The prejudices of the era in which Cole lived hindered his potential for even greater stardom. February 15, 1957. Throughout the 1950s, Cole continued to rack up hit after hit, including "Smile," "Pretend," "A Blossom Fell," "If I May." A heavy smoker, Cole died of lung cancer at age 45. Before his tragic death, Cole underwent cancer surgery, which resulted in the removal of one of his lungs, per Los Angeles Times. Cole hit a lull in her career in the early 1980s due to her struggle with drug addiction, subsequently parting ways with Capitol Records. But despite success, Cole wanted to pursue a solo musical career. New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article Adapting his style, however, was one factor that kept Cole popular up to his early death from lung cancer in 1965. He formed his first jazz group, the Royal Dukes, five years later. Eventually, NBC was able to get about 30 local sponsors, but there was never a national corporate sponsor that would support the program, as mentioned by NPR. They were also regular performers at clubs. Free delivery for many products. This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 04:04. 1st Annual GRAMMY Awards. The day before he died, he did a radio interview, stating: "I am feeling better than ever. He made his first professional recordings in 1936 and the following year put together what would become the King Cole Trio. "[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. The last episode of The Nat King Cole Show aired December 17, 1957. and The Ed Sullivan Show (on which he appeared 14 times). Sponsored. In 1991, Mosaic Records released The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio, an 18 compact disc set, consisting of 349 songs. You will receive a link to create a new password via email. "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. 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. Cole, who was greatly disappointed, made the difficult decision to pull the plug on the program. Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays, The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You), Put 'em in a Box, Tie 'em with a Ribbon (and Throw 'em in the Deep Blue Sea), "American certifications Nat King Cole", Recording Industry Association of America, "British certifications Ozzy Osbourne", "Kent Music Report No 341 5 January 1981 > Platinum and Gold Albums 1980", "Billboard Hot 100 (Week of January 7, 2023)", "Jingle bell rock: Why lots of radio stations go all-Christmas in December", "Andy Williams Hits New High, The Ronettes 'Ride' Back After 52 Years & More Hot 100 Chart Moves", "Holiday 100: The week of December 24, 2011", "Holiday 100: The week of December 8, 2012", "Holiday 100: The week of January 4, 2014", "Holiday 100: The week of December 20, 2014", "Holiday 100: The week of December 12, 2015", "Holiday 100: The week of December 10, 2016", "Holiday 100: The week of December 16, 2017", "Holiday 100: The week of January 5, 2019", "Holiday 100: The week of December 7, 2019", "Holiday 100: The week of December 12, 2020", "Holiday 100 (Week of December 11, 2021)", "Holiday 100: The week of December 13, 2014", "Holiday 100 (Week of December 10, 2022)", "Holiday 100: The week of December 19, 2015", "Holiday 100: The week of December 21, 2019", "Holiday 100: The week of December 19, 2020", "Holiday 100 (Week of December 31, 2022)", "Holiday 100: The week of January 4, 2020", "Holiday 100: The week of December 26, 2020", "Nat King Cole Chart History (Holiday 100)", "Holiday 100: The week of January 2, 2021", "Holiday 100 (Week of December 18, 2021)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nat_King_Cole_discography&oldid=1132283049, "You Call It Madness (But I Call it Love)", "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)". 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"). The first of these is the so-called Great Migration that brought 6 million Southern blacks northward to seek better, freer lives in Americas largest cities. Mannie . there was no despair in his inter-pretations. Start your risk free trial with unlimited access. Born in Alabama on March 17, 1919, Nathaniel Adams Coles (he would later drop the "s") always had a musical streak. Booklet Volumes 3 and 4 contain 3 shellac records. Soon, he graduated to playing other characters, such as his roles inIstanbulandChina Gate. Labels. In 1937, after touring with a Black musical revue, he began playing in jazz clubs in Los Angeles. 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. PinkPantheress? The nimble, darting interplay heard on records such as This Side Up (1940) and What Is This Thing Called Love? Even when he sang bleak torch songs such as The End of a Love Affair (1962), 3, 1993., pp. 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. ISBN links support NWE through referral fees. 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. By continuing to use this site you consent to the use of cookies on your device as described in our cookie policy unless you have disabled them. statistics still stand up, even though his singing career came to an abrupt close in 1965, when he died of lung cancer. Coles second wife, Maria Ellington (no relation to Duke), felt the same way. Nat King Cole The Christmas Song LP Red Colored 180g Vinyl. Naxos of America / OKeh Records AllMusic Quiz. Legend has it that, one night, a drunk customer demanded that the group sing. To this day, singer-instrumentalists such as Diana Krall and John Pizzarelli continue to model their groups on the King Cole Trios stylish, tightly routined records, and Coles own brilliant playing left its mark on any number of younger pianists, among them Ahmad Jamal, Oscar Peterson, George Shearing, and Bill Evans, who called him probably the most underrated jazz pianist in the history of jazz.. His final days were pretty grim. Riddle and Cole recorded one final hit album Wild Is Love, based on lyrics by Ray Rasch and Dotty Wayne. 10731074, This page was last edited on 17 February 2023, at 05:16. There were several covers of Nat Cole's original record in the 1940s. Lullaby of Harlem. His mom, an amateur piano player herself, gave him piano lessons when he was as young as four years old, with "Yes, We Have No Bananas" being the first song he ever learned to play. In London, he performed at a Record Labels Nat King Cole Recordings Sold to Universal Music Group By Chris Eggertsen . 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. In the days leading up to Cole's death, he was able to go on short drives with his wife and visit his children at their family home in Hancock Park. Web. 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. For a brief time when it debuted, the show had no sponsors. Twin girls Casey and Timolin were born in 1961. Profiles In Jazz. . According to the Los Angeles Times, Cole was aware of his impending death. It was emulated by many musicians, among them Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, Tommy Flanagan, and blues pianists Charles Brown and Ray Charles. Record companies had previously discouraged black male vocalists from recording anything but blues and novelties, but Cole, whose affable yet dignified stage demeanor was sufficiently unthreatening not to discomfit white audiences, had already surmounted that obstacle in the romantic ballads he recorded with the trio. 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. Portuguese) in 1959, and More Cole Espaol in 1962. The racist mob never showed up, resulting in the smaller-scale attack that transpired. 3rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. Something went wrong. Be the first to find out about GRAMMY nominees, winners, important news, and events. Volume 4 is also issued in a box set of three 45-rpm records. 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. NAT KING COLE Vinyl Records and CDs Nat King Cole's great piano work with his jazz trio got overshadowed by his massive vocal success in the 1950s yet each phase of his career offers up so many riches that it proves that the lines between jazz and popular music just don't matter. Cole was also among the dozens of entertainers recruited by Frank Sinatra to perform at the Kennedy Inaugural gala in 1961. Cole did manage to record some hit singles during the 1960s, including the country-flavored hit "Ramblin' Rose" and "Dear Lonely Hearts," "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days Of Summer," "Let Me Tell You, Babe," and "That Sunday, That Summer.". Capitol 78-rpm albums [ edit] Volumes 1-4 released as separate booklets in 10" format. Nat King Cole 12.12.60 9 12 Wks 01.07.23 38 Ramblin' Rose Nat King Cole 08.04.62 . Cole become an internationally popular recording star, making such enormous hits as Mona Lisa, Nature Boy, Too Young, Route 66, Non Dimenticar, Lazy, Crazy, Hazy Days of Summer, The Christmas Song and Ramblin Rose, among them. Finally, in 1960, almost 15 years after that first recording, Nat King Cole redid the holiday classic when his voice was "at its smokiest." The Coles family moved to Chicago in 1923 and Edward, Nats father, set up shop as a Baptist minister, with Perlina, his wife, leading the choir of the True Light Baptist Church and playing organ. Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy and its Affiliates. First Look: Could PinkPantheress or The Weeknd challenge Miley for Number 1? Victor Young, Jeri Southern with Victor Young and His Orchestra. Have one to sell? He was also one of the first black men to be accepted wholeheartedly by many white folks during his time, owing to his unique talent of hosting various shows. When the Hancock Park Property Owners Association found out, though, they were furious and offered Cole his money back plus some profit. The album was so popular in Latin America as well as in the United States that two others in the same vein followed: A Mis Amigos (sung in Spanish and Updates? Album of the Year (Other Than Classical) For "The Nat "King" Cole Story" 1961 Nominee Grammy: Album of the Year. 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. In 1958, Cole went to Havana, Cuba, to record Cole Espaol, an album sung entirely in Spanish. Two years later, he resumed performing, reinvented himself as a stadium act, and returned to his place at the center of American popular culture. Complete After Midnight Sessions 4 Bonus Tracks / 24Bit Digitally. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. Record Of The Year Ramblin' Rose (Single) More from the 5th A Awards. Moving to the west coast, Cole and three other musicians formed the "King Cole Swingers" in Long Beach and played in a number of local bars before getting a job on the Long Beach Pike for $90.00 per week. According to AllMusic, the two joined forces after Eddie returned from touring with Noble Sissle's band and formed their own swing sextet. Record of the Year. The trio specialized in swing music with a delicate touch in that they did not employ a drummer; also unique were the voicings of piano and guitar, often juxtaposed to sound like a single instrument. This article contains a list of albums by Nat King Cole and compilations of his recordings, together with a list of his chart singles. The Best of the Nat King Cole Trio: The Vocal Classics 1942-46. According to Performing Songwriter, it was the first time that a holiday classic was introduced by a Black American, and it "opened the door for Lou Rawls, Ray Charles and many others to record their own takes on yuletide classics.". Active. 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. Carole signed the papers and rushed home, where Nat would die on Feb. 15, 1965. Nathaniel Adams Coles was born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17, 1919. Coles jazz roots never quite disappeared, especially when he recorded up-tempo tunes such as Almost Like Being in Love (1953) with arrangers such as Nelson Riddle and Billy May, sailing effortlessly atop the beat with the irresistible swing of the nonpareil instrumentalist he had been. "Smile" by Nat King Cole. Booklet Volumes 1 and 2 contain 4 shellac records. 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. Yet despite this and other close encounters with the evils of racism, Cole remained outwardly unfazed and his white fans staunchly loyal. In 1955, he acted as himself in a short biographical film,The Nat "King" Cole Musical Story, whichcovered his musical career and life story. Nat King Cole 78rpm Single 10-inch Capitol Records #1010 Mona Lisa. Its tune can also serve as a reminder that life goes on, even in . Not until 1951 did Cole drop the trio for good, but in the ensuing years he had recorded a series of orchestra-accompanied ballads, among them Mona Lisa, Nature Boy, and Too Young, that made his artistic intentions clear. He even left the hospital to see his children one last time in a brief car ride home with his wife. Unlike Sinatra, Cole was not a confessional performer whose interpretations reflected the dark side of his personality. 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. 29 offers from $2.24. Sold for 19.99 USD on 28 May 2022 (Buy It Now) 78 rpm. He was criticized by some for regularly performing in segregated-audience venues in the South, for instance. In 1956, Nat King Cole was a superstar, selling millions of records and touring all over the country. Natalie recorded his hit "Unforgettable" and put their vocals together as a duet. Genealogy profile for Nat King Cole. In December of 1964, Cole had a health crisis that forced him to cancel a show (via Los Angeles Times). "I lost my baby in December. Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 - February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Missing, however, is the element of contrast that Cole supplied when he started singing with the trio. Cole praised NBC for its support and directly blamed the advertising industry. A Mis Amigos contains the Venezuelan hit "Ansiedad," whose lyrics Cole had learned while performing in Caracas in 1958. @ 2023 - Recording Academy. Arguably, it's even rarer for one to become a "holiday standard," played by the masses year after year. Luckily, the young Cole had his older brother Eddie to guide him. I think I've finally got this cancer licked.". March 17, 1919 in Montgomery, AL. This vintage song carries the timeless message to keep your chin up when life looks bleak. His enjoyable personality landed him the iconic gig as the host of his very own nationally televised show, as told by NPR. Stemming from an upper-class family, Ellington was a jazz singer who performed with notable names like Count Basie and Duke Ellington (no relation), according to The Hollywood Reporter. The six men arrested were all originally charged with "assault with intent to murder," but the charges were later changed to "conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor" for four of them. Nat's youngest brother Freddy Cole, and his daughter, Natalie Cole are also singers. Always a perfectionist, Cole put full effort into re-recording the entire song, and that first rendition has now become something of a collector's edition. The writers pointed out that he made a grammatical error during the last line of the bridge. 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. Without a large sponsor, NBC was unable to keep the show scheduled during prime time and had to move it to a less coveted time slot. The King Cole Trio 78rpm Single 10-inch Capitol Records #311 The Christmas Song. Cole was only 17. It's rare for songs to withstand the test of time and become classics. In July 1948, Nat King Cole and his new wife began house-hunting, as described by Curbed. September 28, 2016. "Madison Avenue," Cole said, "is afraid of the dark. 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. Cole was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1990, and in 1997 was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame. visit to New York during his early twenties, he met and ultimately married Maria Hawkins, a singer from Boston. How do the traditional Christmas standards perform on the chart? Nat was piano player and leader of the combo. January 1957. After 14 frustrating months, Cole called it quits, crisply telling a newspaper columnist that Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.. On November 5, 1956, The Nat King Cole Show debuted on NBC-TV. His father died just two weeks before he did. From 1942, when he and his Nat King Cole Trio became one of the first artists to sign with the fledgling Capitol Records, (a company in which the late Johnny Of course, in the mid-20th century, smoking was irresistibly popular. His remains were interred inside Freedom Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. Displaying items, You can list a specific format by selecting one here, 78 RPM RECORD CAPITOL 2130 NAT KING COLE FUNNY, Vintage King Cole Trio 78rpm 4 Album Set Capitol Records, Capital presents THE KING COLE TRIO 78 RPM RECORDS Vol 1 and 2 BD-8 BD-29 Debut, The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole Trio - Capital 15201 - vintage 78rpm record, two vintage Nat King Cole Christmas songs 78rpm records - Frosty the Snow Man, Nat King Cole 78 RPM Capitol The Christmas Song My Two Front Teeth 1954 10" 2955, The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole Trio - Capital 311 - vintage 78rpm record, (4) 78 rpm 10" records Nat King Cole Capitol 1808-1501-2346-2687 (UNFORGETTABLE), King Cole Trio 78rpm Set Capitol Records #BD 8 New Old Stock, unopened, NAT "KING" COLE : THE CHRISTMAS SONG / NATURE BOY. Noted for his warm tone and flawless phrasing, Cole was regarded among the top male vocalists, although jazz critics tended to regret his near-abandonment of the piano. 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. Singer. Cole's first mainstream vocal hit was his 1943 recording of one of his compositions, "Straighten Up and Fly Right," based on a black folk tale that his father had used as a theme for a sermon. When Capitol Records signed the Beatles to its roster, Cole knew that his days as a pop superstar were numbered. Thousands flocked to build a life on South . 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. Thanks to electronics, she dusted beautifully on the song with the great Nat King Cole himself. Thurgood Marshall, the NAACP legal counsel at the time, even saw Cole as an "Uncle Tom." For a number of these recordings, the orchestral accompaniment was directed and arranged by the gifted Nelson Riddle and Gordon Jenkins during the early 60s. Anniversary Flashback: Al Martino gains first UK Number 1 single 70 years ago. Cole voluntarily gave up the show with a simple commentary: Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark.. Volumes 1-4 released as separate booklets in 10" format. The success of these recordings led to Coles becoming a regular guest on the most widely viewed TV programs of the 50s, including Person to Person, This Is Your Life, Whats My Line? The attack began at the rear of the auditorium when three men ran down the aisles towards Cole and his band. 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). Nature Boy, Mona Lisa, Too Young, A Blossom Fell, and Unforgettable were among his major hits of the period. In 2007, he was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. Pelote, Vincent. At the same time, though, Cole wasn't an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement initially. . He learned not only jazz and gospel music, but European classical music as well. As told by Marianne Ruuth in her bookNat King Cole,he grew up in Chicago deeply entrenched in religious music, with a gospel choir leader for a mother and a reverend for a father. Louis Blues. During the early 60s, Cole also travelled extensively, doing highly successful concert tours of Latin America, Japan, the European Continent and England. They tried a couple of places, including Beverly Hills, but ultimately wanted somewhere away from the paparazzi and rowdy fans. Nat King Cole was in the final stages of lung cancer. It sold over 500,000 copies, and proved that folk-based material could appeal to a wide audience. Nat would continue playing piano with the revue for the rest of the tour, performing all across the country until the show, unfortunately, ran out of money in Long Beach in 1937, as described by the Orlando Sentinel. Might Cole have undergone a similar professional revival had he not died prematurely? Please enter your email address. Cole received 28 Gold Record awards for such hits as "Sweet Lorraine" and "Ramblin' Rose" in 1962, "Too Young" in 1951, "Mona Lisa" in 1949, and Mel Torm's "Christmas Song." [12] A handful of Cole recordings have made appearances on the Holiday 100 and are noted below according to the holiday season in which they charted there. Although her father, Nat King Cole, passed away when she was just a teenager, Natalie Cole has still been able to perform duets with her father via . A Best Of album went gold in 1968. The Guardian reported how someone came at Cole's knees and knocked him to the ground, injuring his back. Sold for 32.24 USD on 22 Mar 2022 (4 bids) 78 rpm. A wholly mainstream singer and entertainer, Cole was eventually offered his own TV show, which he very much wanted. Nat King Cole, too, fell to the allure of smoking. She began recording again after a stint in rehab in. What he could never have done was become a Sinatra-like cultural colossus, for he lacked Sinatras larger-than-life personality. During World War II, Wesley Prince left the group and Cole replaced him with Johnny Miller. Cole attained his greatest commercial success, however, as a vocalist specializing in warm ballads and light swing. It opens with an out-of-tempo reading of the first eight bars that is sung with hushed delicacy, after which Cole slips almost imperceptibly into a very slow but nonetheless danceable tempo. 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. Incredibly, Coles singing was as extraordinary as his playing. 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. By the 1950s, Nat King Cole emerged as a popular solo performer with numerous hits including "Mona Lisa", "Smile" and "Unforgettable". Although Nat would never be considered a rocker, the song can be seen as anticipating the first rock and roll records. The first cover of "The Christmas Song" was performed by pop tenor and bandleader Eddy Howard on Majestic. 1936-1955. Those close to him, however, knew for days and were able to see him in his last moments. Coles singing career began inadvertently when a tipsy customer at a small Hollywood bistro insisted that he sing, Sweet Lorraine, which he did to an enthused response, not only from the drunk, but from the entire audience as well. In 1937, after finishing high school, he wrote his first song, Straighten up and Fly Right, which he eventually sold for $50. Only one person other than Cole's wife would get to visit Cole before he died, and that was comedian Jack Benny. When I Fall in Love: The One and Only Nat King Cole. His pop hits were collaborations with well-known arrangers and conductors of the day, including Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins, and Ralph Carmichael. AllMusic. Cole's career as a jazz and pop vocalist started in the late 1930s and spanned almost three decades where he found success and recorded over 100 songs that became hits on the pop charts. This page was last edited on 11 November 2022, at 01:27. Released in 1958, St. Louis Blues, in which Cole played the legendary blues musician W.C. Despite the fact that Nat King Cole is revered today as a vocal legend, he never intentionally pursued a singing career. Cole Wont Rock and Roll (1962) that served only to make him look even further out of touch. Jazz singer Nat King Cole was best known for songs like "The Christmas Song" and "Ramblin' Rose" (via Billboard). Years active. This article contains a list of albums by Nat King Cole and compilations of his recordings, together with a list of his chart singles. Marianne Ruuth writes how it was his mom who convinced his father to allow him to look for work as a jazz pianist on weeknights, so long as he continued playing for the church. The trio played in Los Angeles throughout the late 1930s and recorded many radio transcriptions. Coles popularity allowed him to become the first African American to host a network variety program, The Nat King Cole Show, which debuted on NBC television in 1956. But while Coles studies were central to his artistic development, he became obsessed early on with jazz in general and the pianism of Earl Hines in particular. 34. Benny would give the eulogy at Cole's funeral service a few days later, per the Desert Sun, posted at theCalifornia Digital Newspaper Collection. Nat King Cole - Where Did Everybody Go - Used Vinyl Record lp - E34A. Settling in California, the Coles had five children and made their home in Hancock Park in greater Los Angeles. While this shift to pop music led some jazz critics and fans to accuse Cole of selling out, he never totally abandoned his jazz roots; as late as 1956, he recorded an all-jazz album, After Midnight. In June 1946, the King Cole Trio cut the first record of Mel Torms The Christmas Song (known for its first line, Chestnuts roasting on an open fire). Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Nat King Cole - Swings Spirituals - Used Vinyl Record lp - E34A at the best online prices at eBay! Despite these horrific acts, the Coles never wavered, and Nat King Cole would live in his Hancock Park home until his death. Comparatively few of Coles latter-day fans, however, know that he was more than a singer. Hancock Park, however, was an all-white neighborhood that had a "restrictive covenant" barring non-whites from living there unless they were servants.