixon to declare a state of national emergency.
“That was very bloody because they had the tanks, the water hoses, the German Shepherd dogs and the batons. And Nina was there. I was protecting Nina, but I was also part of the march,” Waymon said.
Waymon’s work in the Civil Rights movement inspired music with Simone, as well as for the broader Black community. Around that time he wrote “Mrs. Jackson,” a song from “Freedom Summer,” which is a play about the first Black woman to vote in Alabama. Waymon also sang at Dr. Martin Luther King’s Funeral.
The new album, “Purpose,” reflects Waymon’s personal responsibility and a call to take action toward making an impact.
“Purpose to me means not necessarily why, but what and how?” Waymon said.
He believes that purpose is not just for the individual to unpack through the intricacies and complexities of the world before them, but also to accept what they have and who they are and to use that to take action towards their purpose.
For Waymon, his purpose is to spread hope and awareness through his music and continue his family’s legacy. He reflected on the making of “Hell No Jim Crow (I don’t go for that),” saying that the song was written generations before him and he was simply a vessel for its message.
“My job here today, now, and the reason our main “Purpose” and ‘Jim Crow’ is to wake people up and spread the word that we have to be responsible for crushing anything that's a virus,” Waymon said.
In this case, the virus Waymon is referring to is the embedded systemic racism and bigotry in the United States. Waymon argues that it can be fought with kindness, education and tolerance.
“All I care about when I perform is that at least, if I walk away from that concert knowing you felt something, that I succeeded. If you felt nothing, I succeeded. If I provoked you, made you angry, pissed you off, made you feel joy, then I succeeded. But one thing you cannot do with my music is ignore it,” Waymon said.
This is Waymon’s purpose: to transpose language into a composition of rhythms, sounds and beats. That is how he carries the legacy of his family and the Black community and creates a meaningful impact on the world.
“Purpose,” Waymon’s latest album that he will be performing at WWC on Friday, is a culmination of a lifetime’s learning, engagement and driving action. It completes a cycle to be sharing his purpose with an audience of young people so close to his home.
“All I'm saying [is], if you're going to use the power of music, use it to elevate. Use it to motivate. Use it to communicate,” Waymon said.
The “Purpose” album will be coming out in April on all streaming platforms. Waymon also has a feature film in development, called “Sam and Nina,” which will hopefully be coming out in 2025. He encourages audience members to film the show on Friday and spread the message on social media.