Nat King Cole biography
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Nat King Cole story
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Nat King Cole bio
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Nat King Cole filmography
[h3]When Nathaniel Adams Coles was four years old his family moved to Chicago to escape segregation in the south, where his father became a church minister while his mother played the organ. [/h3]
Nat learned to play the piano very young and his first public performance was at the age of four. He was an accomplished pianist by the age of 12, forming his first jazz band in high school.
His three brothers, Ike, Eddie Cole and Frankie also played the piano and sang professionally. He soon became known as Nat Cole and formed the King Cole Swingers after his publicist put a silver tin-foiled crown on his head and proclaimed him King.
After marrying Megan Robinson and moving to Los Angele in the 1930s, Cole formed the Nat King Cole Trio - which featured Oscar Moore on guitar and Wesley Prince on double bass – and began playing gigs across the city. Contrary to popular belief, the suggestion that Cole’s singing career was born after a drunken audience member demanded that he sing "Sweet Lorraine" is inaccurate. In fact, Cole himself has gone on record as saying that the fabricated story "sounded good, so I just let it ride."
During World War II, Wesley Prince left the group and was replaced by Johnny Miller. The King Cole Trio signed with Capitol Records in 1943 and Cole stayed with the recording company for the rest of his career. Revenues from Cole's record sales fueled much of Capitol Records' success during this period. Nat sold over 50 million records, so many that the Capitol records headquarters was often referred to as "The House that Nat Built".
Sadly, Nat fought a life-long battle against racism. In the early days of touring, he and his band were often not allowed to stay at the places they played at, so they fought against segregation, refusing to play at white-only venues. He once even faced an attempted kidnapping in Alabama.
In 1946, Nat became the first black man to present his own radio show and, in 1956, his own TV show. Despite their immense popularity, the shows struggled to attract advertising revenue. Commenting on the lack of sponsorship his show received, Cole quipped shortly after its demise, "Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark."
Nat King Cole also enjoyed a successful film career. His best known appearance was in 'St Louis Blues' (1958), where he played the role of the jazz composer W.C. Handy. He also appeared in The Nat King Cole Story, China Gate, and The Blue Gardenia (1953). Cat Ballou (1965), his final film, was released several months after his death.
He became a favourite of the "progressive" white elite. President [urlnew=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/137:0/John_F_Kennedy.htm]John F. Kennedy[/urlnew] even attended his daughter’s debutante ball.
Nat was married twice, and had five children with his second wife Maria, including Natalie, now a successful singer.
Nat, a heavy smoker, died of lung cancer in 1965.
Nat King Cole biography
- In 1948 Nat King Cole purchased a house in the all-white Hancock Park neighbourhood in Los Angeles, California. The property owners association told Cole they didn't want any undesirables moving in. Cole retorted "Neither do I. And if I see anybody undesirable coming in here, I'll be the first to complain."
- Both Natalie Cole and her brother Freddie Cole are singers.
Nat King Cole biography
Cat Ballou (1965) (as Nat King Cole)
Schlager-Raketen (1960)
Night of the Quarter Moon (1959)
St. Louis Blues (1958)
China Gate (1957)
Istanbul (1957)
The Scarlet Hour (1956)
The Adventures of Hajji Baba (1954)
"Your Show of Shows" (1 episode, 1953)
"Lux Video Theatre" (1 episode, 1952)
See My Lawyer (1945) (as King Cole Trio)
Swing in the Saddle (1944) (uncredited)
Stars on Parade (1944)
Pin Up Girl (1944) (uncredited)
Pistol Packin' Mama (1943) (as The Nat King Cole Trio)
Citizen Kane (1941) (uncredited)
Nat King Cole biography
[b]Albums:[/b]
L-O-V-E (1965)
I Don't Want To Be Hurt Anymore (1964)
Let's Face The Music! (1964)
Nat King Cole Sings My Fair Lady (1964)
Chartbusters: Volume 4 (Capitol Compilation LP, features "My True Carrie, Love") (1964)
The Christmas Song (Reissue Of Magic Of Christmas plus title song, minus "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen") (1963)
Where Did Everyone Go? (1963)
Top Pops (Reissue of 1955 album) (1963)
Chartbusters: Volume 3 (Capitol Compilation LP, features "That Sunday, That Summer" & "Mr. Wishing Well") (1963)
Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer (1963)
Nat King Cole Sings the Blues (Reissue Of St. Louis Blues) (1963)
Swingin' Side Of Nat King Cole (Reissue Of "Welcome To the Club") (1962)
More Cole Español (1962)
Chartbusters: Volume 2 (Capitol Compilation LP, features "Ramblin Rose") (1962)
Dear Lonely Hearts (1962)
Ramblin' Rose (1962)
Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays (Bonus LP added to later pressings) (1962)
The Touch of Your Lips (1961)
The Nat King Cole Story (1961)
The Magic of Christmas (1960)
Wild Is Love (1960)
Everytime I Feel The Spirit (1960)
Tell Me All About Yourself (1960)
A Mis Amigos (1959)
Welcome To The Club (1959)
To Whom It May Concern (1958)
The Very Thought Of You (1958)
St. Louis Blues (1958)
Cole Español (1958)
Love Is the Thing (1957)
Just One Of Those Things (1957)
After Midnight (1957)
This Is Nat King Cole (1957)
Ballads of the Day (1956)
The Piano Style of Nat King Cole (1955)
Top Pops (12 inch LP version) (1955)
10th Anniversary Album (12 inch LP version) (1955)
Nat King Cole Sings For Two In Love (12 inch LP version) (1955)
Penthouse Serenade (12 inch LP version) (1955)
Unforgettable (10 inch originally, 12 inch following year) (1954)
Sings For Two In Love (10 inch LP) (1953)
Harvest Of Hits (10 inch LP) (1952)
Top Pops (10 inch LP version) (1952)
Penthouse Serenade (10 inch LP) (1952)
Nat King Cole At The Piano (10 inch LP) (1950)
The King Cole Trio Volume 3 (10 inch LP) (1948)
The King Cole Trio Volume 2 (10 inch LP) (1946)
The King Cole Trio - Capitol Records (10 inch LP) (1944)
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