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| '''Nat "King" Cole''' (], ] - ], ]) was born '''Nathaniel Adams Coles''' in ], ], a singer and ] musician. | '''Nat "King" Cole''' (], ] - ], ]) was born '''Nathaniel Adams Coles''' in ], ], a singer and ] musician. | ||
| His family moved to ] while he was still a young child. The year of this birth has also been reported as 1917, but according to Daniel Mark Epstein's biography, the 1920 Census reports Nat as an infant. | His family moved to ] while he was still a young child. The year of this birth has also been reported as 1917, but according to Daniel Mark Epstein's biography of Cole, the 1920 Census reports Nat as an infant. | ||
| He began recording in ], working with his brother, ]. In spite of this, Cole did not achieve widespread popularity until ''Sweet Lorraine'' in ] (see ]). During the ] he sang and played with the King Cole Trio, which consisted of Nat on ], ] on ], and Wesley Prince or Johnny Miller on Bass. | He began recording in ], working with his brother, ]. In spite of this, Cole did not achieve widespread popularity until ''Sweet Lorraine'' in ] (see ]). During the ] he sang and played with the King Cole Trio, which consisted of Nat on ], ] on ], and Wesley Prince or Johnny Miller on Bass. | ||
Revision as of 12:59, 20 November 2003
Nat "King" Cole (March 17, 1919 - February 15, 1965) was born Nathaniel Adams Coles in Montgomery, Alabama, USA, a singer and jazz musician.
His family moved to Chicago, Illinois while he was still a young child. The year of this birth has also been reported as 1917, but according to Daniel Mark Epstein's biography of Cole, the 1920 Census reports Nat as an infant.
He began recording in 1936, working with his brother, Eddie Coles. In spite of this, Cole did not achieve widespread popularity until Sweet Lorraine in 1940 (see 1940 in music). During the 1940s he sang and played with the King Cole Trio, which consisted of Nat on Piano, Oscar Moore on Guitar, and Wesley Prince or Johnny Miller on Bass.
Virtually unique at the time, Cole reached out to mainstream audiences with the #1 hit Mona Lisa in 1950. This began a new phase in his career, primarily as a pop balladeer, though he never totally ignored his roots in jazz.
In 1948 Cole purchased a house in the all-white Hancock Park neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. The property owners association told Cole they didn't want any undesireables moving in. Cole retorted "Neither do I. And if I see anybody undesireable coming in here, I'll be the first to complain."
He married Maria Ellington and had several children. His daughter, Natalie Cole and his younger brother, Freddie Cole are both singers.
Nat King Cole died of lung cancer in 1965 and was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Glendale, California, USA.
Notable Songs
- Straighten Up and Fly Right
- Sweet Lorraine
- Nature Boy (written by Eden Ahbez)
- Mona Lisa
- Lush Life
- Ramblin' Rose
- Unforgettable