. You also need to do it for the public.. Omissions? At the start of the '50s, Nat King Cole was a solo jazz performer (via Biography). Gone too soon at only 45 years old, Cole still managed to leave a lasting impact on music, culture, and history. Not much is publicly known about this first marriage, which came to an end about 11 years later in 1948. Have one to sell? 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. Released in 1958, St. Louis Blues, in which Cole played the legendary blues musician W.C. His show only lasted for one season, but in one year Cole had filmed some 53 episodes, per IMDb,paving the way for other Black television hosts. The attack began at the rear of the auditorium when three men ran down the aisles towards Cole and his band. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here: The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia: Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed. 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. 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. Updates? Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy and its Affiliates lies with the story's original source or writer. Genealogy profile for Nat King Cole. 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. Grove Music Online. 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 . 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. UK. Cat Ballou (1965), his final film, was released several months after his death. ISBN links support NWE through referral fees. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nat-King-Cole, Turner Classic Movies - Biography of Nat King Cole, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Biography of Nat "King" Cole, Encyclopedia of Alabama - Biography of Nat "King" Cole, Nat King Cole - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. Start your risk free trial with unlimited access. 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. In addition to being a skilled pianist, famous vocalist, and likable stage personality, according to Britannica, Cole also spent some time acting. However, he was with his wife during his illness and she stayed with him until his death. Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events. But after some prodding from the manager who insisted since the customer was a "big spender," Cole agreed. 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. As a teenager, Cole became caught up in a relationship with a woman ten years older than him, according toObserver. Naxos of America / OKeh Records AllMusic Quiz. Ballerina, Funny, The Continental, I Wish You Love, You Leave Me Breathless, Thou Swell, My Kind Of Love, Surrey With The Fringe On Top, Where Or When, Miss Otis Regrets, Joe Turner's Blues, Mr. Cole Won't . Instead, he was content to be nothing moreor lessthan a first-rate popular singer, and the reissue in 1991 of an 18-CD boxed set of the King Cole Trios recordings for Capitol triggered a revival of interest in his earlier work as a jazz pianist. Only one person other than Cole's wife would get to visit Cole before he died, and that was comedian Jack Benny. In Will Friedwalds well-chosen words, he could do almost anything that any other artist could do, but no one else could do what he did.. Sell it yourself. Booklet Volumes 1 and 2 contain 4 shellac records. 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.". Perhaps her single most popular work to date, was her number one Elektra recording last year of Unforgettable, one of her fathers biggest-selling hits of all. By the time he worked his way from Chicago to Los Angeles, settling there permanently in 1937, his playing was already fully formed. Though they recorded for the same label and worked with many of the same arrangers, the two men had little in common as singers. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Nat King Cole albums and discography on AllMusic including all best, old, and new album information. The property owners association told Cole they did not want any undesirables moving in. Cole would form a few jazz music groups before creating the King Cole Trio. 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? Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. The writers pointed out that he made a grammatical error during the last line of the bridge. The diagnosis would cut Cole's life very short, because he died not long after the discovery. Thurgood Marshall, the NAACP legal counsel at the time, even saw Cole as an "Uncle Tom." 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. 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. 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. Cole's first marriage, to Nadine Robinson, ended in 1948. Throughout the 1950s, Cole continued to rack up hit after hit, including "Smile," "Pretend," "A Blossom Fell," "If I May." Born Nathaniel Adams Coles on March 17, 1919 (although 1916 and 1917 have also been cited), in Montgomery, Alabama, Cole was born into a family with a . The Nat King Cole Story [45rpm 200g Vinyl] by Nat King Cole (Vinyl, Jan-2011, 5 Discs, Analogue Productions) According to AllMusic, the two joined forces after Eddie returned from touring with Noble Sissle's band and formed their own swing sextet. Jazz singer Nat King Cole was best known for songs like "The Christmas Song" and "Ramblin' Rose" (via Billboard). Shop with confidence. You will receive a link to create a new password via email. Singer. But music-industry insiders had already taken note of the King Cole Trio and its leader, and one of them, the songwriter Johnny Mercer, signed the group to a contract with Capitol, a new record label founded by Mercer himself that quickly became an industry powerhouse. His otherwise smooth-textured voice had a faintly gravelly quality heightened by his chain smoking, and he sang with tuning-fork intonation and lapidary enunciation, though his drawn-out pronunciation of certain vowels, the long i of I and my in particular, was so idiosyncratic that Sammy Davis Jr. exaggerated it to witty effect in his uncanny impersonation of Cole (which can be viewed on YouTube). 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. His birth date was on Saint Patrick's Day in 1919. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Friedwald, Will (2006). 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." Audio CD. By the time he contracted lung cancer, he was estranged from his wife Maria while in a relationship with actress Gunilla Hutton, best known as Nurse Goodbody of Hee Haw fame. Nat King Cole, byname of Nathaniel Adams Cole, family name originally Coles, (born March 17, 1919, Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.died February 15, 1965, Santa Monica, California), American musician hailed as one of the best and most influential pianists and small-group leaders of the swing era. An African-American jazz pianist, pop vocalist, and balladeer, Cole's popularity is even more incredible considering the time period in which he thrived. Nat King Cole Capitol Records LP Vinyl Records, Go Betweens LP Vinyl Records, 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. Booklet Volumes 1 and 2 contain 4 shellac records. 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. Cole, who was greatly disappointed, made the difficult decision to pull the plug on the program. He passed away in February 1965 aged 45. New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article NAT KING COLE 78 RPM GRAMOPHONE RECORDS X 8. Moving to the west coast, Cole and three other musicians formed the "King Cole Swingers" in Long Beach and played in a number of local bars before getting a job on the Long Beach Pike for $90.00 per week. . Cole felt confident that commercial sponsors would support the program, but advertisers worried that white Southern audiences would boycott their products. They found their greatest success, however, when Cole began doubling as a solo singer. In June 1946, the King Cole Trio cut the first record of Mel Torms The Christmas Song (known for its first line, Chestnuts roasting on an open fire). This page was last edited on 11 November 2022, at 01:27. According to UDiscover Music, Cole also had perfect pitch, making him able to pick out and identify a note on the piano in an instant. King Cole!" The name stuck. Labels. He received music lessons from his mother and his family moved to Chicago when he was only five, where his father, Edward James Coles, was a minister at the True Light Baptist Church and later Pastor of the First Baptist Church . Record Of The Year Ramblin' Rose (Single) More from the 5th A Awards. Cole hit a lull in her career in the early 1980s due to her struggle with drug addiction, subsequently parting ways with Capitol Records. Spouse (s) Nat King Cole. Something went wrong. His deep, smooth voice remains one of the most recognizable on record, while his pop material and sentimental arrangements appealed to mainstream tastes. He formed his first jazz group, the Royal Dukes, five years later. 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"). . Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by The King's Men. 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