Nat "King" Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles (1919 - 1965) was a popular singer and jazz pianist.[1] He was born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17, 1919.
Inspired by the playing of Fatha Hines, Nat Cole began his performing career in the mid 1930s while he was still a teenager, and adopted the name Nat âKingâ Cole presumably from the nursery rhyme about âOld King Coleâ.
In 1944 his ï¬rst hits as a vocalist were âStraighten Up and Fly Rightâ, âItâs Only a Paper Moonâ and âSweet Lorraine.â In 1946, his first #1 chart topper, "I Love You For Sentimental Reasons" and âThe Christmas Song,â still an annual holiday favorite, began to create his "velvet voice" image.
His stature as a popular icon was cemented during the 1950s with âNature Boy, âFor Sentimental Reasonsâ, Natâs signature song âUnforgettableâ, âMona Lisaâ, âEmbraceable Youâ, âWalkinâ My Baby Back Homeâ, âGet Your Kicks on Route 66â, âSmileâ, âPretendâ, âIf I Mayâ, âDarling Je Vous Aime Beaucoupâ, âA Blossom Fellâ, âAnswer Me My Loveâ, âForgive My Heartâ, âTo Young To Go Steadyâ, âNight Lightsâ, âBallerinaâ, âSend For Meâ, âLooking Backâ and âNon Dimenticar.â
As the 1960s progressed, Nat once again found success with Hit Parade toppers, âRamblinâ Roseâ, âDear Lonely Heartsâ, âThose Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Day of Summerâ and âThat Sunday, That Summerâ.
Over a period of 23 years, Nat King Cole landed on the Hit Parade 118 times with 21 top ten hits.
With more than 50 albums to his credit, Nat Coleâs unparalleled sale of records helped fuel much of Capitol Recordsâ success it the labels early years and is widely acknowledged to have played a signiï¬cant role in ï¬nancing the distinctive Capitol Records building on Vine Street in Los Angeles, California. Completed in 1956, the worldâs ï¬rst circular ofï¬ce building was and is known by many as âthe house that Nat built.â
Nat âKingâ Cole was the ï¬rst African American to have his own radio program. He repeated that success in the late-1950s with the ï¬rst truly national television show starring an African-American.
At just 45 years of age, Nat âKingâ Cole, a heavy smoker, died of lung cancer in February 1965 while still at the height of his singing career.
By mixing his voice with her singing, his daughter Natalie Cole performed a 'duet' with him years after his death, singing Unforgettable.
In 2007 Nat "King" Cole was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.