Nat King Cole

Nat "King" Cole (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965) was a hugely popular American singer and jazz musician.

Childhood and Chicago

Cole was born Nathaniel Adams Coles in Montgomery, Alabama. The year of his birth has been reported as 1917 and 1915, but according to Daniel Mark Epstein's biography of Cole, the 1920 Census reported Nat as an infant. In addition, the census for Chicago dated April 5, 1930 lists Nat as 11 years old as of his last birthday.

Related Topics:
Montgomery, Alabama - 1917 - 1915 - 1920 - Census

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Nat's father was a butcher in Montgomery and a deacon in the Baptist church. His family moved to Chicago, Illinois while he was still a child. There, his father became a minister; Nat's mother Perlina was the church organist. She was the only piano teacher he ever had. His first performance, at age 4, was of "Yes, We Have No Bananas". He learned not only jazz and gospel music, but classical as well, performing, as he said, "from Bach to Rachmaninoff".

Related Topics:
Baptist - Chicago, Illinois - Gospel music - Classical - Bach - Rachmaninoff

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The family lived in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, which was famous in the late 1920s for its nightlife and jazz clubs. Nat would sneak out of the house and hang outside the clubs, listening to artists like Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, and Jimmie Noone. He participated in Walter Dyett's renowned music program at DuSable High School.

Related Topics:
Bronzeville - Late 1920s - Louis Armstrong - Earl Hines - Jimmie Noone - Walter Dyett

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Inspired by the playing of Earl "Fatha" Hines, he began his performing career in the mid 1930s while he was still a teenager, and adopted the name Nat Cole (losing the "s" from his last name). His older brother, Eddie Coles, a bassist, soon joined Nat's band and they first recorded in 1936. They had some success as a local band in and around Chicago and recorded for race music labels. They were also regular performers at clubs. In fact, Nat got his nickname "King" performing at one jazz club. Cole also was pianist in a national touring revival of ragtime and Broadway legend Eubie Blaker's review, Shuffle Along. When it suddenly failed in Long Beach,California, Cole decided to remain there.

Related Topics:
Mid 1930s - Teenager - Eddie Coles - Bassist - 1936 - Race music - Ragtime - Broadway - Eubie Blaker - Shuffle Along - Long Beach,California

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