The King Cole Trio
Nat King Cole (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965) was an American singer a… Read Full Bio ↴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 Cole Trio's rise in popularity. Their first broadcast was with NBC's Blue Network in 1938. It was followed by appearances on NBC's Swing Soiree. In the 1940s, the trio appeared on the Old Gold, Chesterfield Supper Club and Kraft Music Hall radio shows. The King Cole Trio performed twice on CBS Radio's variety show The Orson Welles Almanac (1944).
Legend was that Cole's singing career did not start until a drunken barroom patron demanded that he sing "Sweet Lorraine". Cole, in fact, has gone on record saying that the fabricated story "sounded good, so I just let it ride". Cole frequently sang in between instrumental numbers. Noticing that people started to request more vocal numbers, he obliged. Yet the story of the insistent customer is not without some truth. There was a customer who requested a certain song one night, but it was a song that Cole did not know, so instead he sang "Sweet Lorraine". The trio was tipped 15 cents for the performance, a nickel apiece.
During World War II, Wesley Prince left the group and Cole replaced him with Johnny Miller. Miller would later be replaced by Charlie Harris in the 1950s. The King Cole Trio signed with the fledgling Capitol Records in 1943. The group had previously recorded for Excelsior Records, owned by Otis René, and had a hit with the song "I'm Lost", which René wrote, produced and distributed. Revenues from Cole's record sales fueled much of Capitol Records' success during this period. The revenue is believed to have played a significant role in financing the distinctive Capitol Records building near Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles. Completed in 1956, it was the world's first circular office building and became known as "The House that Nat Built".
Cole was considered a leading jazz pianist, appearing in the first Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts (credited on the Mercury Record label as "Shorty Nadine"—derived from his wife's name—as he was under exclusive contract to Capitol Records at the time). His revolutionary lineup of piano, guitar, and bass in the time of the big bands became a popular setup for a jazz trio. It was emulated by many musicians, among them Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, and blues pianists Charles Brown and Ray Charles. He also performed as a pianist on sessions with Lester Young, Red Callender, and Lionel Hampton. For contract reasons, Cole was credited as "Aye Guy" on the album The Lester Young Buddy Rich Trio.Cole's first mainstream vocal hit was his 1943 recording of one of his compositions, "Straighten Up and Fly Right", based on a black folk tale that his father had used as a theme for a sermon. Johnny Mercer invited him to record it for his fledgling Capitol Records label. It sold over 500,000 copies, proving that folk-based material could appeal to a wide audience. Although Cole would never be considered a rocker, the song can be seen as anticipating the first rock and roll records. Indeed, Bo Diddley, who performed similar transformations of folk material, counted Cole as an influence.
In 1946, the Cole trio paid to have their own 15-minute radio program on the air. It was called, "King Cole Trio Time." It became the first radio program sponsored by a black performing artist. During those years, the trio recorded many "transcription" recordings, which were recordings made in the radio studio for the broadcast. Later they were used for commercial records.
Beginning in the late 1940s, Cole began recording and performing pop-oriented material for mainstream audiences, in which he was often accompanied by a string orchestra. His stature as a popular icon was cemented during this period by hits such as "The Christmas Song" (Cole recorded that tune four times: on June 14, 1946, as a pure Trio recording, on August 19, 1946, with an added string section, on August 24, 1953, and in 1961 for the double album The Nat King Cole Story; this final version, recorded in stereo, is the one most often heard today), "Nature Boy" (1948), "Mona Lisa" (1950), "Too Young" (the #1 song in 1951), and his signature tune "Unforgettable" (1951). While this shift to pop music led some jazz critics and fans to accuse Cole of selling out, he never totally abandoned his jazz roots; as late as 1956, for instance, he recorded an all-jazz album After Midnight. Cole had one of his last big hits in 1963, two years before his death, with the classic "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer", which reached #6 on the Pop chart.
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 Cole Trio's rise in popularity. Their first broadcast was with NBC's Blue Network in 1938. It was followed by appearances on NBC's Swing Soiree. In the 1940s, the trio appeared on the Old Gold, Chesterfield Supper Club and Kraft Music Hall radio shows. The King Cole Trio performed twice on CBS Radio's variety show The Orson Welles Almanac (1944).
Legend was that Cole's singing career did not start until a drunken barroom patron demanded that he sing "Sweet Lorraine". Cole, in fact, has gone on record saying that the fabricated story "sounded good, so I just let it ride". Cole frequently sang in between instrumental numbers. Noticing that people started to request more vocal numbers, he obliged. Yet the story of the insistent customer is not without some truth. There was a customer who requested a certain song one night, but it was a song that Cole did not know, so instead he sang "Sweet Lorraine". The trio was tipped 15 cents for the performance, a nickel apiece.
During World War II, Wesley Prince left the group and Cole replaced him with Johnny Miller. Miller would later be replaced by Charlie Harris in the 1950s. The King Cole Trio signed with the fledgling Capitol Records in 1943. The group had previously recorded for Excelsior Records, owned by Otis René, and had a hit with the song "I'm Lost", which René wrote, produced and distributed. Revenues from Cole's record sales fueled much of Capitol Records' success during this period. The revenue is believed to have played a significant role in financing the distinctive Capitol Records building near Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles. Completed in 1956, it was the world's first circular office building and became known as "The House that Nat Built".
Cole was considered a leading jazz pianist, appearing in the first Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts (credited on the Mercury Record label as "Shorty Nadine"—derived from his wife's name—as he was under exclusive contract to Capitol Records at the time). His revolutionary lineup of piano, guitar, and bass in the time of the big bands became a popular setup for a jazz trio. It was emulated by many musicians, among them Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal, and blues pianists Charles Brown and Ray Charles. He also performed as a pianist on sessions with Lester Young, Red Callender, and Lionel Hampton. For contract reasons, Cole was credited as "Aye Guy" on the album The Lester Young Buddy Rich Trio.Cole's first mainstream vocal hit was his 1943 recording of one of his compositions, "Straighten Up and Fly Right", based on a black folk tale that his father had used as a theme for a sermon. Johnny Mercer invited him to record it for his fledgling Capitol Records label. It sold over 500,000 copies, proving that folk-based material could appeal to a wide audience. Although Cole would never be considered a rocker, the song can be seen as anticipating the first rock and roll records. Indeed, Bo Diddley, who performed similar transformations of folk material, counted Cole as an influence.
In 1946, the Cole trio paid to have their own 15-minute radio program on the air. It was called, "King Cole Trio Time." It became the first radio program sponsored by a black performing artist. During those years, the trio recorded many "transcription" recordings, which were recordings made in the radio studio for the broadcast. Later they were used for commercial records.
Beginning in the late 1940s, Cole began recording and performing pop-oriented material for mainstream audiences, in which he was often accompanied by a string orchestra. His stature as a popular icon was cemented during this period by hits such as "The Christmas Song" (Cole recorded that tune four times: on June 14, 1946, as a pure Trio recording, on August 19, 1946, with an added string section, on August 24, 1953, and in 1961 for the double album The Nat King Cole Story; this final version, recorded in stereo, is the one most often heard today), "Nature Boy" (1948), "Mona Lisa" (1950), "Too Young" (the #1 song in 1951), and his signature tune "Unforgettable" (1951). While this shift to pop music led some jazz critics and fans to accuse Cole of selling out, he never totally abandoned his jazz roots; as late as 1956, for instance, he recorded an all-jazz album After Midnight. Cole had one of his last big hits in 1963, two years before his death, with the classic "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer", which reached #6 on the Pop chart.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
The King Cole Trio Lyrics
'Deed I Do I walk along the street of sorrow The boulevard of broken…
After You Get What You Want You Don't Want It Listen to me, honey dear Something's wrong with you I fear …
All For You All I want for Christmas Is my two front teeth My two…
Almost Like Being In Love What a day this has been What a rare mood I'm…
Barcarolle Les contes d'Hoffmann Jacques Offenbach, Barcarolle Le t…
Brahm's Lullaby Lullaby, and good night, with pink roses bed light, With li…
Bring Another Drink Last night we had a party With some mellow chicks, At the…
Bye Bye Blackbird (My mama, mama, mama, mama) Oh, oh yeah (My mama, mama, mama…
Come To Baby Do! I took a choo-choo-choo-choo fast as I could take a…
Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me Someone told someone and someone told you But they wouldn't…
Don Ever since the lucky night I found you I've hung around…
Don't Blame Me Ever since the lucky night I found you I've hung around…
Don't Let Your Eyes Go Shopping Don't let your eyes go shopping for your heart They only…
Dream a Little Dream of Me Stars shining bright above you Night breezes seem to whisper…
Embraceable You Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you Embrace me, you irrepl…
Exactly Like You I know why I've waited, know why I've been blue Prayed…
For All We Know For all we know We may never meet again Before we go Make…
For Sentimental Reasons I love you for sentimental reasons I hope you do believe…
Gee Baby Ain Love makes me treat you the way that I do, Gee…
Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You? Love makes me treat you the way that I do, Gee…
Harmony The time has come, let us begin With all our voices…
Hit That Jive Jack Hit that jive Jack Put it in your pocket till I…
Honeysuckle Rose Do I want you? Oh my, do I? Honey, 'deed I do? Do…
How Deep Is The Ocean How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How…
How High The Moon Somewhere there's music How faint the tune Somewhere there's…
I I like to riff Doo-doo-doo-dat-da, I like to riff Ba-da-d…
I DON I walk along the street of sorrow The boulevard of broken…
I Don't Know Why Our love will last Through rain and snow All through life we…
I Feel So Smoochie What a day this has been What a rare mood I'm…
I Just Can I walk along the street of sorrow The boulevard of broken…
I Just Can't See For Lookin' Maybe I talk too much, Maybe I've lost m' touch. I guess…
I Used to Love You I can't forget the night I met you That's all I'm…
I Want To Be Happy I'm a very ordinary man Trying to work out life's happy…
I Wish You Love Gee, but it's tough to be broke, kid. It's not a…
I'm A Shy Guy I'm just a shy guy, My, I'm a 'fraid-to-try guy No lie. T…
I'm in the Mood for Love I'm in the mood for love Simply because you're near me. Funn…
I'm Thru With Love I'm thru with love, I'll never fall again. Said I do to…
I've Got The World On A String I've got the world on a string, sittin' on a…
If You Can Knock me a kiss, you'll never miss When I'm ready to…
It I can't forget the night I met you That's all I'm…
It's Only A Paper Moon Say, it's only a paper moon Sailing over a cardboard sea But…
Jet Jet, my love, your black eyes have capyured me, And I…
Jingle Bells Dashing through the snow In a one horse open sleigh O'er t…
Jumpin My baby don't care for shows My baby don't care for…
Laura Laura is the face in the misty lights. Footsteps that you…
Look What You Hope they never end this song This could take us all…
Lost April Lost April Where did you go? Like winter's snow I saw you…
Meet Me At No Special Place Baby, we two can't get along, I'm never right, you're never…
Mona Lisa Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you You're so like…
My Mother Told Me (My-mama, mama, mama, ma-ma) Oh-o-oh yeah (My-mama, mama, …
Nature Boy There was a boy A very strange enchanted boy They say he…
On Route 66 If you ever plan to motor west Travel my way, take…
On the Sunny Side of the Street Grab your coat and get your hat Leave your worries on…
Ooh Kickaroonie I never lost my heart while stealing a glance Taking a…
Orange Colored Sky I was walking along, minding my business When out of an…
Penthouse Serenade Just picture a penthouse way up in the sky With hinges…
Rock-A-Bye Basie (My mama, mama, mama, mama) Oh, oh yeah (My mama, mama, mama…
Route 66 If you ever plan to motor west Travel my way, take…
Save the Bones for Henry Jones Tonight I'll serve a supper, We'll eat some food that's…
Smile Knock me a kiss, you'll never miss When I'm ready to…
Straighten Up And Fly Right The buzzard took a monkey for a ride in the…
Sweet Georgia Brown He just got here yesterday, Things are hot here now they…
Sweet Lorraine I've just found joy I'm as happy as a baby boy With…
Tenderly The evening breeze caressed the trees tenderly The tremblin…
Thanks For You I love you for sentimental reasons I hope you do believe…
That Ain Baby, baby, what is the matter with you? Baby, baby, what…
That's My Girl That's my baby No sir, I don't mean maybe Yes sir, that's…
The Best Man I guess I've got a heart meant For fooling…
The Christmas Song Chestnuts roasting on an open fire Jack Frost nipping at yo…
Then I'll Be Tired Of You You look at me and wonder, you look at me…
There I Baby, we two can't get along, I'm never right, you're never…
Too Marvellous for Words I search for phrases To sing your praises But there aren't…
Too Young They try to tell us we're too young Too young to…
What I don't know why, I made you cry I'm sorry sweetheart…
What'll I Do (irving berlin) What'll I do when you Are far away And I'm…
Whatll I Do I walk along the street of sorrow The boulevard of broken…
Yes Sir That That's my baby No sir, I don't mean maybe Yes sir, that's…
You I can't forget the night I met you That's all I'm…
You Call It Madness I can't forget the night I met you, that's all I'm…
You Name It I can't forget the night I met you That's all I'm…
You Stepped Out Of A Dream You stepped out of a dream You are too wonderful to…
You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You You're nobody 'til somebody loves you You're nobody 'til so…
You're the Cream in My Coffee You're the cream in my coffee You're the salt in my…