Nat King Cole
Background information
Birth name	Nathaniel Adams Coles
Born	March 17, 1919(1919-03-17) Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Died	February 15, 1965 (aged 45) Santa Monica, California, United States
Genre(s)	Vocal jazz, swing, traditional pop, jump blues
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, pianist
Instrument(s)	Singing, piano
Voice type(s)	Baritone
Years active	1936–1965
Label(s)	Decca, Excelsior, Capitol
Associated acts	Natalie Cole, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin

Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was a popular American jazz singer-songwriter and pianist. Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Montgomery (məntˈgəmɜriː is the Capital, second most populous city and the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the Southern U Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Jazz Singing can be defined by the instrumental approach to the voice where the singer can match the instruments in their stylistic approach to the lyrics improvised or otherwise or Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of Jazz music that developed in the early 1930s and had solidified as a distinctive style by 1935 in the United Traditional pop or Classic pop or Standards music denotes in general Western (and particularly American popular music that either wholly predates the advent of Jump blues is a type of Up-tempo Blues music influenced by Big band sound Singer-songwriter is a term that refers to Performers who write, compose and sing their own material including Lyrics A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers A voice type is a particular kind of human Singing voice perceived as having certain identifying qualities or characteristics This article is related to a series of articles under the main article Voice type. In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Decca Records is a British Record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Excelsior Recordings is an independent record label located in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as Natalie Cole (born Natalie Maria Cole on February 6 1950) is an influential American Singer-songwriter and performer who has Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7 1917 &ndash December 25 1995 was an American Singer, Film Actor, television personality Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Singer-songwriter is a term that refers to Performers who write, compose and sing their own material including Lyrics A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra

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. Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech.

Contents 1 Childhood and Chicago 2 Los Angeles and the King Cole Trio 3 Early singing career 4 Making television history 5 Cancellation and racism 6 1950s and beyond 7 Death and posthumous achievements 8 Marriage, children and other personal details 9 Politics 10 Notable TV appearances (other than his own) 11 Discography (albums) 12 Filmography 12.1 Features 12.2 Short subjects 13 See also 14 References 15 External links

Childhood and Chicago

Cole was born in Montgomery, Alabama. Montgomery (məntˈgəmɜriː is the Capital, second most populous city and the 4th most populous metropolitan area in the Southern U Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. His birth date, according to the World Almanac, was on Saint Patrick's Day in 1919;^[1] other sources have erroneously listed his birthdate as 1917. The World Almanac and Book of Facts is an American-published Reference work and is the bestselling almanac conveying information about such subjects as world changes Saint Patrick's Day (Lá ’le Pádraig or Lá Fhéile Pádraig) colloquially St His father was a preacher in the Baptist church. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. His family moved to Chicago, Illinois, while he was still a child. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. There, his father became a minister; Nat's mother, Perlina, was the church organist. Nat learned to play the organ from his mother until the age of 12, when he began formal lessons. The organ (from Greek όργανον – organon "organ instrument tool" is a Keyboard instrument of one or more divisions each His first performance, at age four, was of Yes, We Have No Bananas. " Yes! We Have No Bananas " is the title of a Novelty song by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn that was a major hit in 1923 and one of the He learned not only jazz and gospel music, but European classical music as well, performing, as he said, "from Johann Sebastian Bach to Sergei Rachmaninoff. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Gospel music is Music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life as well as (in terms of the varying music styles to Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section.2 This article is written in British English including maximised use of "-ise" WikipediaWikiProject Composers#Lead section --> Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff (Сергей Васильевич Рахманинов "

The family lived in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. Neighborhoods Bronzeville Chicago --> Bronzeville is a neighborhood located in the Douglas and Grand Boulevard Nat would sneak out of the house and hang outside the clubs, listening to artists such as Louis Armstrong, Earl "Fatha" Hines, and Jimmie Noone. Louis Armstrong (August 4 1901 &ndash July 6 1971 nicknamed Satchmo or Sachimo and Pops, was an American Jazz Trumpeter Earl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, ( 28 December, 1903 Duquesne Pennsylvania &ndash 22 April Jimmie Noone (or Jimmy Noone; born April 23 1895 in Cut Off Louisiana &ndash died April 19 1944 in Los Angeles He participated in Walter Dyett's renowned music program at DuSable High School. Walter Henri Dyett (1901&ndash1969 was an American violinist and music educator DuSable High School is a Bronzeville high school opened in 1934

Inspired by the playing of Earl Hines, Cole began his performing career in the mid 1930s while he was still a teenager, and adopted the name "Nat Cole". Earl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, ( 28 December, 1903 Duquesne Pennsylvania &ndash 22 April His older brother, Eddie Coles, a bassist, soon joined Nat's band and they first recorded in 1936 under Eddie's name. Bass (pronounced like the word "base" refers to a variety of Musical instruments that can be collectively regarded as bass instruments since they produce They were also regular performers at clubs. In fact, Nat got his nickname "King" performing at one jazz club, a nickname presumably reinforced by the otherwise-unrelated nursery rhyme about Old King Cole. A legendary king of Celtic Britain, about all that can be said about Old King Cole with any certainty is that Old King Cole was a merry He was also a pianist in a national touring revival of ragtime and Broadway theatre legend, Eubie Blake's revue, "Shuffle Along". A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra Ragtime (alternately spelled Rag-time) is an American musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918 Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located James Hubert Blake ( February 7, 1887 &ndash February 12 1983) was a Composer, Lyricist, and pianist of Ragtime When it suddenly failed in Long Beach, California, Cole decided to remain there. Long Beach is a city located in southern California, USA, on the Pacific coast

Los Angeles and the King Cole Trio

Nat Cole and three other musicians formed the "King Cole Swingers" in Long Beach and played in a number of local bars before getting a gig on the Long Beach Pike for US$90 per week. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been

Nat married a dancer Megan Robinson, who was also with Shuffle Along, and moved to Los Angeles where he formed the Nat King Cole Trio. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The trio consisted of Nat on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Wesley Prince on double bass. Oscar Moore ( December 25 1916 &ndash October 8 1981) was an American swing Jazz guitarist. The trio played in Los Angeles throughout the late 1930s and recorded many radio transcriptions. Nat's role was that of piano player and leader of the combo.

It is a common misconception that Nat Cole's singing career did not start until a drunken barroom patron demanded that he sing "Sweet Lorraine". In fact, Nat Cole has gone on record as saying that the fabricated story "sounded good, so I just let it ride. " In fact Nat Cole frequently sang in between instrumental numbers. Noticing that people started to request more vocal numbers, he obliged. Yet, the story of the insistent customer is not without merit. There was such a customer who did request a certain song one night, but a song that Nat did not know. Instead he sang "Sweet Lorraine". The trio was tipped 15 cents for the performance, a nickel apiece (Nat King Cole: An Intimate Biography, Maria Cole with Louie Robinson, 1971).

During World War II, Wesley Prince left the group and Cole replaced him with Johnny Miller. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Miller would later be replaced by Charlie Harris in the 1950s. Charlie Harris was an American Jazz Double-bassist Harris was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. 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. Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as Revenues from Cole's record sales fueled much of Capitol Records' success during this period, and are believed to have played a significant role in financing the distinctive Capitol Records building on Hollywood and Vine, in Los Angeles. Hollywood and Vine, the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood Los Angeles California, became famous in the 1920s for its concentration Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Completed in 1956, it was the world's first circular office building and became known as "the house that Nat built. "

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). Jazz at the Philharmonic or JATP (1944 - 1983 was the title of a series of Concerts and Recordings produced by Norman Granz (1918 - 2001 Mercury Records is a Record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Music Group in the US and are both subsidiaries of His revolutionary lineup of piano, guitar and bass in the time of the big bands became a popular set up for a jazz trio. 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. Arthur Tatum Jr ( October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American Jazz Pianist and Virtuoso. Erroll Louis Garner ( June 15 1921 &ndash January 2 1977) was an American Jazz Pianist and Composer Oscar Emmanuel Peterson, CC, CQ, OOnt ( 15 August 1925 – 23 December 2007) was a Canadian Ahmad Jamal, born July 2, 1930, is a noted American Jazz Pianist. Thomas Lee Flanagan ( 16 March, 1930 &ndash 16 November, 2001) was an American Jazz Pianist born in Detroit Charles Brown ( September 13, 1922 &ndash January 21, 1999) born in Texas City Texas was an American Blues singer and Ray Charles Robinson ( September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) known by his Stage name Ray Charles, was an American He also performed as a pianist on sessions with Lester Young, Red Callender, and Lionel Hampton. Lester Willis Young ( August 27, 1909 &ndash March 15, 1959) nickname 'Prez' was an American Jazz tenor Saxophonist Red Callender, ( March 6 1916 &ndash March 8 1992) was a jazz bass and tuba player famous for his work with Duke Ellington 's Orchestra Lionel Leo Hampton ( April 20, 1908 &ndash August 31, 2002) was an American Jazz Vibraphonist, Percussionist The Page Cavanaugh Trio with the same set up as Cole came out of the chute about the same time, at the end of the war. It's still a toss up as to who was first, though generally agreed the credit goes to Nat Cole.

Early singing career

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. History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological Johnny Mercer invited him to record it for the fledgling Capitol Records label. John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer ( November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American Songwriter and Singer Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as It sold over 500,000 copies, and proved that folk-based material could appeal to a wide audience. Although Nat would never be considered a rocker, the song can be seen as anticipating the first rock and roll records. There are many candidates for the title of the first rock and roll record, but it is arguable whether any such thing exists Indeed, Bo Diddley, who performed similar transformations of folk material, counted Cole as an influence. Bo Diddley ( December 30 1928 &ndash June 2 2008, born Ellas Otha Bates) was an original and influential American

Beginning in the late 1940s, Cole began recording and performing more pop-oriented material for mainstream audiences, often accompanied by a string orchestra. The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949 Events and trends The 1940s was a period between the radical 1930s and the conservative 1950s which also leads the period to be A string orchestra is understood as an Orchestra composed solely of instruments of the Violin family. His stature as a popular icon was cemented during this period by hits such as "The Christmas Song" (Cole recorded the tune four times: June 14, 1946 as a pure Trio recording; August 19, 1946 with an added string section; August 24, 1953; and again in 1961 for the double album, The Nat King Cole Story. "Christmas Song" redirects here For the Mannheim Steamroller record of the same name see Christmas Song (album. This final version, recorded in stereo, is the one most often heard today. ), "Nature Boy" (1948), "Mona Lisa" (1950), "Too Young" (the #1 song in 1951)[1], and his signature tune "Unforgettable" (1951). " Nature Boy " is a song by Eden ahbez, published in 1947 " Mona Lisa " is an Academy Award-winning song written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the Paramount Pictures film Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. "Unforgettable" is a popular Song written by Irving Gordon. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January 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, for instance, he recorded an all-jazz album, After Midnight. "Sold Out" redirects here For other uses see Sold Out (disambiguation or Selling Out (disambiguation. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. After Midnight (also known as The Complete After Midnight Sessions) is a 1957 Jazz Album by Nat King Cole.

Making television history

On November 5, 1956, The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC-TV. Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. While commentators have often mistakenly hailed Cole as the first African-American to host a network television show — an honor belonging to jazz pianist and singer Hazel Scott in 1950 — the Cole program was the first of its kind hosted by a star of Nat Cole's magnitude. Hazel Dorothy Scott ( June 11, 1920 – October 2, 1981) was a Jazz and classical Pianist and Singer

Initially begun as a 15-minute show on Monday night, the show was expanded to a half hour in July 1957. Despite the efforts of NBC, as well as many of Cole's industry colleagues (beginning with Frankie Laine, who was the first white singer to break the "colour barrier" by appearing as a guest on a black entertainer's show) -- most of whom, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte, Mel Tormé, Peggy Lee, and Eartha Kitt — worked for industry scale in order to help the show save money, The Nat King Cole Show was ultimately done in by a lack of national sponsorship. Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio ( Chicago, March 30, 1913 – San Diego, February 6, 2007) Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25 1917 &ndash June 15 1996 also known as " Lady Ella " and the "First Lady of Song" is considered one of the most influential Harold George Belafonte Jr (born March 1 1927 is an American musician actor and Social activist. Melvin Howard Tormé ( September 13, 1925 &ndash June 5, 1999) nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician known as Peggy Lee ( May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002) was an American Jazz and popular music singer and Songwriter Eartha Mae Kitt (born on January 17 1927) is an American actress, Singer, and Cabaret star Companies such as Rheingold Beer assumed regional sponsorship of the show, but a national sponsor never appeared. Rheingold Beer founded in 1883 is a New York Beer that held 35 percent of the state's beer market from 1950 to 1960

The last episode of The Nat King Cole Show aired 17 December 1957. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Cole had survived for over a year, and it was he, not NBC, who ultimately decided to pull the plug on the show. NBC, as well as Cole himself, had been operating at an extreme financial loss. Commenting on the lack of sponsorship his show received, Cole quipped shortly after its demise, "Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark. " This statement, plus the passing of time, has fueled the urban legend that Cole's show had to close down despite enormous popularity. In fact, the Cole program was routinely beaten by the competition at ABC, then riding high with its travel and western shows. The American Broadcasting Company ( ABC) is an American Television network. In addition, musical variety series have always been risky enterprises with a fickle public; among the one-season casualties are Frank Sinatra in 1957, Judy Garland in 1963 and Julie Andrews in 1972. Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10 1922 – June 22 1969 was an American actress and singer Dame Julie Elizabeth Andrews, DBE (born Julia Elizabeth Wells on October 1 1935) is an award-winning English Actress

Cancellation and racism

The TV show was ultimately cancelled because potential sponsors shied away from showcasing a black artist. Cole fought racism all his life and refused to perform in segregated venues. List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that In 1956, he was assaulted on stage while singing the song "Little Girl" in Birmingham, Alabama, by three members of the North Alabama White Citizens' Council (a group led by Education of Little Tree author Asa "Forrest" Carter, himself not among the attackers) who apparently were attempting to kidnap him. Birmingham (ˈbɝmɪŋhæm is the largest City in the US state of Alabama and is the County seat of Jefferson County. The White Citizens' Council ( WCC) was an American white supremacist organization The attack began at the rear of the auditorium when three men ran down the aisles towards Cole and his band. The invasion of the stage was quickly snuffed out by local law enforcement but in the ensuing melée, he was toppled from his piano bench and injured his back. Cole did not finish the concert and never again performed in the South. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive A fourth member of the group who had participated in the plot was later arrested in connection with the act. All were later tried and convicted for their roles in the crime. ^[2]

1950s and beyond

Throughout the 1950s, Cole continued to rack up hit after hit, including "Smile", "Pretend", "A Blossom Fell", and "If I May". The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive " Smile " is a pop song originally used in the soundtrack for the 1936 Charlie Chaplin movie ''Modern Times''. Pretending could refer to Pretend, a popular song by Cheri Dennis. " A Blossom Fell " is a popular Song. It was written by Howard Barnes, Harold Cornelius, and Dominic John and published His pop hits were collaborations with well-known arrangers and conductors of the day, including Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins, and Ralph Carmichael. Nelson Smock Riddle Jr ( June 1, 1921 &ndash October 6, 1985) was a well-known American bandleader arranger and Gordon Hill Jenkins ( 12 May 1910 – 1 May 1984) was an American Arranger who was an influential figure in popular music Ralph Carmichael (born 28 May 1927, Quincy, Illinois) is a Composer and Arranger of both secular pop music and Contemporary 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. Jenkins arranged Love Is the Thing, #1 on the album charts in April 1957. Love Is the Thing is a 1957 album released by American Jazz vocalist Nat King Cole.

In 1958, Cole went to Havana, Cuba, to record Cole Español, an album sung entirely in Spanish. Havana ( IPA: aˈβana officially Ciudad de La Habana, is the Capital city, major port and leading The album was so popular in Latin America as well as in the USA, that two others in the same vein followed: A Mis Amigos (sung in Spanish and Portuguese) in 1959, and More Cole Español in 1962. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. A Mis Amigos contains the Venezuelan hit "Ansiedad", whose lyrics Cole had learned while performing in Caracas in 1958. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Caracas (kaˈɾakas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela. Cole learned songs in languages other than English by rote. Rote learning is a Learning technique which avoids understanding of a subject and instead focuses on memorization.

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). Along with his contemporaries Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett, Cole found that the pop singles chart had been almost entirely taken over by youth-oriented acts. Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7 1917 &ndash December 25 1995 was an American Singer, Film Actor, television personality Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor Tony Bennett (born Anthony Dominick Benedetto; August 3 1926) is an American Singer of popular music, standards In 1960, Nat's long-time collaborator Nelson Riddle left Capitol Records for Frank Sinatra's newly formed Reprise Records label. Events January 14 - Elvis Presley is promoted to Sergeant in the U Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as Reprise Records is an American Record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra, which is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated Riddle and Cole recorded one final hit album Wild Is Love, based on lyrics by Ray Rasch and Dotty Wayne. Cole later retooled the concept album into an off-Broadway show, I'm With You. Off-Broadway plays or musicals are performed in New York City.

Cole did manage to record some hit singles during the 1960s, including the country-flavored hit "Ramblin' Rose" in August of 1962, "Dear Lonely Hearts", "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days Of Summer", and "That Sunday, That Summer". The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. "That Sunday That Summer" is a popular Song. It was written by Joe Sherman and George David Weiss and published in 1963

Cole performed in many short films,sitcoms,television shows, and played W. C. Handy in the film St. Louis Blues (1958). William Christopher Handy ( November 16 1873 &ndash March 28 1958) was a Blues Composer and Musician, often He also appeared in The Nat King Cole Story, China Gate, and The Blue Gardenia (1953) (see photo above). The Blue Gardenia is a 1953 Black-and-white Film noir directed by Fritz Lang. Cat Ballou (1965), his final film, was released several months after his death. Cat Ballou is a 1965 comedy-western film which tells the story of a woman who hires a famous gunman to avenge her father's murder but finds that the man she

Death and posthumous achievements

Cole, a heavy smoker, who'd smoke as much as three packets of cigarettes a day, died of lung cancer on February 15, 1965, while still at the height of his singing career. Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. Lung cancer is a Disease of uncontrolled Cell growth in tissues of the Lung. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The day before he died, he did a radio interview, stating: "I am feeling better than ever. I think I've finally got this cancer licked". A 1997 edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul published a story stating that Cole's wife, Maria, nearly missed his death due to car trouble, but this is an urban legend. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Chicken Soup for the Soul is a series of books usually featuring a collection of short inspirational stories and Motivational essays. An urban legend or urban myth is a form of modern Folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them ^[3]

His last album, L-O-V-E, was recorded in early December 1964 — just a few days before entering the hospital for lung cancer treatment — and released just prior to his death; it peaked at #4 on the Billboard Albums chart in the spring of 1965. Lung cancer is a Disease of uncontrolled Cell growth in tissues of the Lung. Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. A Best Of album went gold in 1968. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. His 1957 recording of "When I Fall In Love" reached #4 in the UK charts in 1987.

In 1983, an archivist for EMI Electrola Records, EMI (Capitol's parent company) Records' subsidiary in Germany, discovered some songs Cole had recorded but had never been released, including one in Japanese and another in Spanish ("Tu Eres Tan Amable"). Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Electrola was a Record label founded in Berlin in 1925 by the Gramophone Company. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities Capitol released them later that year as the LP Unreleased.

Cole was inducted into both the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Foundation First conceived by the Muscle Shoals Music Association in the early 1980s the Alabama Music Hall of Fame was created by the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame ( AJHoF) was founded in 1978 and opened a museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission " to foster encourage educate He was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990, and in 1997 was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to "performers who during their lifetimes have made creative contributions of outstanding Down Beat is an American Magazine devoted to "jazz blues and beyond" to indicate its expansion beyond the jazz realm which it covered exclusively In 2007, he was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

In 1991, Mosaic Records released The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio, an 18 compact disc set, consisting of 349 songs. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Mosaic Records is an American specialist Jazz Record label, founded in 1983 by Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie to issue coherent limited edition Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as (This special compilation also was available as a 27 high-quality LP record set. )

Nat's youngest brother Freddy Cole, and Nat's daughter, Natalie Cole are also singers. Lionel Frederick Cole (born October 15, 1931) is an American musician Natalie Cole (born Natalie Maria Cole on February 6 1950) is an influential American Singer-songwriter and performer who has In the summer of 1991, Natalie and her father had an unexpected hit when Natalie mixed her own voice with her father's 1961 rendition of "Unforgettable", as part of her album paying tribute to her father's music. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. "Unforgettable" is a popular Song written by Irving Gordon. The song and the album of the same name won seven Grammy awards in 1992.

Marriage, children and other personal details

There has been some confusion as to Cole's actual year of birth. Nat himself used four different dates on official documents: 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1919. However, Nathaniel is listed with his parents and older siblings in the 1920 U. S. Federal census for Montgomery Ward 7 and his age is given as nine months old. Since this is a contemporary record, it is very likely he was born in 1919. This is also consistent with the 1930 census which finds him at age 11 with his family in Chicago's Ward 3. In the 1920 census, the race of all members of the family (Ed. , Perlina, Eddie M. , Edward D. , Evelina and Nathaniel) is recorded as mulatto. Cole's birth year is also listed as 1919 at the Nat King Cole Society's web site. [2]

Cole's first marriage, to Nadine Robinson, ended in 1948. On March 28, 1948 (Easter Sunday), just six days after his divorce became final, Nat King Cole married singer Maria Hawkins Ellington — no relation to Duke Ellington although she had sung with Ellington's band. Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29 1899 &ndash May 24 1974 was an American Composer, Pianist, and Bandleader. They were married in Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church by Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. They had five children: daughter Natalie was born in 1950, followed by adoption of Carol (the daughter of Maria's sister, born in 1944) and an adopted son Nat Kelly Cole (born in 1959), who died in 1995 at 36. Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, long known as a major African American cultural and business center Rev Adam Clayton Powell Jr ( November 29 1908 &ndash April 4 1972) was an American politician who represented Harlem Natalie Cole (born Natalie Maria Cole on February 6 1950) is an influential American Singer-songwriter and performer who has Twin girls Casey and Timolin were born in 1961.

In 1948, Cole purchased a house in the all-white Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. White People is the second album by Handsome Boy Modeling School. Hancock Park is a historic and affluent urban neighborhood in Los Angeles California. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The property owners association told Cole they did not want any undesirables moving in. Cole retorted "Neither do I. And if I see anybody undesirable coming in here, I'll be the first to complain. "

Cole carried on affairs throughout his marriage. By the time he developed lung cancer, he was estranged from his wife Maria in favor of actress Gunilla Hutton, best known as Nurse Goodbody of Hee Haw fame. Gunilla Freeman Hutton (born May 15 1944 in Gothenburg, Sweden) is a Swedish actress perhaps most notable for her roles as the second Billie For the EP by The Birthday Party, see Hee Haw (EP Hee Haw was a Television Variety show co-hosted However, he was together with his wife during his illness and she stayed with him until his death. In interview, his wife Maria has expressed no lingering resentment over his affairs, but rather emphasised his musical legacy and the class he exhibited in all other aspects of his life.

Cole was a heavy smoker of KOOL menthol cigarettes, smoking up to three packs a day. KOOL is a brand of Menthol cigarette, introduced in 1933, that has marketed itself towards the "sophisticated man" He believed smoking kept his voice low. (He would, in fact, smoke several cigarettes in quick succession before a recording for this very purpose. A cigarette ( French "small Cigar " from cigar + -ette) is a product consumed through Smoking and manufactured ) He died of lung cancer on February 15, 1965, at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. Lung cancer is a Disease of uncontrolled Cell growth in tissues of the Lung. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Saint John's Health Center is a Hospital in Santa Monica, California, USA. His funeral was held at St. James Episcopal Church on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. His remains were interred inside Freedom Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Los Angeles. Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately-owned Cemetery in Glendale, Los Angeles, in the United States. Glendale ( is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States.

Politics

On August 23, 1956, Cole spoke at the Republican National Convention in the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Cow Palace (originally known as the California State Livestock Pavilion) is an indoor arena in Daly City California, situated on the border of The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. He was also present at the Democratic National Convention in 1960, to throw his support behind President John F. Kennedy. The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of Cole was also among the dozens of entertainers recruited by Frank Sinatra to perform at the Kennedy Inaugural gala in 1961. Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor Nat King Cole frequently consulted with President Kennedy (and later President Johnson) on civil rights.

Notable TV appearances (other than his own)

• Ed Sullivan: Nat King Cole was on the Ed Sullivan show six times before his own show ran regularly in 1957. Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan ( September 28, 1901 – October 13, 1974) was an American Entertainment Writer He appeared twice after his show ended, once in 1958 and once in 1961.

Nat King Cole Appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show by: Season, Episode and Production Number, Air Date, Episode Title

• • Season 9 (380. The Ed Sullivan Show was an American television Variety show that ran from June 20, 1948 to June 6, 9-2 02-Oct-1955)
    • Scheduled: Nat King Cole; "Fanny" cast and Josh Logan
  • Season 9 (383. 9-5 23-Oct-1955)
    • Scheduled: Nat King Cole & wife Maria; Jack Palance and Rod Steiger
  • Season 9 (404. Jack Palance (born Volodymyr Palahniuk; February 18, 1919 – November 10, 2006) was an Oscar -winning American Rod Steiger ( April 14, 1925 – July 9, 2002) was an American Academy Award -winning Actor known for his 9-26 18-Mar-1956)
    • Scheduled: Marcel Marceau; Eli Wallach; Nat King Cole and Cesare Siepe
  • Season 9 (405. 9-27 25-Mar-1956)
    • Scheduled: Nat King Cole; Jack Carter and Reese & Davis
  • Season 9 (411. 9-33 06-May-1956)
    • Scheduled: Tony Martin; Nat King Cole; Edie Adams; The Lovers and Will Jordan
  • Season 9 (416. 9-38 10-Jun-1956)
    • Scheduled: Nat King Cole; Bob Hope (on film); Jack Carter and film: "A Short Vision"
  • Season 11 (510. 11-29 13-Apr-1958)
    • Scheduled: Nat King Cole; Mickey Mantle; Yogi Berra and Jack Norworth
  • Season 14 (648. 14-16 29-Jan-1961)
    • Scheduled: Carmen McRae; Carol Channing and Nat King Cole
• Dinah Shore: Nat King Cole was also on the Dinah Shore show – singing "Mr. Cole Won’t Rock & Roll" — in the early-1960s.
• Your Show of Shows . . . aka Sid Caesar's Show of Shows - Episode dated 12 September 1953. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
• What's My Line? (Mystery Guest, December 6, 1953)
• An Evening With Nat King Cole BBC Special 1963. What's My Line? is a weekly panel Game show which was produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Discography (albums)

Main article: Nat King Cole discography‎

Filmography

Features

• Citizen Kane (1941) (off-screen)
• Here Comes Elmer (1943)
• Pistol Packin' Mama (1943)
• Pin Up Girl (1944)
• Stars on Parade (1944)
• Swing in the Saddle (1944)
• See My Lawyer (1945)
• Breakfast in Hollywood (1946)
• Killer Diller (1948)
• Make Believe Ballroom (1949)
• The Blue Gardenia (1953)
• Small Town Girl (1953)
• Rock 'n' Roll Revue (1955)
• Rhythm and Blues Revue (1955)
• Basin Street Revue (1956)
• The Scarlet Hour (1956)
• Istanbul (1957)
• China Gate (1957)
• St. Louis Blues (1958)
• Night of the Quarter Moon (1959)
• Schlager-Raketen (1960)
• Cat Ballou (1965)

Short subjects

• King Cole Trio & Benny Carter Orchestra (1950)
• Nat King Cole and Joe Adams Orchestra (1952)
• Nat King Cole and Russ Morgan and His Orchestra (1953)
• The Nat King Cole Musical Story (1955)

See also

• List of African American firsts

References

External links

• The Nat King Cole Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving his memory
• Discography at Starpulse.
• Discography at Classic TV Info.
• The Unfortgettable Nat King Cole
• NPR Jazz Profiles - The Pianist.
• NPR Jazz Profiles - The Singer.
• Biography at Tiscali Music.
• Biography at everything2.
• Allmusic entry.
• The Nat King Cole Show Episode Guide at Classic TV Info.
• Nat King Cole's Gravesite
• Nat King Cole's Everytime I Feel The Spirit album information at Discogs

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