In celebration of Verve Records’ 70th anniversary, we’re teaming up with the legendary American record label on a special capsule celebrating its musical legacy and lasting place in New York City's history.
Since its founding in 1956, Verve has helped bring jazz to a wider audience, working with pioneering musicians who shaped the city’s sound and culture. From Greenwich Village clubs to historic concert halls, its artists and recordings have become part of New York’s cultural identity.
Among those artists is Nina Simone, a classically trained pianist, singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist whose connection to New York began with her studies at Juilliard in 1950. She went on to perform at Carnegie Hall, where she recorded “Mississippi Goddam” in 1964, and spent more than a decade living in Mount Vernon. The street where she lived was later co-named Nina Simone Way in recognition of her legacy.
The two-piece capsule includes the Only NY × Verve Records 70th Anniversary T-Shirt, marking seven decades of the label, and the Nina Simone Live Long Sleeve T-Shirt, honoring one of its most influential voices.
The Only NY × Verve Records capsule releases Thursday, October 15 online and at both Only NY stores in very limited quantities.
