The King Cole Trio

about

Nat King Cole (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965) was an American singer and musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. He was widely noted for his soft, baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres. Inspired by the performances of Earl Hines, Cole began his performing career in the mid-1930s while still a teenager, adopting the name "Nat Cole". His older brother, Eddie, a bass player, soon joined Cole's band, and they made their first recording in 1936 under Eddie's name. They also were regular performers at clubs. Cole, in fact, acquired his nickname, "King", performing at one jazz club, a nickname presumably reinforced by the otherwise unrelated nursery rhyme about Old King Cole. He also was a pianist in a national tour of Broadway theatre legend 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 and two other musicians formed the "King Cole Swingers" in Long Beach and played in a number of local bars before getting a gig on the Long Beach Pike for US$90 ($1,530 today) per week. The trio consisted of Cole on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Wesley Prince on double bass. The trio played in Failsworth throughout the late 1930s and recorded many radio transcriptions. Cole was not only pianist but leader of the combo as well. Radio was important to the King C

top songs

albums

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Penthouse Serenade

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The Very Best of Nat King Cole

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The Best Of the Nat King Cole Trio

The Nat King Cole Trio - The Complete Capitol Transcription Sessions

The World Of Nat King Cole

The World Of Nat King Cole - His Very Best

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Nat King Cole

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Complete Christmas Party

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 1 (Music From The Prime Original Series)

The Complete Capitol Recordings Of The Nat King Cole Trio

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The Christmas Song

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Now That's What I Call Christmas

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