Biography cole king nat

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A year later, his daughter – singer Natalie Cole – had an unexpected hit with her late father through a duet performance of “Unforgettable” that mixed the past voice of the father with the present voice of the daughter. He earned his nickname “King” (inspired by the nursery rhyme “Old King Cole”) and dropped the “s” from his surname when he began playing piano in the Chicago clubs.

Cole learned to play music from his mother, who served as the church organist. The son of a Baptist pastor, Cole may have started out playing religious music.

In his early teens, Cole had formal classical piano training. His daughter Natalie Cole also carried on the family profession, becoming a successful singer in her own right.

By the time he released the singles “Too Young” (1951) and his signature song, “Unforgettable” (1952), Cole ranked alongside his contemporaries Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and Dean Martin as one of the premier voices in American music.

In 1956, Cole returned to Alabama to perform and was attacked on stage during a kidnapping attempt by members of the White Citizens Council.

The group went on to conquer the pop charts with its recordings of the Mel Torre/Robert Wells composition “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You),” which peaked at No. 3 in 1946, and “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons,” which climbed all the way to No. 1 that same year.

After some personnel changes, Cole’s group was briefly known as Nat “King” Cole and the Trio.

He was rebuked by other African Americans, however, for his less-than-supportive comments about racial integration made after the show. The song became a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Harlem Hit Parade (later the rhythm-and-blues charts) in early 1943. His 1946 radio show, King Cole Trio Time, was the first hosted by a Black man.

He had encountered racism firsthand, especially while touring in the South. Cole basically took the stance that he was an entertainer, not an activist.

Cole's presence on the record charts dwindled in the late 1950s. The sponsorship problem has been seen as a reflection of the racial issues of the times with no company seemingly wanting to back a program that featured African American entertainers.

After his show went off the air, Cole continued to be a presence on television.

His acting credits include such films as 1957’s China Gate, 1958’s St. Louis Blues, and Cat Ballou in 1965.

Despite facing racial discrimination and challenges throughout his life, Cole continued to make music and perform. Modest successes compared to his earlier hits, Cole delivered two ballads — "I Don't Want to Hurt Anymore" and "I Don't Want to See Tomorrow" — in his signature smooth style.

Television and Films

Cole made television history in 1956 when he became the first African American performer to host a variety TV series.

The success of a second single for the Excelsior label, “All for You,” resulted in a recording contract with Capitol Records. His only major starring role came in 1958, in the drama St. When the tour ended in Los Angeles, Nat Cole decided to remain there and pursue his career as jazz pianist.

Fronting the King Cole Trio, Cole wrote, sang and played piano on “That Ain’t Right,” recorded for Decca in 1941.