Alabama’s own Nat King Cole not only lived the American dream, he helped create it.
As one of the most memorable voices in American music, Nathaniel Adams Coles (he would later drop the "s") literally went from rags to riches while singing about love, loss, the Mona Lisa and a Nature Boy.
Although originally a jazz pianist, Cole moved into performing popular music because it paid better. He had made that same practical choice years earlier when he did not pursue a very promising career in professional baseball. Instead, as a popular singer, Cole gave voice to the lyrics that reflected the romance of daily life in America.
From his early work as a live performer, later on the radio, and one of the first black Americans to host his own television show, Nat Cole was a cultural trailblazer. He starred as W. C. Handy in the bio pic of his fellow Alabamian,
W. C. Handy, St. Louis Blues. His last film was as a troubadour in
Cat Ballou.
If your group members love Alabama history, music from the American songbook, and stories about growing up in the South, they will enjoy this talk about Alabama’s Own, Nat King Cole.
The speaker prefers a lapel microphone but is comfortable at a podium, as well.
To book this talk, contact Daphne Simpkins:
Phone: 334.396.8618
Email:
[email protected]
*Daphne is a dementia-friendly presenter and welcomes the opportunity to serve all age groups, including those with memory or dementia issues.
