Did You Know...

Natalie Cole was born in 1950 in Los Angeles, when her father was at the midpoint of the second most successful singing career of the 20th century. Nat 'King' Cole had left a highly acclaimed career as a jazz pianist to concentrate on singing a wide variety of material, and by the time Natalie could sing, her father encouraged her talents. He wrote a part for her in his 1961 musical, I'm with You, and while the show did not sell as many tickets on its short tour as had been hoped, 11-year-old Natalie was now a professional singer.

Losing her father when he was just 47 was a blow to Natalie right after she reached age 15, and it was ten years before she connected with pop audiences. Like Nat before her, Natalie could walk the line with soulful material that African American audiences ate up and still develop a significant white audience. Her shows were well-integrated, a major step forward from the days when her father could perform for whites but not sleep in their hotels.

Natalie Cole's first pop hit was 1975's 'This Will Be,' a Top Ten smash that won her the first of eight Grammy Awards. Nat won just one, but the Grammys did not exist for most of his career. Also recognized as the 1975 Best New Artist of the Year, a third Grammy came to Natalie in 1976 for 'Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady),' part of a string of #1 R&B hits from 1975 to 1978.