Nat King Cole

KEITH KUNZE
NAT KING COLE
--------------------------------
NAT KING COLE
BORN MARCH 17, 1919
DIED FEBRUARY 15, 1965


BORN NATHANIEL ADAMS COLES HE WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN-


AMERICAN WHO BECAME A SUCCESS WITH THE WHITE AUDIENCE.


NAT GREW UP IN CHICAGO, WHERE PIANIST EARL HINES WAS A BIG


INFLUENCE. COLE FORMED HIS FIRST TRIO WITH GUITAR PLAYER OSCAR


MOORE AND BASS PLAYER WESLEY PRINCE IN LOS ANGELES IN 1937.


THE TRIO( WITH JOHNNY MILLER REPLACING PRINCE ON BASS)


ACHIEVED ITS FIRST SUCCESS IN 1944 WITH " STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY


RIGHT". IN 1948 NATURE BOY BECAME ON OF NAT'S BEST HITS EVER. IT


SOLD OVER A MILLION COPIES ! HIS OTHER HITS INCLUDE "ROUTE 66" ,


"MONA LISA", AND "UNFORGETTABLE".

ALTHOUGH HE RECEIVED GREAT POPULARITY AS A SINGER, COLE


RECEIVED LITTLE RECOGNITION FOR HIS PIANO PLAYING. AS EARLY AS


1940 HE REGULARY EMPLOYED ADVANCED VOICING AND HARMONIC


SUBSTITUTIONS THAT "BEBOP" INNOVATORS SUCH AS SAXOPHONIST


CHARLIE PARKER WERE JUST BEGING TO DISCOVER.
.