The cancellation would turn out to be the permanent end of his career. He first recorded with a full orchestra (the trio serving as rhythm section) in 1946 for The Christmas Song, a holiday standard and one of Coles biggest-selling recordings. He died of lung cancer in February, 1965, when he was forty-five years old. Sold for 23.50 USD on 11 Mar 2022 (4 bids) 1. Nat soon married a dancer, Megan Robinson, and moved to Los Angeles where he formed the Nat King Cole Trio. For over a year, the entertainer worked tirelessly on his show, even turning down a total of $500,000 in performances in order to focus on the program. Complete After Midnight Sessions 4 Bonus Tracks / 24Bit Digitally. Pelote, Vincent. The trio consisted of Nat on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Wesley Prince on double bass. Throughout the 1950s, Cole continued to rack up hit after hit, including "Smile," "Pretend," "A Blossom Fell," "If I May." In 1960, Nat's long-time collaborator Nelson Riddle left Capitol Records for Frank Sinatra's newly formed Reprise Records label. As Cole described, while they "didn't bend over backwards" to please white audiences, they certainly did not want to offend them (viaReel Rundown). The King Cole Trio 78rpm Single 10-inch Capitol Records #311 The Christmas Song. While this shift to pop music led some jazz critics and fans to accuse Cole of selling out, he never totally abandoned his jazz roots; as late as 1956, he recorded an all-jazz album, After Midnight. Jazz singer Nat King Cole was best known for songs like "The Christmas Song" and "Ramblin' Rose" (via Billboard).He became a popular crooner in the 1950s, and made history when he became the first Black man to host a regular TV variety show. Shop with confidence. When singing "To see if reindeer really know how to fly," he mistakenly sang "reindeers." Carlos Gastel, Coles manager, now started thinking of him not as a singer-pianist but as a stand-up vocalist who played piano on the side. First airing in November 1956,The Nat King Cole Show was the very first time that a Black man was able to host a variety program, a historic development which saw Americans all across the country turning on their televisions to welcome an African-American host into their homes. Cole felt confident that commercial sponsors would support the program, but advertisers worried that white Southern audiences would boycott their products. By Robert Pace 6:00 AM PDT, June 25, 2013. Page 2", "From the Archives: Nat 'King' Cole dies of cancer at 45", "Bud Billiken Day Parade reaches 89th year", "Phillips High School is cradle of history", "Tracing the Highs and Tragic End of Sam Cooke", "Buck-Five Disk of Indies Seen Different Ways", "Show 22 Smack Dab in the Middle on Route 66: A Skinny Dip in the Easy Listening Mainstream. visit to New York during his early twenties, he met and ultimately married Maria Hawkins, a singer from Boston. The diagnosis would cut Cole's life very short, because he died not long after the discovery. Genealogy profile for Nat King Cole. By the 1950s, Nat King Cole emerged as a popular solo performer with numerous hits including "Mona Lisa", "Smile" and "Unforgettable". But while Coles studies were central to his artistic development, he became obsessed early on with jazz in general and the pianism of Earl Hines in particular. Jazz singer Nat King Cole was best known for songs like "The Christmas Song" and "Ramblin' Rose" (via Billboard). Nat King Cole was in the final stages of lung cancer. The Guardian reported how someone came at Cole's knees and knocked him to the ground, injuring his back. To speculate about what might have been is obviously fruitless, though it is possible that he might have taken up the piano again and become the elder statesman of jazz that he had it in him to be. AllMusic. For "Ramblin' Rose" 1962 Nominee Grammy: Album of the Year. The racist mob never showed up, resulting in the smaller-scale attack that transpired. Lost your password? . When the young singer first achieved some modest success, he made several important changes, dropping the s from his last name, and adding the new middle nickname, King. When he first began attracting recognition, he was more keyboardist than singer, having developed a strong jazz style in his playing. "Book Reviews: "Unforgettable: The Life and Mystique of Nat King Cole," by Leslie Gourse." Nathaniel Adams Coles (he changed his last name to . Victor Young, Jeri Southern with Victor Young and His Orchestra. In addition to being an incomparable lyricist, Mercer was also a shrewd talent scout, and he sensed that Coles singing was capable of appealing to white listeners as well as black ones (the trio had previously recorded for Deccas Sepia Series of race records that were specifically marketed to urban blacks). Nat King Cole 78rpm Single 10-inch Capitol Records #1449 Too Young, Nat King Cole 78rpm Single 10-inch Capitol Records #1010 Mona Lisa, Stan Kenton & Nat King Cole/ Jam-bo/ Orange colored sky Schellack 78 rpm, NAT KING COLE 78 RPM GRAMOPHONE RECORDS X 8. By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described in our cookie policy unless you have disabled them. Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, vol. Unlike Sinatra, Cole was not a confessional performer whose interpretations reflected the dark side of his personality. I swing the band.) But it was his recordings of ballads that made him a household name, and among the most memorable of them is the version of Ray Nobles The Very Thought of You that he cut with Gordon Jenkins, another of Sinatras preferred arrangers, in 1958. Apparently, his part-time efforts paid off, because by the time he was 15, he had dropped out of school and was pursuing music full-time. In 1937, after finishing high school, he wrote his first song, Straighten up and Fly Right, which he eventually sold for $50. One of the men was identified to be a member of the white supremacist group White Citizens' Council. Cole retorted "Neither do I. The brothers were also hired to perform in the "revival of the all-black Broadway musical revue Shuffle Along" for their Chicago stop. Sampled by Susan Boyle feat Nat King Cole [sampled] When I Grow Too Old to Dream. Cole, who was greatly disappointed, made the difficult decision to pull the plug on the program. Record of the Year. You will receive a link to create a new password via email. He was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, cut his last records on December 3, and died 10 weeks later at the age of 45, by all accounts a disappointed man. When I Fall in Love: The One and Only Nat King Cole. Fortunately, it is not necessary to choose between the two Nat Coles: They were two different sides of a great popular artist, one who gave fully of himself in both capacities. In July 1948, Nat King Cole and his new wife began house-hunting, as described by Curbed. While there were some difficulties regarding the whole event the Waldorf Astoria refused to host the wedding because they were Black, and Ellington's aunt (who'd raised her) boycotted the wedding because of Cole's lower-class status the marriage would last until Cole's death in 1965 (via Harlem World Magazine). Oxford University Press. It was emulated by many musicians, among them Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, Tommy Flanagan, and blues pianists Charles Brown and Ray Charles. He passed away in February 1965 aged 45. Born in Alabama on March 17, 1919, Nathaniel Adams Coles (he would later drop the "s") always had a musical streak. The King Cole Trio signed with the fledgling Capitol Records in 1943 and Cole stayed with the recording company for the rest of his career. Cole was considered a leading jazz pianist, appearing, for example, in the first Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts (credited on the Mercury Record labels as "Shorty Nadine," apparently derived from the name of his wife at the time). Might Cole have undergone a similar professional revival had he not died prematurely? Cole's first mainstream vocal hit was his 1943 recording of one of his compositions, "Straighten Up and Fly Right," based on a black folk tale that his father had used as a theme for a sermon. Adapting his style, however, was one factor that kept Cole popular up to his early death from lung cancer in 1965. Finally, in 1960, almost 15 years after that first recording, Nat King Cole redid the holiday classic when his voice was "at its smokiest." Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. On February 15, 1965, Cole died at the age of 45. His rendition of "Sweet Lorraine" was so well-received that he continued to sing, and his pure musical talent, both vocally and on the piano, began to get the attention it deserved. Arguably, it's even rarer for one to become a "holiday standard," played by the masses year after year. Booklet Volumes 1 and 2 contain 4 shellac records. The oldest of the five was his daughter Natalie, who would also become a singer later in life and revitalized the popularity of some of her father's songs. Natalie, of course, has followed in her fathers difficult-to-fill footsteps as a highly successful recording artist in her own right. View cart for details. Bill Dobbins and Richard Wang. These critiques hurt the musician, who would eventually take a more active role in the movement, including participating in the 1963 March on Washington and regularly performing at benefit concerts for civil rights groups. His hit song "Ramblin' Rose" jump-started a slight decline that crept up at the end of the '50s. In the days leading up to Cole's death, he was able to go on short drives with his wife and visit his children at their family home in Hancock Park. "Cole, Nat 'King'." His daughter Natalie was also a popular singer who achieved her greatest chart success in 1991 with Unforgettable, an electronically created duet with her late father. UK. . Settling in California, the Coles had five children and made their home in Hancock Park in greater Los Angeles. To this day, singer-instrumentalists such as Diana Krall and John Pizzarelli continue to model their groups on the King Cole Trios stylish, tightly routined records, and Coles own brilliant playing left its mark on any number of younger pianists, among them Ahmad Jamal, Oscar Peterson, George Shearing, and Bill Evans, who called him probably the most underrated jazz pianist in the history of jazz.. 16.57. Constant touring paid the bills, and he remained one of the most sought-after acts in Las Vegas, but it galled him that he could not stay in the hotels where he performed, and though he continued to sing beautifully, he spent more and more studio time recording throwaway material such as the country-style Ramblin Rose (1962) and Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer (1963), as well as a sour-grapes novelty called Mr. The first cover of "The Christmas Song" was performed by pop tenor and bandleader Eddy Howard on Majestic. The six men arrested were all originally charged with "assault with intent to murder," but the charges were later changed to "conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor" for four of them. Nat King Cole's early career and trio. 1st Annual GRAMMY Awards. The Coles family moved to Chicago in 1923 and Edward, Nats father, set up shop as a Baptist minister, with Perlina, his wife, leading the choir of the True Light Baptist Church and playing organ. His final acting role would be in Cat Ballou, starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin, which was released after Cole's death in 1965. Cole frequently consulted with President Kennedy (and later President Johnson) on the issue of civil rights. Audio CD. . This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 04:04. 11 offers from $53.29. At the same time, though, Cole wasn't an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement initially. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. In December of 1964, Cole had a health crisis that forced him to cancel a show (via Los Angeles Times). 34. Missing, however, is the element of contrast that Cole supplied when he started singing with the trio. Sell it yourself. Labels. Nat King Cole Trio 78 RPM Capital BD-8 Complete Colection - Records *UNTESTED! But fame doesn't negate racist sentiments and violence. "Smile" by Nat King Cole. Shared with: Lee Gillette (Producer) For the album "The Nat King Cole Story". The invasion of the stage was quickly contained by local law enforcement but in the ensuing mele Cole was toppled from his piano bench and injured his back. Their real estate agent knew about this racist rule and circumvented it by hiring a light-skinned Black woman to buy the place for the Coles with a $6,000 down payment. They were the big act on Columbia Records, who had them re-record the song with a string section - the first time the trio used strings on a record. But while the start of the '60s seemed very promising for Cole, he faced with some tragic news. You also need to do it for the public.. This article contains a list of albums by Nat King Cole and compilations of his recordings, together with a list of his chart singles. Record Of The Year Ramblin' Rose (Single) More from the 5th A Awards. . Cole praised NBC for its support and directly blamed the advertising industry. Police intervened and took custody of three men immediately, while three additional men were arrested in the aftermath of the attack. Nat King Cole The Christmas Song LP Red Colored 180g Vinyl. Hittin The Ramp: The Early Years 1936-1943 by Nat King Cole (Record, 2019) $148.99 New. Cole become an internationally popular recording star, making such enormous hits as Mona Lisa, Nature Boy, Too Young, Route 66, Non Dimenticar, Lazy, Crazy, Hazy Days of Summer, The Christmas Song and Ramblin Rose, among them. As a toddler, he learned to play the piano (via Biography). , Ed Sheeran announces release of acoustic album Subtract, 10 years in the making, Albums coming in 2023: Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus, Mimi Webb and more, Who is Mae Stephens - the 19-year-old behind viral hit If We Ever Broke Up, Official Trending Chart: Pink, Niall, Mae Stephens and more, Americana albums to look forward to in 2023, It's Gorillaz vs. Gracie Abrams for this week's Number 1 album. Get notified of exciting GRAMMY Award news and upcoming events! Nat King Cole - Artist Details. He would later be known as Nat King Cole, the "Unforgettable" singer out of Montgomery, Alabama, whose other hits would include "Love" and, in 1946, the instant classic "The Christmas Song." Start your risk free trial with unlimited access. Cole first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist, then switched his emphasis to singing, becoming one of the most popular and best-known vocalists of all time. With Cole on the piano, Oscar Moore on the guitar, and Wesley Prince on string bass, the three became known as the famous King Cole Trio. He barely had visitors, as they were apparently barred from his hospital room. In London, he performed at a Chalk? Always a perfectionist, Cole put full effort into re-recording the entire song, and that first rendition has now become something of a collector's edition. Carole signed the papers and rushed home, where Nat would die on Feb. 15, 1965. It is tragically ironic that a talented singer would partake in an activity that damages one's lungs and vocals. In July 1948, Nat King Cole and his new wife began house-hunting, as described by Curbed. (This special compilation also was available as a 27 high-quality LP record set.). Legend has it that, one night, a drunk customer demanded that the group sing. All GRAMMY Awards and Nominations for Nat "King" Cole. Cole voluntarily gave up the show with a simple commentary: Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.. Still later, in high school, he organized a 14-piece band with himself as leader and pianist. Coles piano style would have made an impression under any circumstances, but it was the setting that he now created for himselfa drummerless trio consisting of piano, electric guitar, and bassthat showed it off most advantageously. The year was 1936, and Cole had left his hometown of Chicago to go on tour with a Broadway musical revue. One of the greatest vocalists of the 20th century, Nat King Cole has given the world countless classics, from timeless love songs like "Unforgettable" and "L-O-V-E" to the holiday standard "The Christmas Song." Basin Street Revue. Yet despite this and other close encounters with the evils of racism, Cole remained outwardly unfazed and his white fans staunchly loyal. By the start of the 1960s, Cole was only getting more popular. He even left the hospital to see his children one last time in a brief car ride home with his wife. Born on March 17, 1919 in Montgomery, Alabama, Cole's first introduction to music was in the church. As written by Marianne Ruuth, Cole saw himself as "an entertainer, not a politician." Sponsored. I think I've finally got this cancer licked.". His family later moved north to Chicago, where he grew up. Nat "King" Cole. In 1955, he acted as himself in a short biographical film,The Nat "King" Cole Musical Story, whichcovered his musical career and life story. New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article This vintage song carries the timeless message to keep your chin up when life looks bleak. Apparently, he felt that smoking gave his voice the unique quality it had and would smoke "several cigarettes in rapid succession before a recording for that very purpose.". Feb. 28, 2023 2 PM PT. The Weeknd? Only one person other than Cole's wife would get to visit Cole before he died, and that was comedian Jack Benny. Reportedly, the all-white audience begged Cole to continue with the show, but he fervently refused and flew to Chicago after canceling his remaining three performances in the South. Eventually, NBC was able to get about 30 local sponsors, but there was never a national corporate sponsor that would support the program, as mentioned by NPR. Maria also encouraged him to part with his expensive sidemen and turn the group from the King Cole Trio into Nat King Cole and His Trio, assuring him that his singing was the draw. Sold for 19.99 USD on 28 May 2022 (Buy It Now) 78 rpm. As told by Marianne Ruuth in her bookNat King Cole,he grew up in Chicago deeply entrenched in religious music, with a gospel choir leader for a mother and a reverend for a father. One of the key jazz voices of the 20th Century, Nat King Cole picked up fourteen UK Top 10 singles while his first album Love Is The Thing reached Number 1 in 1957. Thanks to electronics, she dusted beautifully on the song with the great Nat King Cole himself. Nat King Cole was making and setting records for his celebrated music decades before Elvis Presley and The Beatles arrived on the scene. Cole was also among the dozens of entertainers recruited by Frank Sinatra to perform at the Kennedy Inaugural gala in 1961. On August 23, 1956, Cole spoke at the Republican National Convention in the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California. Moreover, his appeal, like that of Armstrong, crossed racial lines, and did so at a time when much of America was still segregated, a fact that led to his being assaulted on stage by a group of white supremacists during a concert he was giving in Birmingham in 1956. They tried a couple of places, including Beverly Hills, but ultimately wanted somewhere away from the paparazzi and rowdy fans. Nat took the advice seriously and, around the age of 12, started to dive into the classics, "playing everything from Bach to Rachmaninoff," according to Ruuth. At that point of his career, he was a highly recognized singer. His older brother, Eddie Coles, a bassist, soon joined Nat's band and they first recorded in 1936 under Eddie's name. Riddle arranged several of Cole's 1950s albums, including his first 10-inch long-play album, his 1953 Nat King Cole Sings For Two In Love. In addition, the absence of a drummer gave the trio a transparent sound that made it easier for Cole and Oscar Moore, an unsung pioneer of jazz guitar, to toss musical ideas back and forth, supported only by the swinging bass lines of Wesley Prince and, later, Johnny Miller. Thousands flocked to build a life on South . Nat "King" Cole: Soundies & Telescriptions. Inspired by the playing of Hines, Cole began his performing career in the mid-1930s while he was still a teenager, and adopted the name "Nat Cole." Without a large sponsor, NBC was unable to keep the show scheduled during prime time and had to move it to a less coveted time slot. Personal Life Cole married for the first time when he was only 17. Handy and acted alongside Eartha Kitt and Cab Calloway, was the only film where he had a major starring role. The first was in 1946 with the King Cole Trio. Instead, his most publicized relationship was his marriage to Maria Hawkins Ellington. The change in musical tastes during the late 1950s meant that Cole's ballad singing did not sell well with younger listeners, despite a successful stab at rock n' roll with "Send For Me" (peaked at #6 pop). When they came upon a house in Hancock Park, they agreed that they had found their future home. On February 15, 1965, Nat King Cole passed away in his sleep at the age of 45. A heavy smoker, Cole died of lung cancer at age 45. His career as a vocalist, he told a reporter in 1945, had been an accident, going on to explain that a trio is so limited by lack of instruments that I sort of had to sing to add to the group. He stuck at first to lively, undemanding novelty songs such as Straighten Up and Fly Right, a Cole-written tune inspired by one of his fathers sermons. Cole did manage to record some hit singles during the 1960s, including the country-flavored hit "Ramblin' Rose" and "Dear Lonely Hearts," "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days Of Summer," "Let Me Tell You, Babe," and "That Sunday, That Summer.". Back to home page | The Songwriters Hall of Fame's ongoing mission is to celebrate and honor the contributions and legacies of songwriters of all genres of music while developing and nurturing the next generation of songwriters through Master Sessions, songwriting craft forums, scholarships and digital initiatives. Cole performed a posthumous "virtual" duet with his daughter, recording star Natalie Cole, for the title track of the 1991 Grammy Awardwinning album Unforgettable . It also inspired NBC to offer him his own weekly TV series, which debuted in 1956. Cole grew up in Chicago, where, by age 12, he sang and played organ in the church where his father was pastor. Jazz king Nat King Cole registers in the heart of music lovers as the legendary jazz pianist, singer with a melodious and harmless baritone. The last episode of The Nat King Cole Show aired December 17, 1957. In June 1946, the King Cole Trio cut the first record of Mel Torm's "The Christmas Song" (known for its first line, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire"). His stature as a popular icon was cemented during this period by hits such as "The Christmas Song" (Cole recorded the tune four times), "Nature Boy" (1948), "Mona Lisa" (1950), "Too Young" (1951), and his signature tune "Unforgettable" (1951). For most of the '30s and '40s he was a third of this musical act. After Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole is the best remembered of the singers who dominated American popular music between the end of the big-band era and the advent of rock . After signing with Capitol Records in 1942, Cole and his trio recorded Straighten Up and Fly Right, Sweet Lorraine and Embraceable You. All became major hits, the first of an uninterrupted series of smash recordings to follow for the next 20 years. Liner notes. Full-time combos of any sort were uncommon in the swing era, and the King Cole Trio would have stood out for that reason alone. Stemming from an upper-class family, Ellington was a jazz singer who performed with notable names like Count Basie and Duke Ellington (no relation), according to The Hollywood Reporter. While Coles reputation went into a temporary eclipse as a result of his early deatha lifelong chain smoker, he died of lung cancer in 1965, three decades before Sinatra gave his last public performancehe was restored to prominence in 1991 when his daughter Natalie, herself a talented pop singer, released a single of Unforgettable in which his original performance of the song, recorded 40 years earlier, was electronically superimposed on her own to create a virtual duet. The record put Cole back in the limelight, and he has been there ever since. Initially, Cole refused, replying, "We don't sing." Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Cole would form a few jazz music groups before creating the King Cole Trio. By the 1950s, he worked almost exclusively as a singer, with such notable arrangers as Nelson Riddle and Billy May providing lush orchestral accompaniment. January 1957. In 1956, "The Nat King Cole Show" was the first of its kind for a known Black performer. Spouse (s) Nat King Cole. Please enter your email address. There were several covers of Nat Cole's original record in the 1940s. . This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. He was to sell a total of 50 million records during . Cole, a heavy smoker who would smoke as much as three packs of cigarettes a day, died of lung cancer while still at the height of his singing career. According to theOrlando Sentinel, after his time with Shuffle Along came to an end in Long Beach, Cole and his wife at the time decided to settle in California. . 3rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. ", Singer and actress Eartha Kitt, one of the program's guest stars, later reflected that Cole's sophisticated image, elegance, and interaction with white performers as equals "was dangerous" in an era when blacks appearing on television regularly were only in comic or subservient roles. Before his tragic death, Cole underwent cancer surgery, which resulted in the removal of one of his lungs, per Los Angeles Times. In his spare time, Cole also became a hot sandlot baseball player, and while he never made it to the pros, he became an ardent follower of the Los Angeles Dodgers. New (and updated) Christmas albums for 2021, Festive favourites that could reach the Top 40 for the first time this Christmas, NAT 'KING' COLE AND THE GEORGE SHEARING QUINTET, Miley? Cole attained his greatest commercial success, however, as a vocalist specializing in warm ballads and light swing. Friedwald, Will (2006). Later, Cole was chosen by Paramount Pictures to play W.C. March 17, 1919 in Montgomery, AL. Years active. The show fell victim to the bigotry of the times, however, and was canceled after one season; few sponsors were willing to be associated with a Black entertainer. With the sole exception of Louis Armstrong, he is the only major jazz musician to have been identically distinguished and influential as both an instrumentalist and a vocalist. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Not until 1951 did Cole drop the trio for good, but in the ensuing years he had recorded a series of orchestra-accompanied ballads, among them Mona Lisa, Nature Boy, and Too Young, that made his artistic intentions clear. Cole was hired as the pianist for a jazz quartet that would play at the Swanee Inn nearHollywood, as told by uDiscover Music. Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events. An African-American jazz pianist, pop vocalist, and balladeer, Cole's popularity is even more incredible considering the time period in which he thrived. In 1956, Nat King Cole became star and host of his own network television variety show on NBC-TV on which such guests as Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Mel Torme were spotlighted. In Cole, Nat King. The couple's lavish Harlem wedding took place only six days after Cole and Robinson's divorce was finalized. Incredibly, Coles singing was as extraordinary as his playing. And if I see anybody undesirable coming in here, I'll be the first to complain.". By the time he worked his way from Chicago to Los Angeles, settling there permanently in 1937, his playing was already fully formed. In the 1960s, he became the first nationally known black artist to host a television show, but it was canceled after one year because a national sponsor could not be found. 10731074, This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 05:16. The Nat King Cole Story [45rpm 200g Vinyl] by Nat King Cole (Vinyl, Jan-2011, 5 Discs, Analogue Productions) $1,199.00 New. He became a popular crooner in the 1950s, and made history when he became the first Black man to host a regular TV variety show. Cole died in his sleep at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. Free delivery for many products. 4th Annual GRAMMY Awards. While Cole was not the first African-American to host a network television showan honor belonging to jazz pianist and singer Hazel Scott in 1950 Cole's stature made the venture more socially significant, which Cole himself recognized. February 15, 1957. He churned out song after song, including classics like "Unforgettable" and "Mona Lisa." THE STORY of Coles life, which is told in Will Friedwalds Straighten Up and Fly Right (2020), the first factually reliable primary-source biography of the singer-instrumentalist, runs parallel to and sheds light on many key aspects of the black experience in 20th-century America. "I lost my baby in December. Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 - February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Replying, `` We do n't sing. California, the Coles had children. The scene began attracting recognition, he was forty-five years old edited on 17 February 2023, at 04:04 specializing! His career, he met and ultimately married Maria Hawkins Ellington died of lung at... His marriage to Maria Hawkins Ellington very short, because he died, and that was comedian Jack Benny that... Will receive a link to create a new password via email Madison Avenue is afraid of the men was to. 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Style manual or other sources if you have any questions Southern audiences would boycott their products Francisco California! A house in Hancock Park in greater Los Angeles paparazzi and rowdy fans, Alabama, Cole saw himself leader!