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Cole started his career as a jazz pianist in the late 1930s, when he formed The King Cole Trio, which became the top-selling group (and the only black act) on Capitol Records in the 1940s. Cole's trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed.
- He Was Born Into Poverty
- He Started Young
- He Snuck Out of The House
- He Challenged His Idol
- He Dropped Out of High School
- His Brother Didn’T Want Him to Leave Chicago
- He Fell in Love with An Older Woman
- He Got Married at 18
- A Nursery Rhyme Inspired His Stage Name
- He Never Meant to Be A Singer
Nathaniel Adams Coles was born in the deep south of Montgomery, Alabama, in 1919. When Cole was born, lynching and race riots were a common occurrence in Montgomery. His family had to scrape by with nothing as the prejudice in the South continued to worsen. Finally, they couldn't take it anymore.Cole’s parents decided to move the family to Chicago ...
Nat King Cole started playing piano at four years old, taking after his mother, who played the organ in his father’s church. His talent for music was obvious throughout his youth. He won his first music contest at 10 years old, even before he formally began music lessons at 12. Cole was generally a good kid, but his growing love for music would soo...
By high school, Cole was in love with the catchy melodies of jazz and would often sneak out of his house to listen to his favorite jazz musicians. His love for the genre inspired him to form a small jazz band, Rogues of Rhythm, with some of his schoolmates. The group would play around the town, often paid in food or not at all. Cole didn’t care abo...
Already a prodigy in his hometown and starting to garner the attention of the press, the Rogues of Rhythm challenged Cole’s jazz idol, Earl Hines, in a battle of the bands. Now, that was a recipe for disaster—but Nat King Cole wasn't just any punk kid. He could play. The band of teenagers, led by Cole himself, managed to beat the jazz legend! Cole’...
With a few small successes under his belt, Cole thought he was ready for the big time, so he quit school. He joined his brother’s band, Eddie Cole’s Swingsters, who landed a gig in the orchestra of the Broadway musical, Shuffle Along,shortly after. He joined the Swingsters for the love of music, but he’d soon find even more love than he had bargain...
After its run in Chicago, Shuffle Alongset out to tour the west coast. Cole’s brother wanted him to stay in Chicago so they could continue their work with the Swingsters. Cole enjoyed his time with his brother, but he had other plans—plans that involved an unexpected relationship choice. Wikimedia Commons
Nat King Cole was in love with Nadine Robinson, one of the show’s sparkling dancers. But their romance was a source of scandal.Cole was only 17 years old at the time, while his new lover was 27. While it may have stopped other teenagers, neither Cole’s brother’s expectations nor the 10-year age gap stopped him from making a serious commitment. But ...
Less than one year after Cole set out on tour with Shuffle Along, he and Nadine were man and wife. Now 18 years old, and technically an adult, Cole settled in Los Angeles with his new wife in hopes they could both continue their careers. Cole played piano in big bands and nightclubs, but he still went by Nat Coles. It was time for him to come up wi...
Once he started working with his brother, Cole had followed him in scrapping the “s” from their original last name. But the “King” didn’t become a part of his moniker until one of the nightclubs he worked for requested he create a band. He added a bassist and guitarist to his piano to create his first jazz trio. They named themselves the King Cole ...
Although the jazz trio would occasionally sing small parts during their performances, legend has it that Cole’s first real vocal performance happened one night at a club when a tipsy patron asked him to sing. Cole obliged him, and his singing was so impressive that his vocals became a regular request at his gigs. Cole was already a hit live on stag...
Apr 3, 2014 · Known for his smooth and well-articulated vocal style, Cole actually started out as a piano man. He first learned to play around the age of four with help from his mother, a church choir...
Jan 8, 2022 · As a toddler, he learned to play the piano (via Biography). By 12 he was singing, too, says Britannica. In a few short years, Cole dropped out of school at 15 years old to focus solely on pursuing a career in music. Cole would form a few jazz music groups before creating the King Cole Trio.
- Alexandra Simon
Aug 22, 2023 · 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. According to UDiscover Music , Cole also had perfect pitch, making him able to pick out and identify a note on the piano in an instant.
Feb 6, 2008 · But Cole was also an elegant keyboard player whose innovative groups popularized the jazz piano trio. Cole was born on March 17, 1917, in Montgomery, Ala., but his family moved to Chicago...
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Aug 18, 1991 · Born Nathaniel Adams Coles on St. Patrick’s Day, 1917, in Montgomery, Ala., Cole (he dropped the s from his name when he was 19) was the son of the Rev. Edward James Coles Sr., deacon of the...
