Nataniel Adams Cole was born on March 17, 1919, in Montgomery, Alabama, born to his parents Pearlina Coles and Edward Coles. Coles had three brothers, Eddie, Ike, and Freddy, and a half sister Joyce Coles. When Cole was four years old his family moved to Chicago, Illinois. Cole’s first performance was “Yes! We Have No Bananas”, at age four he began formal lessons and at age 12 he learned not only jazz and gospel music, but also Western classical music. The family lived in the Bronzville neighborhood in Chicago. Coles would sneak out of the house and hang outside the clubs, listening to artist such as Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines, and Jimmie No-one. He participated in Walter Dyett’s renowned music program at DuSable High School, inspired by the
…show more content…
Coles adopted the name Nat Cole. His older brother Eddie was a bass player, he soon joined Coles band, and they made their first recording in 1936 under Eddie’s name. They were also regular performers at a club. Cole, in fact acquired his nickname “King”, performing at a jazz club, he also was a pianist in a national tour of Broadway Theaters, and legendary Eubie Blake’s revue,” Shuffle Along”, when it suddenly failed in Long Beach, California, Cole decided to remain there. He would later return to Chicago in triumph to play such venues as the famed Edgewater Beach Hotel. Cole’s first mainstream vocal hit was in 1943 recording of one of his compositions “Straighten Up and Fly Right” based on a black folk tale that his father had used as a theme for a sermon. Johnny Mercer invited him to record it for his fledged Capital Records label. It sold over 500,000 copies. In 1946, Coles trio paid to have their own 15 minute radio program, it was called, “King Cole Trio Time”, it became the first radio program sponsored by black performing artist. During these years the trio recorded many transcription recordings, which were recordings made in the radio studio for the broadcast. Later, they were used
Coles adopted the name Nat Cole. His older brother Eddie was a bass player, he soon joined Coles band, and they made their first recording in 1936 under Eddie’s name. They were also regular performers at a club. Cole, in fact acquired his nickname “King”, performing at a jazz club, he also was a pianist in a national tour of Broadway Theaters, and legendary Eubie Blake’s revue,” Shuffle Along”, when it suddenly failed in Long Beach, California, Cole decided to remain there. He would later return to Chicago in triumph to play such venues as the famed Edgewater Beach Hotel. Cole’s first mainstream vocal hit was in 1943 recording of one of his compositions “Straighten Up and Fly Right” based on a black folk tale that his father had used as a theme for a sermon. Johnny Mercer invited him to record it for his fledged Capital Records label. It sold over 500,000 copies. In 1946, Coles trio paid to have their own 15 minute radio program, it was called, “King Cole Trio Time”, it became the first radio program sponsored by black performing artist. During these years the trio recorded many transcription recordings, which were recordings made in the radio studio for the broadcast. Later, they were used