Natalie Cole
Encyclopedia
Natalie Maria 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.
, 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.
to psychedelic rock icon Janis Joplin
, began singing at small clubs with her band, Black Magic. Initially welcomed to the clubs due to her being Nat King Cole's daughter only to be disappointed when she began covering R&B and rock numbers. While performing, she was noted by a couple of producers in the Chicago area, Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy, who then approached her to do records. After cutting several records together, they passed off the music to several record labels. Most labels turned them down with one ironic exception. Capitol Records
, her father's label, heard the records and agreed to sign her.
Cole, Yancy and Jackson went into studios in Los Angeles
to polish the recordings they had shipped, resulting in the release of Cole's debut album, Inseparable
, which included songs that reminded listeners of Aretha Franklin
. In fact, Franklin later contended that songs like "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)", "I Can't Say No" and others were originally offered to her while she was recording the You
album. Franklin turned most of the songs down but agreed to record the title track for her album. Cole also recorded "You". Released in 1975, the album became an instant success thanks to "This Will Be", which became a top ten hit and later winning Cole a Grammy Award
for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. A second single, "Inseparable
", also became a hit. Both songs reached number-one on the R&B chart. Cole also won Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards for her accomplishments. Due to the media's billing of Cole as the "new Aretha Franklin", it inadvertently started a rivalry between the two singers.
, released in 1976. The album, like Inseparable, became a gold success thanks to the funk
-influenced cut, "Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady)
" and the jazz
-influenced "Mr. Melody".
Cole released her first platinum record with her third release, Unpredictable
, mainly thanks to the number-one R&B hit, "I've Got Love on My Mind
". Originally an album track, the album's closer, "I'm Catching Hell", nonetheless became a popular Cole song during live concert shows. Later in 1977, Cole issued her fourth release and second platinum album, Thankful
, which included another signature Cole hit, "Our Love
". To capitalize on her fame, Cole starred on her own TV special, which attracted such celebrities as Earth, Wind & Fire
, and in 1978, released her first live album, Natalie Live!
In early 1979, the singer was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
. That same year, she released two more albums, I Love You So
and the Peabo Bryson
duet album, We're the Best of Friends
. Both albums reached gold status in the U.S. continuing her popularity.
, Cole's career began to take a detour. While Cole scored an adult contemporary hit with the soft rock
ballad "Someone That I Used To Love" off the album, the album itself failed to go gold. In 1981, Cole's personal problems including battles with drug addiction began to take public notice and her career suffered as a result. In 1983, following the release of her album, I'm Ready
, released on Epic
, Cole entered a rehab facility in Connecticut
reportedly staying there for a period of six months.
Following her release, she signed with the Atco
imprint, Modern Records
, releasing Dangerous
, which started a slow resurgence for Cole in terms of record sales and chart success. In 1987, she released the Everlasting
album, which returned her to the top of the charts thanks to singles such as "Jump Start (My Heart)", the top ten ballad, "I Live For Your Love" and her dance-pop cover of Bruce Springsteen
's "Pink Cadillac
". That success helped Everlasting reach one million in sales becoming Cole's first platinum album in ten years. In 1989, she released her follow-up to Everlasting, Good to Be Back
on Elektra
, which produced the number two hit, "Miss You Like Crazy
", which also achieved international success reaching the top ten in the United Kingdom.
Cole released her best-selling album with 1991's Unforgettable... with Love
, which saw Cole singing songs her famous father recorded, nearly 20 years after she initially had refused to cover her father's songs during live concerts. Cole produced vocal arrangements for the songs, with piano accompaniment by her uncle Ike Cole
. Cole's label released an interactive duet between Cole and her father on the title song, "Unforgettable
". The song eventually reached number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100
and number ten on the R&B
chart, going gold. Unforgettable...with Love eventually sold more than seven million copies in the U.S. alone winning several Grammys including Album of the Year
, Record of the Year
and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance for the top song.
Cole followed that success with another album of jazz standards titled Take a Look
, in 1993, which included her recording of the title track in the same styling that her idol Aretha Franklin had recorded nearly 30 years earlier. The album eventually went gold while a holiday
album, Holly & Ivy
, also became gold. Another standards release, Stardust
, went platinum and featured another duet with her father on a modern version of "When I Fall in Love
", which helped Cole earn another Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
.
recording style with the release of Snowfall on the Sahara. A year later, the singer collaborated on the production of her biopic, Livin' For Love: The Natalie Cole Story, which featured Theresa Randle
in the role of Cole. Her next album, 2002's Ask a Woman Who Knows
continued her jazz aspirations while 2006's Leavin'
, again featured Cole singing pop, rock and R&B standards. Her cover of Aretha Franklin
's "Daydreaming", became a minor hit on the R&B charts. In 2008, seventeen years after Unforgettable... with Love, Cole released Still Unforgettable
, which included not only songs made famous by her father but other artists such as Frank Sinatra
. The album later resulted in Grammy wins for Cole.
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.
In 1993, she was among the Guests of Honor attending Wrestlemania IX
at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada. She was interviewed by television staff after the conclusion of the Money Incorporated vs Megamaniacs tag team match regarding her upcoming work. The same year she performed at 65th Academy Awards
performing medley of two Oscar nominated songs: Run to You and I Have Nothing
, both originally performed by Whitney Houston
in The Bodyguard
.
Cole has made a number of dramatic appearances on television, including guest appearances on I'll Fly Away
, Touched by an Angel
, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
. 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.
On July 22, 2011 Cole appeared on the reality television series, Real Housewives of New York City.
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
.
In concert with the release of the book, her autobiography was turned into a made-for-TV movie, Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story, which aired December 10, 2000 on NBC
and re-aired October 26, 2011 on Centric TV CTRC.
(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.
s 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 ||
|-
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
legend Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)", "Inseparable
Inseparable (song)
"Inseparable" is a song originally recorded by R&B singer Natalie Cole. Released in 1975, it was her second straight number one single on the Hot Soul Singles chart from her debut album,Inseparable, and also reached number thirty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart...
" and "Our Love
Our Love (Natalie Cole song)
"Our Love" is song originally recorded by R&B singer Natalie Cole. Released from her 1977 album, Thankful, it spent 2 weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in January of 1978. It also was a hit on the pop charts, reaching number ten, . and has become one of her most familiar songs. It...
". 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
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's "Pink Cadillac
Pink Cadillac (song)
"Pink Cadillac" is a humorous song by Bruce Springsteen which though a minor item in his canon of recorded music was a prominent concert number during Springsteen's 1984-85 Born in the U.S.A. Tour...
". In the 1990s, she re-recorded standards by her father, resulting in her biggest success, Unforgettable... with Love
Unforgettable... with Love
Unforgettable… with Love is a 1991 album by Natalie Cole, which focuses on covers of standards previously performed by Cole's father, Nat King Cole...
, which sold over seven million copies and also won Cole numerous Grammy Awards.
Early life
Natalie Cole was born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, the daughter of crooner
Crooner
Crooner is an American epithet given to male singers of pop standards, mostly from the Great American Songbook, either backed by a full orchestra, a big band or by a piano. Originally it was an ironic term denoting an emphatically sentimental, often emotional singing style made possible by the use...
Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
and former Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
Orchestra singer Maria Cole. Raised in the affluent Hancock Park district of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
; regarding her childhood, Cole has referred to her family as "the black Kennedys
Kennedy family
In the United States, the phrase Kennedy family commonly refers to the family descending from the marriage of the Irish-Americans Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald that was prominent in American politics and government. Their political involvement has revolved around the...
" and was exposed to many great singers of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, 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"
Carole Cole
Carole "Cookie" Cole was an American actress and music producer as the CEO of King Cole Productions. She was sometimes credited as Carol Cole.-Personal life:...
(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
Freddy Cole
Lionel Frederick Cole is an American jazz singer and pianist, whose recording career has spanned over fifty years. He is leader of the Freddy Cole Quartet, which regularly tours the US, Europe, the Far East and South America....
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
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
in February 1965. Soon afterwards she began having a difficult relationship with her mother. She enrolled in the University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
. She briefly transferred to University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
where she pledged the Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta
Delta Sigma Theta is a non-profit Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women who perform public service and place emphasis on the African American community. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded on January 13, 1913 by twenty-two collegiate women at Howard University...
sorority. She later transferred back to the University of Massachusetts, where she majored in Child Psychology and minored in German graduating in 1972.
Early career
Following graduation, Cole, who grew up listening to a variety of artists from soul artists such as Aretha FranklinAretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
to psychedelic rock icon Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
, began singing at small clubs with her band, Black Magic. Initially welcomed to the clubs due to her being Nat King Cole's daughter only to be disappointed when she began covering R&B and rock numbers. While performing, she was noted by a couple of producers in the Chicago area, Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy, who then approached her to do records. After cutting several records together, they passed off the music to several record labels. Most labels turned them down with one ironic exception. Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, her father's label, heard the records and agreed to sign her.
Cole, Yancy and Jackson went into studios in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to polish the recordings they had shipped, resulting in the release of Cole's debut album, Inseparable
Inseparable (album)
Inseparable is the debut album from singer Natalie Cole, released in 1975 on the Capitol label. The album became her first gold-certified album and spawned the number-one R&B hits "This Will Be" and "Inseparable" and helped the young singer win two Grammy Awards including Best New...
, which included songs that reminded listeners of Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
. In fact, Franklin later contended that songs like "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)", "I Can't Say No" and others were originally offered to her while she was recording the You
You (Aretha Franklin album)
You is an Aretha Franklin album, released in 1975. It was a commercial failure, stalling at #83 on Billboards main album chart. The album's only single to chart, "Mr. D.J.", stalled at #53 on Billboards Hot 100. This recording has been out of print since the early 1980s and has never been issued...
album. Franklin turned most of the songs down but agreed to record the title track for her album. Cole also recorded "You". Released in 1975, the album became an instant success thanks to "This Will Be", which became a top ten hit and later winning Cole a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. A second single, "Inseparable
Inseparable (song)
"Inseparable" is a song originally recorded by R&B singer Natalie Cole. Released in 1975, it was her second straight number one single on the Hot Soul Singles chart from her debut album,Inseparable, and also reached number thirty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart...
", also became a hit. Both songs reached number-one on the R&B chart. Cole also won Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards for her accomplishments. Due to the media's billing of Cole as the "new Aretha Franklin", it inadvertently started a rivalry between the two singers.
Initial stardom
Becoming an instant star, Cole responded to critics of an impending sophomore slump with NatalieNatalie (Natalie Cole album)
Natalie is a 1976 album by Natalie Cole.The single, "Sophisticated Lady ", peaked at #25 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and topped the R&B Charts in 1976.-Track listing:...
, released in 1976. The album, like Inseparable, became a gold success thanks to the funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
-influenced cut, "Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady)
Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady)
"Sophisticated Lady " is a song recorded by R&B artist Natalie Cole issued as lead single from her second album Natalie. It spent one week at #1 on the Hot Soul Singles charts in 1976, becoming Cole's third consecutive #1 soul hit, and won Cole a second consecutive Grammy Award for Best Female R&B...
" and the jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-influenced "Mr. Melody".
Cole released her first platinum record with her third release, Unpredictable
Unpredictable (Natalie Cole album)
Unpredictable is a 1977 album by Natalie Cole.The single, "I've Got Love on My Mind", peaked at #5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and topped the R&B Charts in 1977.-Track listing:...
, mainly thanks to the number-one R&B hit, "I've Got Love on My Mind
I've Got Love on My Mind
"I've Got Love on My Mind" is a song originally recorded by Natalie Cole. Released from her third album, Unpredictable, it spent five weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart and peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977. It was certified Gold, selling over one million copies...
". Originally an album track, the album's closer, "I'm Catching Hell", nonetheless became a popular Cole song during live concert shows. Later in 1977, Cole issued her fourth release and second platinum album, Thankful
Thankful (Natalie Cole album)
Thankful is a 1977 album by Natalie Cole.The single, "Our Love", peaked at #10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and topped the R&B Charts in 1978.-Track listing:...
, which included another signature Cole hit, "Our Love
Our Love (Natalie Cole song)
"Our Love" is song originally recorded by R&B singer Natalie Cole. Released from her 1977 album, Thankful, it spent 2 weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in January of 1978. It also was a hit on the pop charts, reaching number ten, . and has become one of her most familiar songs. It...
". To capitalize on her fame, Cole starred on her own TV special, which attracted such celebrities as Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
, and in 1978, released her first live album, Natalie Live!
Natalie Live!
Natalie Live is the fifth album by singer Natalie Cole, released in 1978. This double-length live album was recorded at two different locations: In August 1977 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, California, and in March 1978 at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.-Track...
In early 1979, the singer was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
. That same year, she released two more albums, I Love You So
I Love You So
I Love You So is an album by Natalie Cole, released in 1979 through Capitol Records. The album reached peak positions of number 52 on the Billboard 200 and number 11 on Billboard R&B Albums chart.-Track listing:# "I Love You So"...
and the Peabo Bryson
Peabo Bryson
Peabo Bryson is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, born in Greenville, South Carolina...
duet album, We're the Best of Friends
We're the Best of Friends
We're The Best Of Friends is the duet album by soul vocalists Natalie Cole and Peabo Bryson.-Reception:Released late 1979, the album reached peak positions of number 44 on the Billboard 200 and number 7 on Billboard R&B Albums chart....
. Both albums reached gold status in the U.S. continuing her popularity.
Career detour and resurgence
Following the release of her eighth album, 1980's Don't Look BackDon't Look Back
Dont Look Back is a documentary about Bob Dylan.Don't Look Back may also refer to:-Film and television:* Don't Look Back , an action/thriller television film* Don't Look Back , a Japanese film...
, Cole's career began to take a detour. While Cole scored an adult contemporary hit with the soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
ballad "Someone That I Used To Love" off the album, the album itself failed to go gold. In 1981, Cole's personal problems including battles with drug addiction began to take public notice and her career suffered as a result. In 1983, following the release of her album, I'm Ready
I'm Ready (Natalie Cole album)
I'm Ready is an album by Natalie Cole, released in 1983. It was her only album released on Epic Records. The album reached peak positions of number 182 on the Billboard 200 and number 54 on Billboard R&B Albums chart.-SIDE TWO:...
, released on Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
, Cole entered a rehab facility in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
reportedly staying there for a period of six months.
Following her release, she signed with the Atco
Atco Records
ATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
imprint, Modern Records
Modern Records
Modern Records was an American record label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. In the 1960s, Modern Records went bankrupt and ceased operations, but the catalogue went with the management into what became Kent Records. This back catalogue was eventually licensed to the UK label...
, releasing Dangerous
Dangerous
Dangerous describes something that encompasses danger. It may also refer to:-Artists:*Dangerous!, an Australian hardcore punk band currently signed to Epitaph Records-Albums:*Dangerous...
, which started a slow resurgence for Cole in terms of record sales and chart success. In 1987, she released the Everlasting
Everlasting (Natalie Cole album)
Everlasting is a 1987 album by Natalie Cole. She returned to Capitol Records via Manhattan Records. This album is considered her commercial comeback....
album, which returned her to the top of the charts thanks to singles such as "Jump Start (My Heart)", the top ten ballad, "I Live For Your Love" and her dance-pop cover of Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's "Pink Cadillac
Pink Cadillac (song)
"Pink Cadillac" is a humorous song by Bruce Springsteen which though a minor item in his canon of recorded music was a prominent concert number during Springsteen's 1984-85 Born in the U.S.A. Tour...
". That success helped Everlasting reach one million in sales becoming Cole's first platinum album in ten years. In 1989, she released her follow-up to Everlasting, Good to Be Back
Good to Be Back
Good to Be Back is a 1989 album by Natalie Cole.The single, Miss You Like Crazy peaked at #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and topped the Adult Contemporary and R&B Charts in 1989.-Track listing:# "Safe" 3:46...
on Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
, which produced the number two hit, "Miss You Like Crazy
Miss You Like Crazy
"Miss You Like Crazy" is a song recorded by Natalie Cole and released in 1989 from her album Good to Be Back. It was a huge hit for Cole, becoming her fifth Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where the song peaked at #7. The song also topped both the R&B and adult contemporary charts in...
", which also achieved international success reaching the top ten in the United Kingdom.
Cole released her best-selling album with 1991's Unforgettable... with Love
Unforgettable... with Love
Unforgettable… with Love is a 1991 album by Natalie Cole, which focuses on covers of standards previously performed by Cole's father, Nat King Cole...
, which saw Cole singing songs her famous father recorded, nearly 20 years after she initially had refused to cover her father's songs during live concerts. Cole produced vocal arrangements for the songs, with piano accompaniment by her uncle Ike Cole
Ike Cole
Isaac "Ike" Cole was an American jazz pianist and composer.Born in Chicago, Illinois, Cole was the younger brother of Nat "King" Cole and the older brother of Freddy Cole, and played drums as a youth. He played bass drum in a U.S. Army band during the Korean War, and moved back to Chicago after...
. Cole's label released an interactive duet between Cole and her father on the title song, "Unforgettable
Unforgettable (song)
"Unforgettable" is a popular song written by Irving Gordon. The song's original working title was "Uncomparable". The music publishing company asked Irving to change it to "Unforgettable". The song was published in 1951....
". The song eventually reached number fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and number ten on the R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart, going gold. Unforgettable...with Love eventually sold more than seven million copies in the U.S. alone winning several Grammys including Album of the Year
Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammys. It has been awarded since 1959 and though it was originally presented to the artist alone, the award is now presented to the artist, the producer, the engineer and/or mixer and the mastering engineer...
, Record of the Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance for the top song.
Cole followed that success with another album of jazz standards titled Take a Look
Take a Look
For the song by Level 42, see Take a Look Take a Look is Pamela Moore's solo debut album, released under First American Records in 1981...
, in 1993, which included her recording of the title track in the same styling that her idol Aretha Franklin had recorded nearly 30 years earlier. The album eventually went gold while a holiday
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
album, Holly & Ivy
Holly & Ivy
Holly & Ivy is an album by Natalie Cole, released in 1994 through Elektra Records. The album reached peak positions of number 36 on the Billboard 200 and number 20 on Billboard R&B Albums chart....
, also became gold. Another standards release, Stardust
Stardust (Natalie Cole album)
Stardust is a 1996 studio album by American singer-songwriter and performer Natalie Cole. Cole won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for the song "When I Fall in Love", a duet with Nat King Cole, at the 39th Grammy Awards....
, went platinum and featured another duet with her father on a modern version of "When I Fall in Love
When I Fall in Love
"When I Fall in Love" is a 1952 popular song recorded by many artists.When I Fall in Love may also refer to:* When I Fall in Love , an album by Chris Botti, with a version of the 1952 song...
", which helped Cole earn another Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop songs on which singers collaborate...
.
Later works
In 1999, Cole returned to her 1980s-era urban contemporaryUrban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
recording style with the release of Snowfall on the Sahara. A year later, the singer collaborated on the production of her biopic, Livin' For Love: The Natalie Cole Story, which featured Theresa Randle
Theresa Randle
Theresa E. Randle is an American stage, film and television actress.Randle was born in Los Angeles, California. She began her performing career by studying dance and comedy. She entered Beverly Hills College with a special program for the exceptionally gifted...
in the role of Cole. Her next album, 2002's Ask a Woman Who Knows
Ask a Woman Who Knows
Ask a Woman Who Knows is a 2002 jazz album by vocalist Natalie Cole, with guest Diana Krall, and receiving four Grammy Award nominations.- Background :...
continued her jazz aspirations while 2006's Leavin'
Leavin'
"Leavin" is a song written and produced by Tricky Stewart, and The-Dream, and recorded by American singer Jesse McCartney. It is the lead single from McCartney's third studio album Departure , and it was sent to the U.S. mainstream radios on March 10, 2008...
, again featured Cole singing pop, rock and R&B standards. Her cover of Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
's "Daydreaming", became a minor hit on the R&B charts. In 2008, seventeen years after Unforgettable... with Love, Cole released Still Unforgettable
Still Unforgettable
Still Unforgettable is a 2008 studio album by American singer-songwriter and performer Natalie Cole. Cole won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Still Unforgettable at the 51st Grammy Awards.-Background:...
, which included not only songs made famous by her father but other artists such as Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
. The album later resulted in Grammy wins for Cole.
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 TributeNelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
The Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute was a popular-music concert staged on June 11, 1988 at Wembley Stadium, London and broadcast to 67 countries and an audience of 600 million. It was also referred to as Freedomfest, Free Nelson Mandela Concert and Mandela Day...
with sidemen Richard Campbell, Jeffrey Worrell, Eddie Cole and Dave Joyce. In 1990, she (along with jazz vocalist Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau
Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...
) sang the song "Mr. President" (written by Ray Reach
Ray Reach
Raymond Everett Reach, Jr. is an American pianist, vocalist and educator residing in Birmingham, Alabama, now serving as Director of Student Jazz Programs for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, director of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars and President and CEO of Ray Reach Music and Magic City...
, Mike Loveless and Joe Sterling) on HBO's Comic Relief special, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
, Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
and Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
. After Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. 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.
In 1993, she was among the Guests of Honor attending Wrestlemania IX
WrestleMania IX
WrestleMania IX was the ninth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. The event took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 4, 1993 and was the first WrestleMania event held outdoors...
at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada. She was interviewed by television staff after the conclusion of the Money Incorporated vs Megamaniacs tag team match regarding her upcoming work. The same year she performed at 65th Academy Awards
65th Academy Awards
The 65th Academy Awards were presented March 29, 1993 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. This was the fourth consecutive show hosted by Billy Crystal.Unforgiven won four Oscars out of nine nominations including Best Picture.-Awards:...
performing medley of two Oscar nominated songs: Run to You and I Have Nothing
I Have Nothing
"I Have Nothing" is a song by American singer Whitney Houston and released as the third single from The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album on February 20, 1993 by Arista Records. The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson, and produced by Foster...
, both originally performed by Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
in The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard is a 1992 American romantic-thriller film starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. Costner stars as a former Secret Service Agent turned bodyguard who is hired to protect Houston's character, a music star, from an unknown stalker. Lawrence Kasdan wrote the film in the 1970s,...
.
Cole has made a number of dramatic appearances on television, including guest appearances on I'll Fly Away
I'll Fly Away
"I'll Fly Away", is a hymn written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley and published in 1932 by the Hartford Music company in a collection titled Wonderful Message...
, Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel
Touched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della...
, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
. In 2006, she made a memorable guest appearance on the popular ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
show Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
as a terminally ill
Terminal illness
Terminal illness is a medical term popularized in the 20th century to describe a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and that is reasonably expected to result in the death of the patient within a short period of time. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as...
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
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
in public.
Cole has also made several appearances in feature films, most recently in the Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
biopic De-Lovely
De-Lovely
De-Lovely is a 2004 musical biopic directed by Irwin Winkler. The screenplay by Jay Cocks is based on the life and career of Cole Porter, from his first meeting with Linda Lee Thomas until his death...
. 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
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
with the Atlanta University Center Chorus at Super Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII
Super Bowl XXVIII was an American football game played on January 30, 1994, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1993 regular season. The National Football Conference champion Dallas Cowboys defeated the American Football...
.
On December 2, 2006, Cole performed for the first time in Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the nation's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles southwest of Cayman Brac.-Geography:Grand Cayman encompasses 76% of...
, Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
, as part of the annual Cayman Jazz Fest.
On the February 5, 2007 episode of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was an American dramedy television series created and written by Aaron Sorkin. It ran for 22 episodes.The series takes place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show on the fictional television network NBS , whose format is similar to that of NBC's...
, Cole sang "I Say a Little Prayer
I Say a Little Prayer
"I Say a Little Prayer" is a song written by songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David for Dionne Warwick, originally peaking at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in December 1967.-Background:...
" at a benefit dinner for Harriet Hayes
Harriet Hayes
Hannah Harriet Hayes is a fictional character on the US television series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, played by Sarah Paulson. The character is loosely based on actress Kristin Chenoweth ;; there is an opinion that she is also at least partially based on former Saturday...
(Sarah Paulson
Sarah Paulson
-Career:She was a series regular on the cult television show American Gothic and the WB series Jack & Jill , playing the character "Elisa Cronkite"...
).
She can also be seen in the last scene of Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
' music video for "Can't Forget About You
Can't Forget About You
"Can't Forget About You" is the second and final single from Nas' 2006 album Hip Hop Is Dead, released on January 23, 2007. It features Chrisette Michele, and the track is produced by will.i.am. Its lyrics deal with Nas reciting various unforgettable memories such as Mr. T becoming a wrestler and...
". The song uses a sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of her father's song "Unforgettable
Unforgettable (song)
"Unforgettable" is a popular song written by Irving Gordon. The song's original working title was "Uncomparable". The music publishing company asked Irving to change it to "Unforgettable". The song was published in 1951....
". Cole is sitting at a piano in a cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
-style lounge mouthing her father's song with Nas standing beside her.
Natalie Cole also performed "Something's Gotta Give
Something's Gotta Give (song)
"Something's Gotta Give" is a popular song with words and music by Johnny Mercer in 1954. It was published in 1955. It was written for and first performed by Fred Astaire in the 1955 musical film Daddy Long Legs....
" on American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
on April 29, 2009.
In September 2010, Cole performed with Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
in a concert
My Christmas Special
The Andrea Bocelli & David Foster Christmas Special, is the PBS Great Performances Christmas special of Andrea Bocelli's first ever Holiday album, My Christmas, produced by multiple Grammy Award winner David Foster...
at the Kodak Theatre
Kodak Theatre
The Kodak Theatre is a live theatre in the Hollywood and Highland shopping mall and entertainment complex on Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles...
, for his album My Christmas
My Christmas
My Christmas is the thirteenth studio album and first holiday album released by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.The album is a compilation of seasonal holiday favorites, mainly in English, with a few selections in Italian, German, and French, produced by multiple Grammy Award winner David Foster,...
, in which she recorded a duet with him, and on December 10–13, 2009, she appeared with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, sometimes colloquially referred to as MoTab, is a Grammy and Emmy Award winning, 360-member, all-volunteer choir. The choir is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . However, the choir is completely self-funded, traveling and producing albums to...
and Orchestra at Temple Square
Orchestra at Temple Square
The Orchestra at Temple Square is a 110-member orchestra located in Salt Lake City, UT. The Orchestra was created in 1999 under the direction of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Church President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of the creative initiative to continually strengthen and...
in their annual Christmas concerts. Both were videotaped for presentation on PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
in December 2010.
On July 22, 2011 Cole appeared on the reality television series, Real Housewives of New York City.
Filmography
NOTE: this filmography is not yet completed| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "Comic Relief Comic Relief Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief... " (HBO Special) |
(performed) | |
| 1992 | A Tribute To Nat King Cole (BBC BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff... Special) |
(performed) | |
| 1997 | Cats Don't Dance Cats Don't Dance Cats Don't Dance is a 1997 animated musical comedy film, notable as the only fully animated feature produced by Turner Entertainment's feature animation unit . The film was distributed by Warner Bros. Family Entertainment... |
Sawyer | (singing voice) |
| 1999 | Freak City Freak City Freak City was a Public-access television cable TV show syndicated across America that featured electronic music from raves and clubs. The show was created by the now-defunct Arcade America recording label, which also put out the popular Trance Global Nation series as well as plenty of other... |
Eleanor Sorrell | |
| 2004 | De-Lovely De-Lovely De-Lovely is a 2004 musical biopic directed by Irwin Winkler. The screenplay by Jay Cocks is based on the life and career of Cole Porter, from his first meeting with Linda Lee Thomas until his death... |
Musical performer | |
| 2006 | Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in... |
Terminally ill patient | |
| 2011 | The Real Housewives of Miami The Real Housewives of Miami The Real Housewives of Miami is a reality series for the Bravo cable network. The seventh and latest installment in the network's The Real Housewives of... franchise officially premiered on February 22, 2011... |
Cameo Season 1 | |
| 2011 | The Real Housewives of New York City The Real Housewives of New York City The Real Housewives of New York City is an American reality television program on the Bravo cable TV network, a spin-off of the Bravo series The Real Housewives of Orange County. New York is the second city featured in The Real Housewives of... franchise... |
Cameo Season 4 |
Personal life
Cole has been married three times. She married Marvin Yancy on July 31, 1976, 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 BaptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister who helped reintroduce her to religion. Under his influence, Cole changed from a lapsed Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
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
Sonia Nassery Cole
Sonia Nassery Cole is an Afghan-American activist, socialite, film director and actress.-Early life:Cole was born in Afghanistan. She escaped the county during the Soviet occupation by walking into neighboring Pakistan, aided by a nomad across the desert which her parents had entrusted to guide...
.
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 cocaineCrack cocaineCrack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
. - Cole said she began recreational drug useRecreational drug useRecreational drug use is the use of a drug, usually psychoactive, with the intention of creating or enhancing recreational experience. Such use is controversial, however, often being considered to be also drug abuse, and it is often illegal...
while attending the University of Massachusetts AmherstUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstThe University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
. - 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, Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story, which aired December 10, 2000 on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and re-aired October 26, 2011 on Centric TV CTRC.
Health problems
On July 16, 2008, Cole announced that she was diagnosed with hepatitis CHepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
(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
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
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
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
"dozens of emails flooded the CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
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.
Grammy Awards
The Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., known variously as The Recording Academy or NARAS, is a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its...
. Cole has received nine awards from twenty-one nominations.
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|rowspan="2"| ||Natalie Cole || Best New Artist
Grammy Award for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967...
||
|-
| "This Will Be
This Will Be
"This Will Be" is a song performed by Natalie Cole and composed by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy. It was Natalie Cole's debut single in 1975 and one of her biggest hits, becoming a number-one R&B and number-six pop smash in the U.S. and also reaching the UK Top 40...
" || Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female
Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality R&B songs...
||
|-
|rowspan="2"| || Natalie
Natalie (Natalie Cole album)
Natalie is a 1976 album by Natalie Cole.The single, "Sophisticated Lady ", peaked at #25 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and topped the R&B Charts in 1976.-Track listing:...
|| Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
||
|-
| "Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady)
Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady)
"Sophisticated Lady " is a song recorded by R&B artist Natalie Cole issued as lead single from her second album Natalie. It spent one week at #1 on the Hot Soul Singles charts in 1976, becoming Cole's third consecutive #1 soul hit, and won Cole a second consecutive Grammy Award for Best Female R&B...
" || Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || "I've Got Love on My Mind
I've Got Love on My Mind
"I've Got Love on My Mind" is a song originally recorded by Natalie Cole. Released from her third album, Unpredictable, it spent five weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart and peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1977. It was certified Gold, selling over one million copies...
" || Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || "Our Love
Our Love (Natalie Cole song)
"Our Love" is song originally recorded by R&B singer Natalie Cole. Released from her 1977 album, Thankful, it spent 2 weeks at number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart in January of 1978. It also was a hit on the pop charts, reaching number ten, . and has become one of her most familiar songs. It...
" || Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || I Love You So || Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || Everlasting
Everlasting (Natalie Cole album)
Everlasting is a 1987 album by Natalie Cole. She returned to Capitol Records via Manhattan Records. This album is considered her commercial comeback....
|| Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| || Good to Be Back
Good to Be Back
Good to Be Back is a 1989 album by Natalie Cole.The single, Miss You Like Crazy peaked at #7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and topped the Adult Contemporary and R&B Charts in 1989.-Track listing:# "Safe" 3:46...
|| Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female ||
|-
| "We Sing Praises" (with Deniece Williams
Deniece Williams
June Deniece Chandler known by her stage name Deniece Williams is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s...
) || Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances...
||
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|rowspan="4"| || Unforgettable… with Love || Album of the Year
Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammys. It has been awarded since 1959 and though it was originally presented to the artist alone, the award is now presented to the artist, the producer, the engineer and/or mixer and the mastering engineer...
||
|-
|rowspan="2"| "Unforgettable
Unforgettable (song)
"Unforgettable" is a popular song written by Irving Gordon. The song's original working title was "Uncomparable". The music publishing company asked Irving to change it to "Unforgettable". The song was published in 1951....
" (with Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
) || Record of the Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
||
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| Best Traditional Pop Performance
Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album is an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
||
|-
| "Long 'Bout Midnight" || Best Jazz Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album
The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album has been presented since 1977. Until 2001 this award was titled the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance...
||
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|rowspan="1"| || Take a Look
Take a Look (Natalie Cole album)
Take a Look is a 1993 studio album by American singer-songwriter and performer Natalie Cole. Cole won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for Take a Look at the 36th Grammy Awards.The single, "Take a Look", peaked at #68 on the U.S...
|| Best Jazz Vocal Performance ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| || "When I Fall in Love
When I Fall in Love
"When I Fall in Love" is a 1952 popular song recorded by many artists.When I Fall in Love may also refer to:* When I Fall in Love , an album by Chris Botti, with a version of the 1952 song...
" (with Nat King Cole) || Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop songs on which singers collaborate...
||
|-
| Stardust
Stardust (Natalie Cole album)
Stardust is a 1996 studio album by American singer-songwriter and performer Natalie Cole. Cole won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for the song "When I Fall in Love", a duet with Nat King Cole, at the 39th Grammy Awards....
|| Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| || "Better Than Anything" (with Diana Krall
Diana Krall
Diana Jean Krall, OC, OBC is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer, known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 6 million albums in the US and over 15 million worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 1990s and 2000s...
) || Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals ||
|-
| Ask a Woman Who Knows
Ask a Woman Who Knows
Ask a Woman Who Knows is a 2002 jazz album by vocalist Natalie Cole, with guest Diana Krall, and receiving four Grammy Award nominations.- Background :...
|| Best Jazz Vocal Album ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || "Day Dreaming" || Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ||
|-
|rowspan="1"| || Still Unforgettable
Still Unforgettable
Still Unforgettable is a 2008 studio album by American singer-songwriter and performer Natalie Cole. Cole won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Still Unforgettable at the 51st Grammy Awards.-Background:...
|| Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album ||
|-
Other Awards
| Natalie Cole Awards | ||||
| Category | Title | Result | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 and 2009 | Best Jazz Artist | NAACP Image Awards | Winner | |
| 2000 | Best Actress - Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special |
NAACP Image Awards | Winner | Livin for Love: The Natalie Cole Story |
| 1999 | Hitmaker Award | Songwriters Hall of Fame Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame is an arm of the National Academy of Popular Music. It was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and music publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The goal is to create a museum but as of April, 2008, the means do not yet exist and so instead it is an online... |
*Winner* | |
| 1993 | Lifetime Musical Achievement | The George and Ira Gershwin Award | Winner | |
| 1991 | Favorite Artist - Adult Contemporary | American Music Awards | Winner | |
| 1978 | Favorite Female Artist - Soul / Rhythm & Blues | American Music Awards | Winner | |
| 1977 | Favorite Female Artist - Soul / Rhythm & Blues | American Music Awards | Winner | |
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart