ABOUT NAT "KING" COLE

“When I Fall In Love”, “Nature Boy”, “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire”, “Mona Lisa”, “Ramblin’ Rose” and “Unforgettable” ... these are just a few of the immortal standards made famous by the beloved singer and pianist, Nat “King” Cole. A performer of color and an international star, his personal warmth and distinctive vocal style made him the idol of countless millions. As vividly portrayed in the musical UNFORGETTABLE, the story of Nat “King” Cole’s life and show business success is extraordinary and compelling.

The son of a strict Alabama preacher, Nat learned to play a host of instruments at a very early age, including his first love, the piano. By the time he reached his teens, he was winning jazz keyboard competitions (in one instance, triumphing over his idol Earl “Fatha” Hines), and was performing in blues joints and at social engagements. In his late teens, he also toured the country in a black Broadway musical. When the show closed suddenly, Nat landed in Southern California. Barely 20 years old, he found immediate work as a pianist in nightclubs in and around Los Angeles. Soon word got out: “This cat can play”. It wasn’t long before he was dubbed the “King”.

One night, while working with a quartet at The Sewanee Inn, a drunk in the crowd kept shouting for Nat to sing the popular song “Sweet Lorraine”. When Nat complied, the crowd loved it. And thus was born a legendary singing career. Nat and his group worked only in nightclubs until they acquired a brilliant manager, Carlos Gastel, who arranged for their breakthrough contract with Capitol Records. Almost immediately, they had a huge hit with Nat’s own composition “Straighten Up and Fly Right”, a song inspired by one of his father’s sermons. Nat’s sophisticated keyboard skills were highlighted, but it was at this time that his singing voice ... a warm, velvety tenor-baritone ... began to be widely celebrated.

Within a year or two, Nat’s career was in full throttle. He took over a national radio show for Bing Crosby and recorded with the likes of Johnny Hodges and Frank Sinatra, a friend with whom he would soon be competing for popularity. By the time Nat was 30, he had a string of million-seller hits ... “Nature Boy”, “Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire”, “Route 66”, “Mona Lisa”, and “Unforgettable” ... to his credit.

Already recognized as that once rare commodity ... a black superstar, Nat’s was a phenomenal success story. But in the America of his day, segregation was still the custom if not the law of the land. Despite his wealth and prominence, Nat fought and won against racism when he and his wife Maria moved into their new Hollywood home over the bitter protests of their white neighbors. Later, Nat vetoed his appearances at resorts and casinos from which blacks were barred. Once while performing in Alabama, several white men, enraged by Nat’s stardom, rushed onto the stage and tried to kidnap him. Following that incident, Nat made the following statement about his commitment to perform for all peoples:

“You can erase a lot of things by gaining the respect of both races. Through the medium of my music I hope to make many new friends and change opinions regarding racial equality. I have always believed that by living as a full American dedicated to the democratic principle, I fight bigotry by example.”

Nat's incredible success went on unabated. He was cheered as a headliner in Las Vegas, and in concert venues in this country and all over the world. He was the first performer of color to star in his own national TV show. He was featured in Hollywood movies including THE BLUE GARDENIA, SAINT LOUIS BLUES, and THE NAT KING COLE STORY, sang for President and Mrs. Kennedy at the White House, and appeared in a Command Performance for the Queen of England.

Although a good husband and family man, nothing satisfied Nat more than back-to-back work and performing. He was experimenting with Rock n' Roll and continuing to tour widely. His appearances in South America caused a sensation and his concert dates in Asia, Europe and the United States sold out. In short, Nat’s schedule was crazier than ever. In the summer of 1964, he was headlining in Las Vegas by night and flying to Hollywood to film CAT BALLOU during the day. Seriously exhausted, he complained of back pain and finally went to a doctor to find the source of his problem. Diagnosed with lung cancer, Nat “King” Cole died on February 15, 1965, aged just 45. At Nat's funeral his fellow musicians and stars - Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson and Sammy Davis, Jr. to name just a few - paid tribute not only to the great performer and musical genius, but to one of the kindest and most courageous men they had ever known.

In the years since his death, the songs and personality of Nat “King” Cole have remained popular through the immense and ongoing sale of his albums and the replaying of his television series. In 1991, his daughter Natalie (a highly acclaimed pop star in her own right) remixed one of Nat’s classics, “Unforgettable”, adding her own voice in duet with her father. A wildly successful release, it put Nat “King” Cole - once again - at the top of the charts.