Dr. Samuel Waymon is an award-winning film composer, songwriter, performer, singer, pianist, and brother of the late Nina Simone - they were born and brought up together in Tryon, North Carolina. Sam co-wrote many of Nina's popular songs; and toured with her band for her first 25 years as her manager, confidante, and organist.

Sam has shared the concert stage with such greats as Miles Davis, Odetta, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Quincy Jones, Donny Hathaway, Phyllis Hyman, Max Roach and many more, along with his sister Nina.

Sam was a civil rights activist and marched in Philadelphia, Mississippi and Alabama. He sang at Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral; became friends with Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz; and marched, performed and protested at many anti-discrimination events across America.

Sam has composed music and acted in powerful films, documentaries, and soap operas. He composed a song for the Academy Award-winning film “Philadelphia” directed by Jonathan Demme that starred Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks. In 1987 Sam was musical advisor and co-starred with Nick Nolte in the film “Weeds”. Likewise, he composed music for & starred in the movie “Ganja & Hess” directed and written by Bill Gunn, which won the Cannes Film Festival Award as one of the Ten Best Films of the Decade in 1973 and is now in the Museum of Modern Art’s Library Archives. Recently his composition “You’ve Got to Learn” can be heard in Spike Lee’s film “Da Sweet Blood of Jesus”.

There are a limited number of WWC student, staff and faculty tickets available at no cost. Please email [email protected] to reserve your seat.