My parents loved listening to Nat King Cole and frequently told me what a wonderful singer he was. Even today, my family still listens to Cole’s Christmas album because it’s just so pleasant and so classic.
Cole was known for his smooth baritone and became one of the first Black performers to become popular with mainstream audiences in the 1950s. Cole’s many hits included songs as “Nature Boy,” “Mona Lisa,” “Too Young” and “Unforgettable.” Cole recorded with some of the country’s top talent, including Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald and was friends with other stars of the era, such as Frank Sinatra.
He became the first African American performer to host a variety TV series, which debuted in 1956. The Nat King Cole Show featured many of the leading performers of the day, including Count Basie, Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett, and Sammy Davis Jr.
In 1956, Cole was attacked on stage during a performance in Alabama because he was performing with a multiracial group. He never returned to the South to perform. Cole also faced racist attacks when he bought a house in an all-White neighborhood in Los Angeles, although he refused to be chased away.
I had no idea when I was growing up how many barriers he had to break just to get the chance to bring his incredible talent to the world. How lucky we all are that he fought through those barriers! I was also lucky to get to see his daughter, Natalie Cole, perform at a Pepperdine Associates dinner in 2015. She sang “Unforgettable” with a video version of her father and it was truly a moment I’ll never forget.
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