Nat King Cole

Nathaniel Adams Coles was born on March 17, 1919 in Montgomery Alabama, and died on February 15, 1965. His family moved to Chicago when Nat was 4 years old, and his father became a Baptist minister. Nat's mother taught him to play the organ,and when he was 12 years old he began formal music lessons, learning everything from jazz to classical music. In Chicago he was fortunate to be able to visit the growing jazz scene and enjoy some of the pioneers like Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines. As a teenager he began performing under the name Nat Cole, and with his brother Eddie, made his first recording in 1936. His career advanced when he moved to California, and eventually his singing was more in demand than his playing. Johnny Mercer convinced him to record his song, 'Straighten up and Fly Right' for the newly formed Capitol Records. The song was a great hit and his recording career boosted not only his own career, but helped to make Capitol Records a major record label.