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Natalie Cole is the daughter of famed entertainer Nat King Cole and former Duke Ellington singer Maria Cole. Her first recording experience was an appearance on her father’s Xmas album when she was six. Cole began to assert her musical talents with the success of 1975’s Inseparable which earned her two Grammys because of “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love),” and “Inseparable.” Natalie followed Inseparable and bore the hits “Mr. Melody” and “Sophisticated Lady (She’s a Different Lady).” The ’70’s were very successful for Cole and she released a total of six albums and the career-defining songs “Our Love” and “I’ve Got Love On My Mind.” “La Costa” is from her fourth release Thankful and her last album of the time period was a selection of duets with Peabo Bryson called We’re The Best Of Friends. The beginning of the ’80’s were slow for Cole because of drug addiction and four albums were released to little notice. It wasn’t until 1987’s Everlasting that she returned to the bigger spotlight with the singles “Pink Cadillac,” “Jump Start” and “I Live For Your Love.” Good To Be Back continued her winning streak with “Miss You Like Crazy” which was the prelude to her biggest album Unforgettable…with Love. Cole recorded covers of her father’s music and the subsequent video for “Unforgettable” of them singing together was a technical feat that had never been seen before. After the huge success of Unforgettable Cole was no longer shy about approaching her father’s jazz roots and she recorded Take A Look which scored her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocals and she was recognized by the NARAs again in 96′ for Pop Vocal Collaborations from the Stardust album. Snowfall On The Sahara emerged in the late ’90s and the holiday album The Magic Of Christmas was recorded with The London Symphony Orchestra. In 2001 her memoir, Angel On My Shoulder was turned into Livin’ for Love: the Natalie Cole Story starring Theresa Randle as Cole for television. Ask A Woman Who Knows from 2002 was her 19th studio and it was another jazz-oriented project that had Diana Krall sharing the vocal duties. The 2006 album Leavin’ is noted for her version of Aretha Franklin’s “Daydreaming” and producer Dallas Austin co-wrote “5 Minutes Away” with her. She went back to her father’s musical heyday and released another Grammy-winning album with Still Unforgettable in 2008. A concert with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir in 2010 fulfilled a lifelong dream for her and became her third live recording. Cole last appeared with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra as a Pennington Great Performers series artist in April of 2012.
