Capitol 78-rpm albums [ edit] Volumes 1-4 released as separate booklets in 10" format. Nat King Cole At The Sands (1966) - Antonio Morelli - Capitol Records SMAS-2434 Recorded live 1/14/1960 at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. All were later tried and convicted for the assault. From the start, Nat King Cole's mother supported his musical ambitions. Naxos of America / OKeh Records AllMusic Quiz. Nor have I joined an organization fighting segregation. Its tune can also serve as a reminder that life goes on, even in . How do the traditional Christmas standards perform on the chart? Continuing to market himself as an instrumentalist, Cole and his newly formed combo, including guitar, bass and drums, along with his piano, finally won some success on the club circuit, at a time when larger band groups and singers were considerably more popular than trios and quartets. Nathaniel Adams Coles was born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17, 1919. Something went wrong. They tried a couple of places, including Beverly Hills, but ultimately wanted somewhere away from the paparazzi and rowdy fans. With the sole exception of Louis Armstrong, he is the only major jazz musician to have been identically distinguished and influential as both an instrumentalist and a vocalist. His revolutionary lineup of piano, guitar and bass in the time of the big bands became a popular set up for a jazz trio. Initially, Cole refused, replying, "We don't sing." and The Ed Sullivan Show (on which he appeared 14 times). "I think it was too early," Kitt said, "to show ourselves off as intelligent people."[2]. Spouse (s) Nat King Cole. He was also one of the first black men to be accepted wholeheartedly by many white folks during his time, owing to his unique talent of hosting various shows. When Capitol Records signed the Beatles to its roster, Cole knew that his days as a pop superstar were numbered. He occasionally revisited his jazz roots, as on the outstanding album After Midnight (1956), which proved that Coles piano skills had not diminished. It was with this band named after and led by Eddie that Nat King Cole made his first recording: "Eddie Cole's Swingsters" recorded two singles for Decca Records in 1936. 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. Nat King Cole - Where Did Everybody Go - Used Vinyl Record lp - E34A. Cole was dedicated to seeing the pioneering show succeed, not for the money but to break down barriers and disprove racial prejudices. 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. ISBN links support NWE through referral fees. 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. ", 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. His final days were pretty grim. As of the spring of 1950, Cole's recordings were being credited simply to "Nat King Cole." On July 8 of that year, his recording of the wistful movie theme "Mona Lisa," featuring a string chart arranged by Nelson Riddle, became Cole's third number one pop hit and gold record. PinkPantheress? The show ultimately failed due to its inability to attract national sponsors because the program was hosted by a black person. Coles singing career began inadvertently when a tipsy customer at a small Hollywood bistro insisted that he sing, Sweet Lorraine, which he did to an enthused response, not only from the drunk, but from the entire audience as well. 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. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Instead, his most publicized relationship was his marriage to Maria Hawkins Ellington. The trio played in Los Angeles throughout the late 1930s and recorded many radio transcriptions. A wholly mainstream singer and entertainer, Cole was eventually offered his own TV show, which he very much wanted. Grove Music Online. For most of the '30s and '40s he was a third of this musical act. Between 1900 and 1950, the population of Black people living in Los Angeles grew exponentially, multiplying by more than 150. Oxford Music Online. As a result, he presented only singers, dancers, and instrumentalists, never comedians, and the shows lack of range, combined with the absence of national sponsorship, kept it from making money. [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. That year Cole released his memorable song "L-O-V-E," but at the close of 1964, the beloved entertainer also learned that he had lung cancer. Lost your password? Cole's chain-smoking habits would, sadly, catch up to him. Who are you backing for this week's Official Number 1 single? Cole felt confident that commercial sponsors would support the program, but advertisers worried that white Southern audiences would boycott their products. Cole attained his greatest commercial success, however, as a vocalist specializing in warm ballads and light swing. 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. While he is best remembered today for his musical legacy, Nat King Cole was a multitalented entertainer. 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. Nat King Cole 78rpm Single 10-inch Capitol Records #1010 Mona Lisa. Record of the Year. Cole praised NBC for its support and directly blamed the advertising industry. An influence on jazz pianists such as Oscar Peterson, Cole was known for a compact, syncopated piano style with clean, spare, melodic phrases. The Weeknd? His stature as a popular icon was cemented during this period by hits such as "The Christmas Song" (Cole recorded the tune four times), "Nature Boy" (1948), "Mona Lisa" (1950), "Too Young" (1951), and his signature tune "Unforgettable" (1951). . Booklet Volumes 1 and 2 contain 4 shellac records. Years active. His final acting role would be in Cat Ballou, starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin, which was released after Cole's death in 1965. For "Ramblin' Rose" 1962 Nominee Grammy: Album of the Year. Congo paint? With Cole on the piano, Oscar Moore on the guitar, and Wesley Prince on string bass, the three became known as the famous King Cole Trio. 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. 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 . "Smile" by Nat King Cole. 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. In July 1948, Nat King Cole and his new wife began house-hunting, as described by Curbed. Anniversary Flashback: Al Martino gains first UK Number 1 single 70 years ago. 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. To that end, she persuaded him to move to Hancock Park, a wealthy, all-white Los Angeles neighborhood whose residents refused to accept the family (anonymous vandals burned a racial slur into their front lawn). Omissions? Coles jazz roots never quite disappeared, especially when he recorded up-tempo tunes such as Almost Like Being in Love (1953) with arrangers such as Nelson Riddle and Billy May, sailing effortlessly atop the beat with the irresistible swing of the nonpareil instrumentalist he had been. Complete After Midnight Sessions 4 Bonus Tracks / 24Bit Digitally. (This special compilation also was available as a 27 high-quality LP record set.). He passed away in February 1965 aged 45. Louis Blues. During the early 60s, Cole also travelled extensively, doing highly successful concert tours of Latin America, Japan, the European Continent and England. Thurgood Marshall, the NAACP legal counsel at the time, even saw Cole as an "Uncle Tom." Nat would continue playing piano with the revue for the rest of the tour, performing all across the country until the show, unfortunately, ran out of money in Long Beach in 1937, as described by the Orlando Sentinel. Nat soon married a dancer, Megan Robinson, and moved to Los Angeles where he formed the Nat King Cole Trio. 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"). [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. November 23, 2019. 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. The property owners association told Cole they did not want any undesirables moving in. Born . Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra - Vocal Refrain by The King's Men. Updates? . Chalk? In 1956, Nat King Cole was a superstar, selling millions of records and touring all over the country. 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.". The nimble, darting interplay heard on records such as This Side Up (1940) and What Is This Thing Called Love? In addition to being a skilled pianist, famous vocalist, and likable stage personality, according to Britannica, Cole also spent some time acting. When white stars, particularly women, came on the show, there was a pointed effort to make sure there was always some kind of barrier (such as a chair) between them and Cole to ensure audiences wouldn't be angry. Hittin The Ramp: The Early Years 1936-1943 by Nat King Cole (Record, 2019) $148.99 New. I swing the band.) But it was his recordings of ballads that made him a household name, and among the most memorable of them is the version of Ray Nobles The Very Thought of You that he cut with Gordon Jenkins, another of Sinatras preferred arrangers, in 1958. According to police, a plan had been developed four days earlier for a group of 150 white men to attack Cole. Cole performed in many short films, sitcoms, television shows, and played W. C. Handy in the film St. Louis Blues (1958). Nat King Cole, too, fell to the allure of smoking. Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy and its Affiliates. Cole hit a lull in her career in the early 1980s due to her struggle with drug addiction, subsequently parting ways with Capitol Records. 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. Cole appeared frequently on popular variety programs hosted by Perry Como, Milton Berle, Ed Sullivan, and others. Nathaniel Adams Coles (he changed his last name to . In July 1948, Nat King Cole and his new wife began house-hunting, as described by Curbed. Noted for his warm tone and flawless phrasing, Cole was regarded among the top male vocalists, although jazz critics tended to regret his near-abandonment of the piano. Cole died in his sleep at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. He was survived by his wife, Maria, and five children; three biological and two adopted. Contents 1 Childhood and Chicago 2 Los Angeles and the King Cole Trio 3 Early singing career 4 Challenging racial barriers His remains were interred inside Freedom Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. 1st Annual GRAMMY Awards. But while the start of the '60s seemed very promising for Cole, he faced with some tragic news. The day before he died, he did a radio interview, stating: "I am feeling better than ever. 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. Get notified of exciting GRAMMY Award news and upcoming events! Nat King Cole recorded this for the first time in 1946 with his group The Nat King Cole Trio. After 14 frustrating months, Cole called it quits, crisply telling a newspaper columnist that Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.. Benny would give the eulogy at Cole's funeral service a few days later, per the Desert Sun, posted at theCalifornia Digital Newspaper Collection. 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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." As written by Marianne Ruuth, Cole saw himself as "an entertainer, not a politician." This article contains a list of albums by Nat King Cole and compilations of his recordings, together with a list of his chart singles. 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. Nat King Cole's early career and trio. Cole did not finish the concert and never again performed in the South. All GRAMMY Awards and Nominations for Nat "King" Cole. Thousands flocked to build a life on South . Nat King Cole - Artist Details. Now they became the focus of his second career, and he soon became one of the preeminent pop singers of his generation, Frank Sinatras only male peer. Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 - February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole also appeared in many movies, his last one being Cat Ballou (1965), starring Lee Marvin. 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). Cole mastered this style as a teenager, adding to it an idiomatic feel for the blues that Hines lacked, along with a forward-looking harmonic vocabulary that prefigured bebop, the avant-garde jazz style of the 40s. Nat King Cole has a catalog full of both. His 1957 recording of "When I Fall In Love" reached number four in the United Kingdom charts in 1987. 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, he recorded an all-jazz album, After Midnight. Cole later retooled the concept album into an off-Broadway show, I'm With You. One of the men was identified to be a member of the white supremacist group White Citizens' Council. Hancock Park, however, was an all-white neighborhood that had a "restrictive covenant" barring non-whites from living there unless they were servants. They were the big act on Columbia Records, who had them re-record the song with a string section - the first time the trio used strings on a record. 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. All that remained was for Cole to fully realize his potential as a vocalistsomething that happened sooner than anyone, even Mercer, could possibly have expected. Nat took the advice seriously and, around the age of 12, started to dive into the classics, "playing everything from Bach to Rachmaninoff," according to Ruuth. While Cole certainly had a more understated public role in the Civil Rights Movement, he was apparently quite outspoken in private among his high-profile friends, including Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. At the same time, though, Cole wasn't an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement initially. Found 396 items. The diagnosis would cut Cole's life very short, because he died not long after the discovery. In 1948, Cole purchased a house in the all-white Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Later, in 1953, he recorded a rearrangement made by Nelson Riddle. 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.". The cancellation would turn out to be the permanent end of his career. Cole had greater success with concert performances during the late 1950s and early 60s and twice toured with his own vaudeville-style reviews, The Merry World of Nat King Cole (1961) and Sights and Sounds (1963). Cole frequently consulted with President Kennedy (and later President Johnson) on the issue of civil rights. Capitol. Sold for 23.50 USD on 11 Mar 2022 (4 bids) 1. 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.
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