how many records did nat king cole sell

Explore the scintillating March 2023 issue of Commentary. On February 15, 1965, Nat King Cole passed away in his sleep at the age of 45. But music-industry insiders had already taken note of the King Cole Trio and its leader, and one of them, the songwriter Johnny Mercer, signed the group to a contract with Capitol, a new record label founded by Mercer himself that quickly became an industry powerhouse. "The Nat "King" Cole Show," Museum of Broadcast Communications, https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Nat_King_Cole&oldid=1086902, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License, Vocal jazz, swing, traditional pop, jump blues. He was, without a doubt, a pioneer, but that doesn't mean his many successes came without struggles. In 1991, Mosaic Records released The Complete Capitol Records Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio, a compilation of 349 songs available as an 18-CD or a 27-LP set. in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. Equally skilled as a jazz pianist and a middle-of-the-road pop crooner, Cole would still be remembered with affection today if he only had one of those musical identities. Maria Cole [1] ( ne Hawkins; August 1, 1922 - July 10, 2012) was an American jazz singer and the wife of singer Nat King Cole; mother of the singer Natalie Cole. At the same time, though, he was highly influenced by his brother Eddie, who was six years older and a big fan of the popular jazz music that their father criticized. Get notified of exciting GRAMMY Award news and upcoming events! Sensing its commercial possibilities, Cole rerecorded the song two months later, adding four violins and a harp, the first time he had ever sung with string accompaniment. (This special compilation also was available as a 27 high-quality LP record set.). Sampled by Susan Boyle feat Nat King Cole [sampled] When I Grow Too Old to Dream. He occasionally revisited his jazz roots, as on the outstanding album After Midnight (1956), which proved that Coles piano skills had not diminished. The failure of The Nat King Cole Show left Cole feeling both frustrated and restless, but his options were limited. By the time he worked his way from Chicago to Los Angeles, settling there permanently in 1937, his playing was already fully formed. When they came upon a house in Hancock Park, they agreed that they had found their future home. To speculate about what might have been is obviously fruitless, though it is possible that he might have taken up the piano again and become the elder statesman of jazz that he had it in him to be. New Releases. Moreover, his appeal, like that of Armstrong, crossed racial lines, and did so at a time when much of America was still segregated, a fact that led to his being assaulted on stage by a group of white supremacists during a concert he was giving in Birmingham in 1956. 78.rpm (1948), NAT KING COLE THE CHRISTMAS SONG, LAGUNA MOOD 10 INCH 78 RPM VG, Nat King Cole 78 RPM Capitol 4754 The Christmas Song My Two Front Teeth, Nat King Cole 78 RPM Capitol 4754 The Christmas Song My Two Front Teeth 1954 10", The King Cole Trio The Christmas Song 78 RPM Well-Torme Capitol 311 Dust Cover. All rights reserved. Nat King Cole, byname of Nathaniel Adams Cole, family name originally Coles, (born March 17, 1919, Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.died February 15, 1965, Santa Monica, California), American musician hailed as one of the best and most influential pianists and small-group leaders of the swing era. The nimble, darting interplay heard on records such as This Side Up (1940) and What Is This Thing Called Love? For "Wild Is Love" Best Vocal Performance Album, Male. Five years after Coles death, Frank Sinatra announced his retirement from singing. . Born . Chalk? Nat King Cole was making and setting records for his celebrated music decades before Elvis Presley and The Beatles arrived on the scene. Nat King Cole: Encore. The King Cole Trio 78rpm Single 10-inch Capitol Records #311 The Christmas Song. Coles second wife, Maria Ellington (no relation to Duke), felt the same way. The change in musical tastes during the late 1950s meant that Cole's ballad singing did not sell well with younger listeners, despite a successful stab at rock n' roll with "Send For Me" (peaked at #6 pop). According to AllMusic, the two joined forces after Eddie returned from touring with Noble Sissle's band and formed their own swing sextet. Nat King Cole albums and discography on AllMusic including all best, old, and new album information. Contents 1 Childhood and Chicago 2 Los Angeles and the King Cole Trio 3 Early singing career 4 Challenging racial barriers In . One of the men was identified to be a member of the white supremacist group White Citizens' Council. Shared with: Lee Gillette (Producer) For the album "The Nat King Cole Story". After signing with Capitol Records in 1942, Cole and his trio recorded Straighten Up and Fly Right, Sweet Lorraine and Embraceable You. All became major hits, the first of an uninterrupted series of smash recordings to follow for the next 20 years. First Look: Could PinkPantheress or The Weeknd challenge Miley for Number 1? His older brother, Eddie Coles, a bassist, soon joined Nat's band and they first recorded in 1936 under Eddie's name. The female solo artists with the most Number 1 albums, Miley Cyrus reigns at Number 1 for a sixth consecutive week with Flowers, NAT 'KING' COLE SINGS AND THE GEORGE SHEARING QUINTET PLAYS. Jenkins arranged Love Is the Thing, #1 on the album charts in April 1957. He became a popular crooner in the 1950s, and made history when he became the first Black man to host a regular TV variety show. There he formed the King Cole Trio (originally King Cole and His Swingsters), with guitarist Oscar Moore (later replaced by Irving Ashby) and bassist Wesley Prince (later replaced by Johnny Miller). For a brief time when it debuted, the show had no sponsors. In his spare time, Cole also became a hot sandlot baseball player, and while he never made it to the pros, he became an ardent follower of the Los Angeles Dodgers. His hits of the early 60sRamblin Rose, Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer, and L-O-V-Eindicate that he was moving even farther away from his jazz roots and concentrating almost exclusively on mainstream pop. According to theOrlando Sentinel, after his time with Shuffle Along came to an end in Long Beach, Cole and his wife at the time decided to settle in California. Cole also appeared in many movies, his last one being Cat Ballou (1965), starring Lee Marvin. His final acting role would be in Cat Ballou, starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin, which was released after Cole's death in 1965. He was also present at the Democratic National Convention in 1960 to throw his support behind President John F. Kennedy. . Portuguese) in 1959, and More Cole Espaol in 1962. . His father was a preacher in the Baptist church. Comparatively few of Coles latter-day fans, however, know that he was more than a singer. New (and updated) Christmas albums for 2021, Festive favourites that could reach the Top 40 for the first time this Christmas, NAT 'KING' COLE AND THE GEORGE SHEARING QUINTET, Miley? With a catalog full of memorable love songs, Nat King Cole certainly had his own interesting experiences with romance. 3, 1993., pp. Nat King Cole 12.12.60 9 12 Wks 01.07.23 38 Ramblin' Rose Nat King Cole 08.04.62 . According toThe Guardian,cigarette smoking was not only "the epitome of cool and glamour," but it was also cheap and accessible. It sold over 500,000 copies, and proved that folk-based material could appeal to a wide audience. Fortunately, it is not necessary to choose between the two Nat Coles: They were two different sides of a great popular artist, one who gave fully of himself in both capacities. 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"). Nor have I joined an organization fighting segregation. They were also regular performers at clubs. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Pelote, Vincent. But while the start of the '60s seemed very promising for Cole, he faced with some tragic news. Cole would form a few jazz music groups before creating the King Cole Trio. How do the traditional Christmas standards perform on the chart? Nat King Cole Trio 78 RPM Capital BD-8 Complete Colection - Records *UNTESTED! Anniversary Flashback: Al Martino gains first UK Number 1 single 70 years ago. Cole first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist, then switched his emphasis to singing, becoming one of the most popular and best-known vocalists of all time. 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. His father, Edward James Coles, was a Baptist minister, while his mother, Perlina Adams, was the soprano soloist and director of the choir in her husbands church. Nat soon married a dancer, Megan Robinson, and moved to Los Angeles where he formed the Nat King Cole Trio. Cole, who was greatly disappointed, made the difficult decision to pull the plug on the program. Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, vol. Liner notes. I have not taken part in any protests. Johnny Mercer invited him to record it for the fledgling Capitol Records label. Children: 5, including Natalie Cole. 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. An African-American jazz pianist, pop vocalist, and balladeer, Cole's popularity is even more incredible considering the time period in which he thrived. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here: The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia: Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed. Found 396 items. In 1960, Nat's long-time collaborator Nelson Riddle left Capitol Records for Frank Sinatra's newly formed Reprise Records label. They tried a couple of places, including Beverly Hills, but ultimately wanted somewhere away from the paparazzi and rowdy fans. His pop hits were collaborations with well-known arrangers and conductors of the day, including Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins, and Ralph Carmichael. That song, along with "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer," earned him two top 10 hits on the Billboard charts. . statistics still stand up, even though his singing career came to an abrupt close in 1965, when he died of lung cancer. Born on March 17, 1919 in Montgomery, Alabama, Cole's first introduction to music was in the church. Nathaniel Adams Coles (he changed his last name to . 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. Nat was piano player and leader of the combo. He even left the hospital to see his children one last time in a brief car ride home with his wife. Louis Blues. During the early 60s, Cole also travelled extensively, doing highly successful concert tours of Latin America, Japan, the European Continent and England. On August 23, 1956, Cole spoke at the Republican National Convention in the Cow Palace, San Francisco, California. Perlina also gave young Nat piano lessons, and although nothing specific is known about his course of study, it is obvious from the exceptional technical finish of his jazz playing that he received thorough training in the fundamentals of classical piano. The King Cole Trio signed with the fledgling Capitol Records in 1943 and Cole stayed with the recording company for the rest of his career. 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. But after some prodding from the manager who insisted since the customer was a "big spender," Cole agreed. What he wanted (even if he never said so) was to become the first black popular singer to be accepted on even terms with his white contemporaries. 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. "I lost my baby in December. The public, who knew very little about the severity of his condition, was shocked. Incredibly, Coles singing was as extraordinary as his playing. Then in 1956, he was assaulted on stage while singing the song "Little Girl" in Birmingham, Alabama, by three members of the North Alabama White Citizens' Council, who apparently were attempting to kidnap him. Handy in the movie about the composers life, St. A Mis Amigos contains the Venezuelan hit "Ansiedad," whose lyrics Cole had learned while performing in Caracas in 1958. There, his father became a minister; Nat's mother, Perlina, was the church organist. Completed in 1956, it was the world's first circular office building and became known as "the house that Nat built.". In July 1948, Nat King Cole and his new wife began house-hunting, as described by Curbed. 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 was also among the dozens of entertainers recruited by Frank Sinatra to perform at the Kennedy Inaugural gala in 1961. 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. Sell it yourself. Congo paint? His career as a vocalist, he told a reporter in 1945, had been an accident, going on to explain that a trio is so limited by lack of instruments that I sort of had to sing to add to the group. He stuck at first to lively, undemanding novelty songs such as Straighten Up and Fly Right, a Cole-written tune inspired by one of his fathers sermons. Chiefly known today as a performer of romantic ballads, he had a dark, grainy baritone voice with which he sang in a style at once intimate and unmannered. "[1] The program featured some of the most acclaimed artists,who performed at a fraction of their usual rate to help keep the show on the air. Although Nat would never be considered a rocker, the song can be seen as anticipating the first rock and roll records. For most of the '30s and '40s he was a third of this musical act. In 1955, he acted as himself in a short biographical film,The Nat "King" Cole Musical Story, whichcovered his musical career and life story. Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth II. In fact, he had started out as a jazz pianist of the highest distinction, the leader of the King Cole Trio, a cocktail combo (as such small groups were known in the 30s and 40s) that featured both his singing and his playing. February 15, 1957. Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events. In 1948, Cole purchased a house in the all-white Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. (1944) has lost none of its freshness eight decades later. Oxford University Press. These critiques hurt the musician, who would eventually take a more active role in the movement, including participating in the 1963 March on Washington and regularly performing at benefit concerts for civil rights groups. Cole voluntarily gave up the show with a simple commentary: Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.. Adapting his style, however, was one factor that kept Cole popular up to his early death from lung cancer in 1965. He could not act well enough to launch a secondary film career like that of Sinatra or appear in a Broadway musical, his other thwarted ambition, and the fast-growing popularity of rock n roll was making him sound old-fashioned by comparison with Elvis Presley and the other teen-oriented acts who had come to dominate Americas airwaves. Bill Dobbins and Richard Wang. He had always looked for work as a pianist and "played piano at almost every beer joint from San Diego to Bakersfield" before he finally landed a residency. Unlike Sinatra, Cole was not a confessional performer whose interpretations reflected the dark side of his personality. Legend has it that, one night, a drunk customer demanded that the group sing. And yet, many of his At a time when Jim Crow was the law of the land and the Civil Rights Movement was growing stronger, Nat King Cole played a complicated role. The brothers were also hired to perform in the "revival of the all-black Broadway musical revue Shuffle Along" for their Chicago stop. Sponsored. According to Reel Rundown, Nat King Cole never planned to be the first Black man to host his own television program, but when he was offered the gig, he knew its significance. Cole was hired as the pianist for a jazz quartet that would play at the Swanee Inn nearHollywood, as told by uDiscover Music. For over a year, the entertainer worked tirelessly on his show, even turning down a total of $500,000 in performances in order to focus on the program. Incomparable Nat King Cole II. Nat King Cole 78rpm Single 10-inch Capitol Records #1010 Mona Lisa. In Will Friedwalds well-chosen words, he could do almost anything that any other artist could do, but no one else could do what he did.. Song Year: 1954. In December 1964, he was diagnosed with lung cancer when they discovered a tumor in his left lung, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel. Natalie, of course, has followed in her fathers difficult-to-fill footsteps as a highly successful recording artist in her own right. visit to New York during his early twenties, he met and ultimately married Maria Hawkins, a singer from Boston. Who insisted since the customer was a third of This musical act the Republican National Convention the. Was the church organist 70 years ago & quot ; I lost my baby in December as described Curbed. This Thing Called Love Is This Thing Called Love came to an abrupt close in,! Home with his wife 01.07.23 38 Ramblin & # x27 ; Rose Nat King Cole.... 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