Net worth | $27 million |
---|---|
Birth Name | Nathaniel Adams Coles |
Stage Name | Nat King Cole |
Birth Date | March 17, 1919 |
Birthplace | Montgomery, Alabama, United States |
Death Date | February 15, 1965 |
Place of Death | Santa Monica, California, United States |
Nationality | American |
Zodiac sign | Pisces |
Ethnicity | Black |
Religion | Christianity |
Occupation | Singer, Jazz Pianist, Actor |
Genres | Jazz, Vocal Jazz, Pop, Swing |
Instruments | Vocals, Piano |
Years Active | 1935-1965 |
Notable Achievements | Over 100 songs on the pop charts, Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame |
Notable Songs | Unforgettable, The Christmas Song, and Mona Lisa |
Introduction
Imagine a timeless melody weaving through the bustling streets of 1930s Chicago, resonating with an unmatched elegance that effortlessly captivates the soul. In this rhythmic tapestry, one name shines like a beacon of musical brilliance: Nat King Cole. With fingers that danced on the piano keys and a voice that painted emotions in vibrant hues, Cole’s journey from the smoky clubs of his youth to the grand stages of his stardom encapsulated the very essence of a golden era.
Embracing the realms of jazz and pop, his velvety voice etched unforgettable tales of love and longing, earning him a revered spot among the pantheon of greats. With over a hundred chart-topping melodies in his repertoire, Cole’s legacy transcends time, echoing through the corridors of musical history. NPR’s prestigious title of one of the “50 Great Voices” solidifies his immortal imprint on the heart of American music.
Early Life and Education
Picture a vibrant Montgomery, Alabama, drenched in the hues of a hopeful spring morning on March 17, 1919. Amidst the whispers of the wind, Nathaniel Adams Coles, the future maestro known to the world as Nat King Cole, took his first breath. With three musically inclined brothers, Eddie, Ike, and Freddy, and a half-sister, Joyce Coles, it seemed as though the rhythm of melodies coursed through their veins from the very start. As fate would have it, the Coles family soon found themselves weaving through the bustling streets of Chicago, Illinois, drawn by the ministerial calling of Edward Coles, their father.
In the heart of the Coles household, music became the language that spoke volumes. Guided by the gentle touch of his mother Perlina Coles, the church’s harmonious whispers, and the resounding notes of the organ, young Cole’s journey into the world of music began. An astonishing prodigy, he stunned audiences with his rendition of “Yes! We Have No Bananas” at the tender age of four, a mere precursor to the symphonic tale that awaited him.
The resonance of his destiny grew louder as he delved into the intricate world of piano, exploring the delicate nuances of jazz, the fervent soul of gospel, and the refined elegance of classical music, from the timeless works of Johann Sebastian Bach to the poignant compositions of Sergei Rachmaninoff. It was during these formative years that his path intersected with the tantalizing melodies of legends like Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, and Jimmie Noone, their music seeping through the walls of the clubs as he sat outside, awestruck and mesmerized.
Moving to the vibrant Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, young Cole found himself within the walls of Wendell Phillips Academy High School, where the echoes of Sam Cooke’s future footsteps could still be heard, a testament to the timeless allure of the school’s musical legacy. In Walter Dyett’s illustrious music program at DuSable High School, Cole’s passion for music was further nurtured, blossoming into a resplendent symphony that would soon enrapture the hearts of millions across the globe.
Career and Work
Work as a Singer | |
Albums | |
Year | Name |
1945 | V1: The King Cole Trio |
1946 | V2: The King Cole Trio |
1947 | V3: The King Cole Trio |
1949 | V4: The King Cole Trio |
1950 | Nat King Cole at the Piano |
1950 | Harvest of Hits |
1951 | King Cole for Kids |
1952 | Penthouse Serenade |
1952 | Top Pops |
1953 | Nat King Cole Sings for Two in Love |
1954 | Unforgettable |
1955 | Penthouse Serenade |
1955 | Nat King Cole Sings for Two In Love |
1955 | The Piano Style of Nat King Cole |
1957 | Love Is the Thing |
1957 | After Midnight |
1957 | Just One of Those Things |
1958 | Cole Español |
1958 | St. Louis Blues |
1958 | The Very Thought of You |
1958 | To Whom It May Concern |
1959 | Welcome to the Club |
1959 | A Mis Amigos |
1960 | Tell Me All About Yourself |
1960 | Every Time I Feel the Spirit |
1960 | Wild Is Love |
1960 | The Magic of Christmas |
1961 | The Nat King Cole Story |
1961 | The Touch of Your Lips |
1962 | Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays |
1962 | Ramblin’ Rose |
1962 | Dear Lonely Hearts |
1962 | More Cole Español |
1963 | Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer |
1963 | Where Did Everyone Go? |
1964 | Nat King Cole Sings My Fair Lady |
1964 | Let’s Face the Music! |
1964 | I Don’t Want to Be Hurt Anymore |
1965 | L-O-V-E |
1966 | Nat King Cole at the Sands |
1955 | 10th Anniversary Album |
1956 | Ballads of the Day |
1957 | This Is Nat King Cole |
1965 | Sings Songs from Cat Ballou & Other Motion Pictures |
1965 | Sings Hymns & Spirituals |
Songs | |
Year | Name |
1942 | That Ain’t Right |
1943 | All for You |
1944 | Straighten Up and Fly Right |
1944 | Gee, Baby, Ain’t I Good to You? |
1944 | I’m Lost |
1944 | It’s Only a Paper Moon |
1945 | If You Can’t Smile and Say Yes |
1945 | I’m a Shy Guy |
1946 | Come to Baby, Do! |
1946 | Route 66 |
1946 | You Call It Madness |
1946 | For Sentimental Reasons |
1946 | The Christmas Song |
1947 | You Don’t Learn That in School |
1947 | Save the Bones for Henry Jones |
1947 | Those Things Money Can’t Buy |
1947 | The Christmas Song |
1948 | What’ll I Do |
1948 | Nature Boy |
1948 | A Boy from Texas |
1948 | Put ’em in a Box, Tie ’em with a Ribbon |
1948 | Don’t Blame Me |
1948 | Little Girl |
1948 | Lillette |
1949 | The Christmas Song |
1949 | Kee-Mo Ky-Mo |
1949 | Flo and Joe |
1949 | My Mother Told Me |
1950 | For You My Love |
1950 | I Almost Lost My Mind |
1950 | Mona Lisa |
1950 | Home |
1950 | Orange Colored Sky |
1951 | Frosty the Snowman |
1951 | Jet |
1951 | Always You |
1951 | Too Young |
1951 | Red Sails in the Sunset |
1951 | Because of Rain |
1951 | Unforgettable |
1952 | Walkin’ |
1952 | Somewhere Along the Way |
1952 | Walkin’ My Baby Back Home |
1952 | Because You’re Mine |
1952 | The Ruby and the Pearl |
1953 | The Christmas Song |
1953 | Strange |
1953 | Pretend |
1953 | Can’t I? |
1953 | Mother Nature and Father Time |
1953 | I Am in Love |
1953 | Return to Paradise |
1953 | A Fool Was I |
1953 | Lover, Come Back to Me! |
1954 | Answer Me, My Love |
1954 | Tenderly |
1954 | It Happens to Be Me |
1954 | Make Her Mine |
1954 | Smile |
1954 | Unbelievable |
1954 | The Christmas Song |
1955 | Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup |
1955 | A Blossom Fell |
1955 | My One Sin |
1955 | Someone You Love |
1956 | Take Me Back to Toyland |
1956 | Dreams Can Tell a Lie |
1956 | Ask Me |
1956 | Too Young to Go Steady |
1956 | That’s All There Is to That |
1956 | Love Me as If There Were No Tomorrow |
1956 | Night Lights |
1957 | Ballerina |
1957 | When I Fall in Love |
1957 | When Rock and Roll Come to Trinidad |
1957 | Stardust |
1957 | Send for Me |
1957 | With You on My Mind |
1958 | Angel Smile |
1958 | Looking Back |
1958 | Come Closer to Me |
1958 | Non Dimenticar |
1959 | Give Me Your Love |
1959 | You Made Me Love You |
1959 | Midnight Flyer |
1960 | Time and the River |
1960 | My Love |
1960 | That’s You |
1960 | Just as Much as Ever |
1960 | The Christmas Song |
1960 | If I Knew |
1961 | Illusion |
1961 | Take a Fool’s Advice |
1961 | The World in My Arms |
1961 | Let True Love Begin |
1962 | Brazilian Love Song |
1962 | Step Right up |
1962 | The Right Thing to Say |
1962 | Let There Be Love |
1962 | Ramblin’ Rose |
1962 | Dear Lonely Hearts |
1962 | The Christmas Song |
1963 | All Over the World |
1963 | Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer |
1963 | That Sunday, That Summer |
1964 | My True Carrie, Love |
1964 | I Don’t Want to Be Hurt Anymore |
1964 | I Don’t Want to See Tomorrow |
1964 | More and More of Your Amor |
1966 | Looking Back |
1966 | Let Me Tell You, Babe |
1987 | When I Fall in Love |
1991 | Unforgettable |
1991 | The Christmas Song |
Work as an Actor | |
Films | |
Year | Name |
1943 | Here Comes Elmer |
1943 | Pistol Packin’ Mama |
1944 | Pin Up Girl |
1944 | Stars on Parade |
1944 | Swing in the Saddle |
1944 | See My Lawyer |
1944 | Is You Is, or Is You Ain’t My Baby? |
1945 | Frim Fram Sauce |
1946 | Breakfast in Hollywood |
1946 | Errand Boy for Rhythm |
1946 | Come to Baby Do |
1948 | Killer Diller |
1949 | Make Believe Ballroom |
1950 | King Cole Trio & Benny Carter Orchestra |
1951 | You Call It Madness |
1951 | When I Fall in Love |
1951 | The Trouble with Me Is You |
1951 | Sweet Lorraine |
1951 | Route 66 |
1951 | Nature Boy |
1951 | Mona Lisa |
1951 | Home |
1951 | For Sentimental Reasons |
1951 | Calypso Blues |
1952 | Nat King Cole and Joe Adams Orchestra |
1953 | The Blue Gardenia |
1953 | Small Town Girl |
1953 | Nat King Cole and Russ Morgan and His Orchestra |
1955 | Kiss Me Deadly |
1955 | Rhythm and Blues Revue |
1955 | Rock ‘n’ Roll Revue |
1955 | The Nat ‘King’ Cole Musical Story |
1955 | Rhythm and Blues Revue |
1956 | The Scarlet Hour |
1956 | Basin Street Revue |
1957 | Istanbul |
1957 | China Gate |
1958 | St. Louis Blues |
1959 | Night of the Quarter Moon |
1959 | Premier Khrushchev in the USA |
1960 | Schlager-Raketen |
1965 | Cat Ballou |
1989 | Benny Carter: Symphony in Riffs |
TV Series | |
Year | Name |
1950 | The Ed Sullivan Show |
1951–1952 | Texaco Star Theatre |
1952–1955 | The Jackie Gleason Show |
1953 | The Red Skelton Show |
1953–1961 | What’s My Line? |
1954–1955 | The Colgate Comedy Hour |
1955 | Ford Star Jubilee |
1956–1957 | The Nat King Cole Show |
1957–1960 | The Dinah Shore Chevy Show |
1958 | The Patti Page Show |
1959 | The Perry Como Show |
1959 | The George Gobel Show |
1960 | The Steve Allen Show |
1960 | This Is Your Life |
1960 | Academy Award Songs |
1960 | Special Gala to Support Kennedy Campaign |
1961 | Main Event |
1961–1964 | The Garry Moore Show |
1962–1964 | The Jack Paar Program |
1963 | An Evening with Nat King Cole |
1963 | An Evening with Nat King Cole |
1963 | The Danny Kaye Show |
1964 | Freedom Spectacular |
1964 | The Jack Benny Program |
Net Worth
Year | Net Worth |
1964 | $27 million |
Family and Relationship
Relation | Name/Info |
Father | Edward Coles |
Mother | Perlina Coles |
Siblings | Eddie, Ike, Freddy, and a half-sister, Joyce Coles |
Spouse | Nadine Robinson (1937-1948), Maria Hawkings (1948-1966) |
Children | Carole Cole, Natalie Cole, Timolin Cole, Nat Kelly Cole, and Casey Cole |
Achievements and Awards
Achievements and Awards |
Alabama Music Hall of Fame |
Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame |
2X Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award |
Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award |
Songwriters Hall of Fame |
DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame |
Hit Parade Hall of Fame |
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |
Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame |
NPR’s 50 Great Voices |
Sold 50 million copies |
Billboard Top 40 |
National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame |
Quick Facts
- He began playing the piano at a very young age and was influenced by jazz pianists such as Earl Hines and Art Tatum.
- His King Cole Trio became one of the most popular jazz groups of the era.
- He was one of the first African-American artists to get mainstream success in both jazz and pop music.
- He also became the first African-American artist to host a nationally syndicated TV show.
- He is still considered one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time.
FAQs
Q: What was Nat King Cole’s real name?
A: His birth name was Nathaniel Adams Coles, but he was well-known as Nat King Cole.
Q: What was Nat King Cole’s most famous song?
A: This is subjective, but some of his most popular songs include “Unforgettable,” “The Christmas Song,” and “Mona Lisa.”
Q: How did Nat King Cole die?
A: He died of Lung cancer at the age of just 45.
Q: What was Nat King Cole’s daughter’s name?
A: His daughter was Natalie Cole, who also became a successful singer
Q: What was Nat King Cole’s first hit song?
A: His first hit song was Straighten Up and Fly Right.