Nat King Cole

Nat King Cole remains a definitive American artist, who was raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Poised with boundless talent, in the darker days of America, Nat rose above the fray and ugliness of racism, emanating class, beauty, and garnering respect during a time when a black man rarely could. A brilliant jazz pianist and bandleader, Nat King Cole scored an astounding 150 singles across Billboard’s Pop, R&B, and Country charts. To understand just how popular and successful Cole was, it was often whispered that the mighty Capitol Records was in fact, “The House That Nat Built.” Nat King Cole’s voice proved there could be an actual heaven on Earth. It was a testament to his genius that a unique and gifted pianist such as Nat King Cole would be remembered today as primarily being a vocalist. His recordings and radio broadcasts – The King Cole Trio Time – only underscore the other side of Nat King Cole’s incredible range and creative vision as a keyboardist and jazz pioneer. Nat King Cole’s most enduring songs have become part of the fiber of our time and the soundtrack to the ways of the heart – “Unforgettable,” “Mona Lisa,” “The Very Thought Of You,” “When I Fall In Love,” “It’s Only A Paper Moon,” “Straighten Up And Fly Right,” “Nature Boy,” “Stardust,” “L-O-V-E,” and perhaps the most classic of all yuletide favorites, “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire).” As a popular artist, Cole broke boundaries on radio, TV, and film.