| Coordinates | 43°36′49″N116°12′12″N |
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| Name | Natalie Cole |
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| Background | solo_singer |
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| Birth name | Natalie Maria Cole |
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| Born | February 06, 1950Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Instrument | Voice, Piano |
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| Genre | R&B;, soul, pop, soft rock, jazz, quiet storm, adult contemporary |
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| Occupation | Singer, songwriter, pianist, actress |
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| Years active | 1955–present |
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| Label | Capitol (1975–1981)Epic (1982–1984)Modern (1984–1986)Capitol-EMI-Manhattan (1986–1990)Elektra (1991–2001)Verve (2001–2007)DMI / Rhino (2008–2010) |
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| Associated acts | Nat King Cole |
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| Url | www.nataliecole.com |
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Natalie Maria Cole (born February 6, 1950), better known as Natalie Cole is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B; artist with the hits "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)", "Inseparable" and "Our Love". After a period of failing sales and performances due to a heavy drug addiction, Cole reemerged as a pop artist with the 1987 album, Everlasting, and her cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac". In the 1990s, she re-recorded standards by her father, resulting in her biggest success, Unforgettable... with Love, which sold over seven million copies and also won Cole numerous Grammy Awards.
Early life
Natalie Cole was born in
Los Angeles, California, the daughter of
crooner Nat King Cole and former
Duke Ellington Orchestra singer Maria Cole. Raised in the affluent
Hancock Park district of
Los Angeles; regarding her childhood, Cole has referred to her family as "the black
Kennedys" and was exposed to many great singers of
jazz,
soul, and
blues. At the age of six Natalie sang on her father's Christmas album and later began performing at age 11.
Cole grew up with older adopted sister Carole "Cookie" (1944–2009) (her mother Maria's younger sister's daughter); adopted brother Nat "Kelly" Cole (1959–95), and younger twin sisters Timolin and Casey (born 1961).
Her paternal uncle Freddy Cole is a singer and pianist with numerous albums and awards. Cole attended Northfield Mount Hermon School at age 15, afer her father died of lung cancer in February 1965. Soon afterwards she began having a difficult relationship with her mother. She enrolled in the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She briefly transferred to University of Southern California where she pledged the Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She later transferred back to the University of Massachusetts, where she majored in Child Psychology and minored in German graduating in 1972.
Music career
Early career
Even before she graduated from college, Cole had already began singing on weekends at a small club called "The Pub". She was welcomed on the club circuit in hope of singing her father's music but tried to stay as far from his music as managers would allow. In fact, it was her own style of grit and soul that attracted R&B; producers Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy at a nightclub called Mr. Kelley's. This partnership soon took the industry by storm with the release of her first album
Inseparable with soul number one hits "
This Will Be", and title track "
Inseparable". In 1975, Natalie was awarded a Grammy for
Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance for "This Will Be" and Best New Artist Grammy for the album
Inseparable. Her high-power-style was often compared to
Aretha Franklin and some critics even referred to her as the new queen of soul. In 1976, Natalie was again awarded
Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance for "
Sophisticated Lady" and a 1977 Best Female Vocalist American Music Award for gold certified "
I've Got Love on My Mind". Natalie gathered two platinum albums (
Unpredictable,
Thankful) and another gold single "
Our Love" in 1977. By 1978, she would star in her first television special on CBS to rave reviews and garnered another gold album in the classic
Natalie Live set which also featured her hard hitting band Linda Williams (Musical Director/Piano/Background vocals)Cissy Peoples and Anita Anderson (background vocalist)Ted Sparks (Drums)Bobby Eaton (Bass Guitar)Michael Wycoff (Keyboards and Vocals)Charles Bynum (Guitar)Louie Palomo (Percussion). Plenty of hits including "I Cant Say No", "Party Lights", "I'm Catching Hell", "Be Thankful", "Annie Mae", "Sorry", "Stand By" among many others followed as well as more gold albums with 1979's
I Love You So and 1980's
We're The Best Of Friends with
Peabo Bryson.
Career detour and resurgence
Cole's career paused in the early 1980s as she entered rehab multiple times for heroin and cocaine addiction, while her mother assumed control of her finances and custody of her son. By 1985, Cole was back in good health, and began a comeback with album
Dangerous, released on the Modern label and included hits "A Little Bit Of Heaven" and the Pointer Sisters-inspired title track which became a number one dance song. In 1987, she released
Everlasting (on EMI Manhattan) which sold over a million copies in the
U.S., and won Cole a
Soul Train Award for
Female Single of the Year for the #1 R&B; ballad "I Live for Your Love". The album also included hit singles "Jump Start," and a remake of
Bruce Springsteen's "
Pink Cadillac" (#5 Pop, #16 AC, and #1 Dance, #5 UK). Singles "Everlasting" and a remake of her father's signature song, "When I Fall In Love" also had modest success on charts. In 1989, her next album, ''Good To
Be Back
, gave her more chart success with "Miss You Like Crazy" (#1 both R&B; and AC, and #7 Pop, plus #2 UK), "I Do" with Freddie Jackson, and a cover of Dolly Parton's "Starting Over Again". In 1990, "Wild Women Do" was featured behind the credits and on the soundtrack album of the Julia Roberts film Pretty Woman''.
Unforgettable...with Love
Cole's best selling album, 1991's
Unforgettable... with Love, featuring her vocal arrangements of her father's greatest hits with piano accompaniment by her uncle
Ike Cole. She sang 22 songs from Nat King Cole's collection including "
The Very Thought of You", "
Mona Lisa", "
Route 66" and with a little help from technology, performed the title song "
Unforgettable" as a duet with her father, using her father's original recording. As a single, it reached #14 on
Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 chart and #10 on the R&B; chart, and went gold and the video single six times platinum. The album was also a great success; selling over 7 million copies in the United States alone, and won Cole several Grammy Awards, including
Album of the Year, as well as
Record of the Year and
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance for the track "Unforgettable". The "Record of the Year" award was somewhat controversial, as some wondered aloud how a 40+ year old song could be nominated—let alone win—Record of the Year. Cole's strained relationship with her mother intensified, as the elder Cole vocally criticized her daughter for exhuming the memory of Nat "King" Cole solely for commercial gain.
Additional albums
Cole released several more Jazz cd's including
Take A Look, which won Cole the 1993 grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance; and
Stardust; which featured a second duet with a Nat "King" Cole recording on "When I Fall in Love", which won the 1996 grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. She later appeared on the pop singles charts with "A Smile Like Yours" in 1997.
In 1994 she released her first holiday recording, Holly and Ivy, which was certified gold in 1996. Additional holiday recordings include A Celebration of Christmas (1996), recorded live in Vienna with Jose Carreras and Plácido Domingo; and Magic of Christmas (1999).
In 1995, she performed in a musical performance of the popular story at Lincoln Center to benefit the Children's Defense Fund. The performance was originally broadcast on Turner Network Television (TNT), and issued on CD and video in 1996.
Her 1999 album Snowfall on the Sahara marked a return to the easy adult-contemporary soul that categorized her late-1980s style and included the hit "Say You Love Me". In 2002 the critically acclaimed number one jazz cd Ask a Woman Who Knows coverered songs made famous by Dinah Washington, Nina Simone, and Sarah Vaughan. For this recording she received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Artist.
In September 2006, she released Leavin', a cover album of tracks made popular by Shelby Lynne, Kate Bush, Sting, and Fiona Apple, and the hit remake of Aretha Franklin's "Daydreaming", for which she received a Grammy nomination.
Cole's latest album, Still Unforgettable was released September 9, 2008 including yet another virtual duet with her late father, a cover of his 1951 hit "Walkin' My Baby Back Home". Still Unforgettable won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 51st Grammy Awards.
Television and film
Cole has carved out a secondary career in acting. She has also appeared several times in live concerts or other music related programs, including the 1998
Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute with sidemen
Richard Campbell,
Jeffrey Worrell,
Eddie Cole and
Dave Joyce. In 1990, she (along with jazz vocalist
Al Jarreau) sang the song "Mr. President" (written by
Ray Reach, Mike Loveless and Joe Sterling) on
HBO's
Comic Relief special, hosted by
Whoopi Goldberg,
Robin Williams and
Billy Crystal. After
Johnny Mathis appeared on a special of Cole's in 1980, the two kept in contact, and in 1992, he invited Cole to be a part of his television special titled "A Tribute To Nat Cole" for
BBC-TV in
England. It had high viewer ratings and was successful. From that project, an album with the same name was released, and featured several medley and solo numbers.
In 1992, following the success of the Unforgettable: With Love album, PBS broadcast a special based on the album. Unforgettable, With Love: Natalie Cole Sings the Songs of Nat "King" Cole received emmy nominations for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Program; and Cole received a nomination for Outstanding Individual Performance, losing to Bette Midler.
Cole has made a number of dramatic appearances on television, including guest appearances on I'll Fly Away, Touched by an Angel, and . In 2006, she made a memorable guest appearance on the popular ABC show Grey's Anatomy as a terminally ill patient. Her character visited Seattle Grace Hospital to have a fork removed from her neck that her husband had stabbed her with during a mishap; the couple had been having sex in public.
Cole has also made several appearances in feature films, most recently in the Cole Porter biopic De-Lovely. She has appeared in several made-for-TV movies, most notably as the lead in Lily in Winter. Cole was featured on Macy Gray's album Big, singing "Finally Make Me Happy".
In 2001 she starred as herself in Livin' for Love: the Natalie Cole Story, for which she received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television, Mini-Series of Dramatic Special.
She also sang the national anthem with the Atlanta University Center Chorus at Super Bowl XXVIII.
On December 2, 2006, Cole performed for the first time in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, as part of the annual Cayman Jazz Fest.
On the February 5, 2007 episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Cole sang "I Say a Little Prayer" at a benefit dinner for Harriet Hayes (Sarah Paulson).
She can also be seen in the last scene of Nas' music video for "Can't Forget About You". The song uses a sample of her father's song "Unforgettable". Cole is sitting at a piano in a cabaret-style lounge mouthing her father's song with Nas standing beside her.
Natalie Cole also performed "Something's Gotta Give" on American Idol on April 29, 2009.
In September 2010, Cole performed with Andrea Bocelli in a concert at the Kodak Theatre, for his album My Christmas, in which she recorded a duet with him, and on December 10–13, 2009, she appeared with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in their annual Christmas concerts. Both were videotaped for presentation on PBS in December 2010.
Filmography
NOTE: this filmography is not yet completed
Personal life
Cole has been married three times. She married Marvin Yancy on July 31, 1976, by whom she has a son Robert Adam "Robbie" Yancy (born October 1977); he is now a musician who tours with her. Cole just announced on Wendy Williams that her son Robbie just recently got married. Marvin was her producer, and an ordained
Baptist minister who helped reintroduce her to religion. Under his influence, Cole changed from a lapsed
Episcopalian to become a devout Baptist. Cole and Yancy divorced in 1980; Yancy died of a heart attack in 1985, aged 34. In 1989, Cole married record producer Andre Fischer; they divorced in 1995. In 2001, Cole married bishop Kenneth Dupree; they divorced in 2004.
Cole has been active in the Afghan World Foundation cause, supporting Sonia Nassery Cole.
Drug abuse and recovery
In 2000, Cole released an autobiography,
Angel on My Shoulder, which described her battle with drugs during much of her life.
In the book, Cole admitted to using heroin and crack cocaine.
Cole said she began recreational drug use while attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
She also disclosed that she was arrested in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for possession of heroin in 1975.
Cole continued to spiral out of control - including one incident where she refused to evacuate a burning building, and another where her young son Robert nearly drowned in the family swimming pool while she was on a drug binge. She did eventually enter rehab in 1983.
In concert with the release of the book, her autobiography was turned into a made-for-TV movie, The Natalie Cole Story, which aired December 10, 2000 on NBC.
Health problems
On July 16, 2008, Cole announced that she was diagnosed with
hepatitis C (a disease affecting the liver) likely caused by her drug use: "I've been so fortunate to have learned so much from my past experiences. I am embraced by the love and support of my family and friends; I am committed to my belief in myself and in my abiding faith to meet this challenge with a heartfelt optimism and determination. This is how I intend to deal with this current challenge in my life." Dr. Graham Woolf, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA/Cedars Sinai Medical Center, said that Cole "had a terrific response to her medication and is now virus negative. This gives her an increased chance of cure. But, she has also suffered significant side effects from the anti-viral medicine, which is the only FDA authorized treatment for hepatitis C. Her side effects include fatigue, muscle aches and dehydration but she is recovering from these. On September 19, 2008 she was rushed to the hospital due to her
Hepatitis C medications.
Cole has also had struggles with kidney disease. Before receiving a kidney transplant on May 20, 2009, Cole had been receiving kidney dialysis three times a week. During her March 31, 2009 appearance on Larry King Live "dozens of emails flooded the CNN studio" with offers for replacement kidneys.
As of June 2009, Cole had received a kidney transplant. The news of the organ came on the same day her sister Carole died from cancer. Natalie attended the memorial services and continues to heal and grow stronger with her new kidney.
She made a triumphant stage comeback on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at the legendary Hollywood Bowl in LA. In December 2009 she achieved a life long dream of performing at the Christmas Extravaganza with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Selective awards and recognitions
Grammy Awards
The
Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Cole has received nine awards from twenty-one nominations.
|-
|rowspan="2"| ||Natalie Cole ||
Best New Artist ||
|-
| "
This Will Be" ||
Best R&B; Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| ||
Natalie ||
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
| "
Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady)" || Best R&B; Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || "
I've Got Love on My Mind" || Best R&B; Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || "
Our Love" || Best R&B; Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| ||
I Love You So || Best R&B; Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| ||
Everlasting || Best R&B; Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| ||
Good to Be Back || Best R&B; Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
| "We Sing Praises" (with
Deniece Williams) ||
Best R&B; Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal ||
|-
|rowspan="4"| ||
Unforgettable… with Love ||
Album of the Year ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| "
Unforgettable" (with
Nat King Cole) ||
Record of the Year ||
|-
|
Best Traditional Pop Performance ||
|-
| "Long 'Bout Midnight" ||
Best Jazz Vocal Performance ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| ||
Take a Look || Best Jazz Vocal Performance ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| || "
When I Fall in Love" (with Nat King Cole) ||
Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals ||
|-
|
Stardust || Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| || "Better Than Anything" (with
Diana Krall) || Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals ||
|-
|
Ask a Woman Who Knows || Best Jazz Vocal Album ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || "
Day Dreaming" || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| ||
Still Unforgettable || Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album ||
|-
Other Awards
{| class=wikitable
|-
| colspan=5 align=center |
Natalie Cole Awards
|-
! Category
! Title
! Result
! Notes
|- align=center
| 2002 and 2009
| Best Jazz Artist
| NAACP Image Awards
| Winner
|- align=center
| 2000
| Best Actress -Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special
| NAACP Image Awards
| Winner
| Livin for Love: The Natalie Cole Story
|- align=center
| 1999
| Hitmaker Award
| Songwriters Hall of Fame
| *Winner*
|- align=center
| 1993
| Lifetime Musical Achievement
| The George and Ira Gershwin Award
| Winner
|- align=center
| 1991
| Favorite Artist - Adult Contemporary
| American Music Awards
| Winner
|- align=center
| 1978
| Favorite Female Artist - Soul / Rhythm & Blues
| American Music Awards
| Winner
|- align=center
| 1977
| Favorite Female Artist - Soul / Rhythm & Blues
| American Music Awards
| Winner
|- align=center
|}
Discography
See also
List of number-one dance hits (United States)
List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
References
External links
Official website
Natalie Cole interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' September 2008
Natalie Cole biography and updates at Soul Tracks
Category:1950 births
Category:Living people
Category:African American actors
Category:African American female singers
Category:African American memoirists
Category:African American singer-songwriters
Category:American Christians
Category:American jazz singers
Category:American rhythm and blues singers
Category:American soul singers
Category:American pop singers
Category:Elektra Records artists
Category:Grammy Award winners
Category:Musicians from California
Category:People from Los Angeles, California
Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni
Category:Women in jazz
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