The next month, he underwent surgery to remove the lung, but it was too late. "The Nat "King" Cole Show," Museum of Broadcast Communications, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Nat_King_Cole&oldid=1086902, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License, Vocal jazz, swing, traditional pop, jump blues. Despite the fact that Nat King Cole is revered today as a vocal legend, he never intentionally pursued a singing career. , 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. 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). According to NPR, he sold over 50 million records and had hit after hit during his career, including more than 30 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 (via Billboard). The show ultimately failed due to its inability to attract national sponsors because the program was hosted by a black person. Naxos of America / OKeh Records AllMusic Quiz. Children: 5, including Natalie Cole. there was no despair in his inter-pretations. Cole frequently consulted with President Kennedy (and later President Johnson) on the issue of civil rights. They were also regular performers at clubs. 4th Annual GRAMMY Awards. A Best Of album went gold in 1968. 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. The resulting broken rhythms disrupted the squared-off regularity of James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, and the other Harlem-based stride pianists of the period. Maria Cole [1] ( ne Hawkins; August 1, 1922 - July 10, 2012) was an American jazz singer and the wife of singer Nat King Cole; mother of the singer Natalie Cole. According to Performing Songwriter, it was the first time that a holiday classic was introduced by a Black American, and it "opened the door for Lou Rawls, Ray Charles and many others to record their own takes on yuletide classics.". When I Fall in Love: The One and Only Nat King Cole. Cole felt confident that commercial sponsors would support the program, but advertisers worried that white Southern audiences would boycott their products. As Cole described, while they "didn't bend over backwards" to please white audiences, they certainly did not want to offend them (viaReel Rundown). [10] In December 2011, Billboard began a Holiday Songs chart with 50 positions that monitors the last five weeks of each year to "rank the top holiday hits of all eras using the same methodology as the Hot 100, blending streaming, airplay, and sales data",[11] and in 2013 the number of positions on the chart was doubled, resulting in the Holiday 100. 1930s - 1960s. The day before he died, he did a radio interview, stating: "I am feeling better than ever. Volume 4 is also issued in a box set of three 45-rpm records. Cole learned songs in languages other than English by rote. What some may not know, though, is that he recorded four versions of the song. According to Reel Rundown, Nat King Cole never planned to be the first Black man to host his own television program, but when he was offered the gig, he knew its significance. Start your risk free trial with unlimited access. Cole reportedly carried on affairs throughout his marriage. Labels. His father was a preacher in the Baptist church. Suddenly, while he was right in the middle of a song, a group of white men who were associated with an "offshoot of the KKK" ran toward the stage and assaulted him. Later, in 1953, he recorded a rearrangement made by Nelson Riddle. In 1956, Nat King Cole was a superstar, selling millions of records and touring all over the country. Singer. As a result, the King Cole Trio disbanded in 1951, and it was as a pop singer, not a jazz instrumentalist, that Cole was known thereafter and to this day. Lullaby of Harlem. "I lost my baby in December. Cole Wont Rock and Roll (1962) that served only to make him look even further out of touch. With his immense popularity, his first couple of roles in the 1940s were guest appearances that had him "largely playing some version of himself," as told by Biography. 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. Privacy Policy. The program featured some of the hottest stars of the day, both Black and white, including Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet, Count Basie, Peggy Lee, and more. Please enter your email address. Nor have I joined an organization fighting segregation. He died of lung cancer in February, 1965, when he was forty-five years old. When he was attacked in Birmingham, Alabama, by a group of white supremacists, he was baffled at the violence he endured, saying, "I can't understand it. The trio consisted of Nat on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Wesley Prince on double bass. 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. 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. We want to hear your thoughts about this article. In July 1948, Nat King Cole and his new wife began house-hunting, as described by Curbed. The Best of the Nat King Cole Trio: The Vocal Classics 1942-46. Sold for 32.24 USD on 22 Mar 2022 (4 bids) 78 rpm. Cole was dedicated to seeing the pioneering show succeed, not for the money but to break down barriers and disprove racial prejudices. As if in recognition of the fact, his health began to deteriorate in the fall of 1964. 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. Nature Boy, Mona Lisa, Too Young, A Blossom Fell, and Unforgettable were among his major hits of the period. One cosmetics representative claimed that a "negro" couldn't sell lipstick, to which Cole angrily responded, "What do they think we use? He passed away in February 1965 aged 45. The Guardian reported how someone came at Cole's knees and knocked him to the ground, injuring his back. According to the Los Angeles Times, Cole was aware of his impending death. Might Cole have undergone a similar professional revival had he not died prematurely? They tried a couple of places, including Beverly Hills, but ultimately wanted somewhere away from the paparazzi and rowdy fans. Nat was piano player and leader of the combo. Nathaniel Adams Coles (he changed his last name to . Though they recorded for the same label and worked with many of the same arrangers, the two men had little in common as singers. According to AllMusic, the two joined forces after Eddie returned from touring with Noble Sissle's band and formed their own swing sextet. In 1956, "The Nat King Cole Show" was the first of its kind for a known Black performer. Shop with confidence. The Nat King Cole Story [45rpm 200g Vinyl] by Nat King Cole (Vinyl, Jan-2011, 5 Discs, Analogue Productions) For a number of these recordings, the orchestral accompaniment was directed and arranged by the gifted Nelson Riddle and Gordon Jenkins during the early 60s. Nat King Cole Capitol Records LP Vinyl Records, Go Betweens LP Vinyl Records, Initially, Cole refused, replying, "We don't sing." The brothers were also hired to perform in the "revival of the all-black Broadway musical revue Shuffle Along" for their Chicago stop. In 1991, Mosaic Records released The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio, an 18 compact disc set, consisting of 349 songs. Back to home page | At the same time, though, he was highly influenced by his brother Eddie, who was six years older and a big fan of the popular jazz music that their father criticized. Incredibly, Coles singing was as extraordinary as his playing. After 14 frustrating months, Cole called it quits, crisply telling a newspaper columnist that Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.. in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. 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. He was survived by his wife, Maria, and five children; three biological and two adopted. ", 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. Cole did not finish the concert and never again performed in the South. With a catalog full of memorable love songs, Nat King Cole certainly had his own interesting experiences with romance. visit to New York during his early twenties, he met and ultimately married Maria Hawkins, a singer from Boston. Cole appeared frequently on popular variety programs hosted by Perry Como, Milton Berle, Ed Sullivan, and others. 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. 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. Cole struggled against racism throughout his career and on April 10, 1956, at Birmingham, Alabama, he was attacked by three white men from a white-supremacist group during a concert and sustained minor injuries to his back. There were several covers of Nat Cole's original record in the 1940s. The second version, released in November, established the song as a seasonal standard, and three days after recording it, Cole made an even more successful trio-only record of (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons that shot to the No. The first of these was said to be by Dick Haymes on the Decca label, but his was released first - not recorded first. Thousands flocked to build a life on South . On March 28, 1948 (Easter Sunday), just six days after his divorce became final, Cole married singer Maria Hawkins Ellingtonno relation to Duke Ellington although she had sung with Ellington's band. Parts of our site will not function correctly without them. Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth II. In December of 1964, Cole had a health crisis that forced him to cancel a show (via Los Angeles Times). Evan Tyrone Martin's homage to the late beloved singer continues with a holiday tribute show, "An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas," which Martin will perform at the Marriott Theatre on . Nat King Cole. Gone too soon at only 45 years old, Cole still managed to leave a lasting impact on music, culture, and history. Found 396 items. His talents extended beyond singing and piano playing: he excelled as a relaxed and humorous stage personality, and he was also a capable actor, evidenced by his performances in the films Istanbul (1957), China Gate (1957), Night of the Quarter Moon (1959), and Cat Ballou (1965); he also played himself in The Nat King Cole Musical Story (1955) and portrayed blues legend W.C. Copyright Songwriters Hall of Fame 2023. He learned not only jazz and gospel music, but European classical music as well. 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. 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. Cole later retooled the concept album into an off-Broadway show, I'm With You. 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. 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. . 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. The Nat King Cole Story [45rpm 200g Vinyl] by Nat King Cole (Vinyl, Jan-2011, 5 Discs, Analogue Productions) $1,199.00 New. By the start of the 1960s, Cole was only getting more popular. I have not taken part in any protests. 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. [12] A handful of Cole recordings have made appearances on the Holiday 100 and are noted below according to the holiday season in which they charted there. In 1956, "The Nat King Cole Show" was the first of its kind for a known Black performer. Before his tragic death, Cole underwent cancer surgery, which resulted in the removal of one of his lungs, per Los Angeles Times. This page was last edited on 11 November 2022, at 01:27. 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). Johnny Mercer invited him to record it for the fledgling Capitol Records label. The couple's lavish Harlem wedding took place only six days after Cole and Robinson's divorce was finalized. Died His deep, smooth voice remains one of the most recognizable on record, while his pop material and sentimental arrangements appealed to mainstream tastes. Click here to send a letter to the editor. You will receive a link to create a new password via email. Jenkins arranged Love Is the Thing, #1 on the album charts in April 1957. NAT KING COLE 78 RPM GRAMOPHONE RECORDS X 8. Chalk? 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.". Throughout his career, Cole remained extremely close to his wife, Maria, and to their five children, Carol, Natalie, Kelly, and the twins, Timolin and Casey. 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. Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events. Missing, however, is the element of contrast that Cole supplied when he started singing with the trio. And yet, many of his 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. This article contains a list of albums by Nat King Cole and compilations of his recordings, together with a list of his chart singles. Who are you backing for this week's Official Number 1 single? Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events, How To Watch The 2023 GRAMMYs & Live Red Carpet, ARTIST/RECORD LABEL/MEDIA REGISTRATION (OEP). Nat King Cole 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. Although Nat would never be considered a rocker, the song can be seen as anticipating the first rock and roll records. 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. During a neighborhood meeting, the residents expressed that they simply didn't want undesirables around, to which Cole replied, "Neither do I, and if I see any undesirables coming in here, I'll be the first to complain.". He was, without a doubt, a pioneer, but that doesn't mean his many successes came without struggles. They tried a couple of places, including Beverly Hills, but ultimately wanted somewhere away from the paparazzi and rowdy fans.

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