Nat Cole was a seminal figure in the development of American popular music. He was a magnificent jazz pianist whose best work is considered by many to have been done within his original trio format, but he was directed away from the keyboard to showcase his warm, caressing baritone in pop settings. In November, 1956, he became the first African American to host his own television show. It was cancelled in December, 1957 for lack of sponsorship. Nat's response was, "Madison Avenue is afraid of the dark". He continued to record, albeit in far more middle of the road settings, maintaining his popularity until his death in 1965 at age 46 from lung cancer. He paved the way for many crossover artists that followed (e.g., Sam Cooke, Harry Belafonte, Ray Charles, et. al.), but his talents were rarely equaled and never surpassed.
Nature Boy
Caravan
When I Fall in Love
Nat and Ella breaking barriers by touching (!) on national television
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