GREAT MALE SINGERS: Nat King Cole

Here are several songs performed in his inimitable style by legendary Nat King Cole.

Nathaniel Adams Coles (1919-1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. He was widely noted for his soft, baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres, becoming a major force in popular music for three decades. Cole was one of the first African Americans to host a national television variety show, The Nat King Cole Show, and has maintained worldwide popularity since his death from lung cancer in February 1965.

On November 5, 1956, The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC. The variety program was the first of its kind hosted by an African-American, which created controversy at the time. Beginning as a 15-minute pops show on Monday night, the program was expanded to a half-hour in July 1957. Despite the efforts of NBC, as well as many of Cole's industry colleagues – many of whom, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte, Frankie Laine, Mel Tormé, Peggy Lee, Eartha Kitt, and backing vocal group the Cheerleaders, worked for industry scale (or even for no pay) in order to help the show save money – The Nat King Cole Show was ultimately done in by lack of a national sponsorship. The last episode of The Nat King Cole Show aired December 17, 1957. Cole had survived for over a year, and it was he, not NBC, who ultimately decided to pull the plug on the show.

Cole's funeral was held on February 18 at St. James Episcopal Church on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, 400 people were present, with thousands outside the church. Hundreds of members of the public had filed past the coffin the day before. Notable honorary pallbearers included Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Johnny Mathis, George Burns, Jimmy Durante, Frankie Laine, Steve Allen, and Pat Brown, the Governor of California. The eulogy was delivered by Jack Benny, who said that "Nat Cole was a man who gave so much and still had so much to give. He gave it in song, in friendship to his fellow man, devotion to his family. He was a star, a tremendous success as an entertainer, an institution. But he was an even greater success as a man, as a husband, as a father, as a friend." Cole's remains were interred inside Freedom Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Cole was inducted into both the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. In 1990, he was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 1997 was inducted into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame. In 2007, he was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. An official United States postage stamp featuring Cole's likeness was issued in 1994. In 2000, Cole was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the major influences on early rock and roll. In 2013, he was inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame for his contribution to the Latin music genre. Cole's success at Capitol Records of recording more than 150 singles on the Billboard's Pop, R&B, and Country Charts has yet to be broken by any Capitol artist. Cole also sold an impressive 50 million records during his career.

Enjoy Nat King Cole’s immortal style!