THE NAT KING COLE TRIO ~ 1947 ~ MOORE (Guitar) MILLER (Bass)
NAT KING COLE ~ Had a beautiful voice
Soft and mellow ~ like a baroque cello
MONA LISA is my special choice
He really was a charming fellow.
Born and raised in ALABAMA
His Daddy was a Preacher Man
Taught piano by his Mama
Classic ~ Jazz and Tin Alley Pan
In Church there was a Jazz embargo
Nat jazzified the Christian Songs
Family then moved to Chicago
Nat found Jazz was ~ where he belonged
Played piano ~ boogie brio
Jammed with drums guitar and bass
Then he formed the KING COLE TRIO
Everything fell into place
Punters asked him ~ sing refrain
Saint Louis Blues & Nature Boy ~ forlorn
One guy kept shouting ~ Sweet Lorraine
And so a mega Singing Star was born !
His early death ~ was so regrettable
Left five sad kids and wife Maria
Natalie ensured he's UNFORGETTABLE
Now only his Twins remain ~ to shed a tear.
His sentimental ballads ~ all had soul
But Mister Cole don't sing no ROCK & ROLL !
Thanks for visiting ~ comments welcome ~ Love to All ~ BRIAN XOX
If you comment please mention your favorite Nat King Cole track ~ OK
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Author:
BRIANSODES (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: April 10th, 2017 03:32
- Comment from author about the poem: NAT KING COLE was born in Montgomery Alabama in 1919 ~ He could play piano from the age of four and when his family moved to Chicago he was influenced towards towards Jazz by Louis Armstrong ~ Earle Hines and Jimmie Noone. He moved to Los Angeles and formed the rio "King Cole Swingsters" in 1937 (aged 18) and was payed $90 per week (equivalent to $1800 today !). He was a leading Jazz Pianist. His first schmaltzy commercial record with Columbia was "Chestnuts roasting on an Open Fire" (1946) when he was 27 and the unique "Nat King Cole Sound" with orchestral strings an woodwind was born. He married Maria Ellington in 1948 and they adopted two children and had three of their own Natalie (1950) and the twins Casey & Tamolin (1961). The twins manage the NKC Foundation which promotes and supports Young Black Singers. Nat had to face segregation when he was younger and the KKK killed his dog and planted a burning cross on his Lawn. Nat was very popular with his contemporary Singers (White & Colored) and they supported him in his Radio Show an TV Show. He was the first colored Singer to host such shows. He was a life long smoker and smoked five menthol cigarettes before performing ~ to loosen his vocal chords ! Sadly he dies of Lung Cancer in 1965 ~ aged 45. His daughter Natalie (1950 ~ 2015) would never sing her Dad's songs but in 1991 (the 25th Anniversary of his death) she released Unforgettable in which she duets on the title song with her Dad. It sold 11 million copies in the USA and another 11 million worldwide ! Through his many immaculate recording Nat king Cole will always live on in all our memories ~ RIP. Comments welcome ~ Love to all BRIAN XOX
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Comments10
One of the greats, outside of Jazz circles he is only known for his singing but Jazzers know him for his Jazz piano playing (and organ playing).
Good write highlighting his Jazz.
Thanks BROTHER ~ pleased you appreciated me highlighting his virtuosity as a Jazz Pianist. There are plenty of NKC Trio examples on You Tube and also boxed sets of CD's available on Amazon. I give illustrated talks on NKC to Seniors Groups and it brings back many memories for them. I only know him through his recordings and Natalie's 1991 Album. Yours BRIAN
He as always been in my life, as have many others that I was brought up on in the 1950's, thanks to my father who brought so much music into my life and has been there for sixty or more years.
Historically the 1940's and 50's was a great period for Ballad Singers ~ Crosby ~ Sinatra ~ Dean Martin ~ NKC ~ Jim Reeves ~ Tony Bennett etc Then came Rock & Roll ! Hence the last line in my poem. The only one left is the bel canto Baritone Tony Bennett ~ 100 concerts per year and great duets with Lady Gaga ~ awesome. Thanks BRIAN
Well I'm certainly familiar with his singing and will look out his prowess on the piano. thanks for another informative piece Brian. Favourite? So Many - but Route 66 comes immediately to mind - I'll think on...!
Thanks MICHAEL ~ Route 66 and NKC classic. If yiou look up the NKC Trio on YOU TUBE pieces like Sweet Georgia Brown are just instrumental ~ no singing ~ OK ~ BRIAN
I'll do just that.
Well worth the praise. Brian.
Thanks FRANK ~ Yes one of the great Ballad Singers in the Sinatra ~ Martin ~ Reeves ~ Bennett era ~ Gone but never forgotten ~ Yours BRIAN
You can't miss with Nat King Cole
great Christmas time work as well
Yes WILLY ~ a great Christmas Album ~ Lots of sincerity in his Spiritual Songs ~ BRIAN
Wonderful tribute to Nat King Cole. Truly one of the all time best
Yes TONY ~ A brilliant Jazz Pianist and a unique honey dew voice ! BRIAN
Welcome
Was a favorite of my Dad's. He seemed like a nice person, as well. Nice tribute Brian!
Yes indeed Honey my Dad (and his Dad !) both loved NKC ~ he had a great following among Men especially for the NKC TRIO and his JAZZ PIANO ~ awesome ! We can learn a lot about GOOD MUSIC from our Dad\'s ! MY DAD is an excellent pianist and a Church Organist ~ LOWREY ! He was a Southern Gentleman ! Have you been to ALABAMA ~ lovely people in MOBILE ! Southern Hugs ~ BRIAN
Great poem Brian, indeed unforgettable Mr. Cole.
Gracias RR ~ Yes indeed ~ very UNFORGETTABLE ! BRIAN
A fine write. Erm, I know most of the 60's songs on 'heartbeat'. I sort of lost touch with Top of the Pops around 1990. But that's recent for me, seeing I'm millions of years old, so I say. So is Goldie. Well, we both ramble on about '1066 and all that'. In my case, 1066 and all that rubbish! lol.
Thanks "O" I am a School Governor ~ Secondary (11 - 18) an when The PTA put on dances we generally have 50 / 60's Bands so there is a lot of Sinatra ~ Reeves ~ Elvis and of course NKC always nice and slow to dance to ~ except for Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer (1963) his last recording ~ Yours BRIAN
This was a fantastic tribute to Nat King Cole! What a great poem! Loved it! Always love your authors notes and the facts I pick up along the way. Great job! Hugs--Christina (That song is stuck in my head--Unforgettable--like you! :-))
Thanks CHRIS ~ In the UK we are indebted to all the great Ballad singers from CROSBY (b. 1903) onwards. They were an important part of our grandparents and parents lives especially (so they tell me) in the difficult post WW2 rebuilding process in the late 1940's and especially the 1950's. They still had wind up (spring) gramophones and discs were 78's (I still have some of my Granddad's) with only one song on either side.
I love CD's because they are easy to track in ~ when i give a talk ~ It was NAT KING COLE this afternoon to a group of retired Civil Servants who meet at the College from 3-5 pm each Monday ~ we are a Community College. I spoke to them last year about Jim Reeves ~ TRUMP should pay me for promoting Southern USA Gentlemen ! Thanks for your comment ~ Southern Hugs (no snow in Alabama it's 75F in Mobile right now !) BRIAN
Though I never paid a lot of attention to him, I've always been aware of Nat as a talented singer. Thanks to you, I've learned more about him and your poem has piqued my curiosity to listen to him again. this is a well conceived piece that was informative too! Nicely penned!
Thanks VAL pleased you enjoyed it. I also to listen to NATr ! All NT's songs on the YouTube are beautiful ~ try some. I lik my poems to both educate and entertain ! Yours BRIAN
thanks for the suggestion. will check it out!
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