All Music Fans Will Love Nat King Cole’s Saint Louis Blues
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If you’re a fan of classic music, then you’re sure to love Nat King Cole’s Saint Louis Blues. This timeless tune is the perfect way to relax and unwind, and it’s sure to put a smile on your face. So why not give it a listen today? You won’t be disappointed!
The Life and Career of Nat King Cole
Saint Louis Blues is a song that was performed by Nat King Cole. It was written by W.C. Handy in 1914. The song is about the city of St. Louis and its blues scene. Nat King Cole was born in 1919 in Montgomery, Alabama. He was a singer and pianist who rose to prominence in the 1940s and 1950s.
His early life and family
Nat King Cole was born Nathaniel Adams Coles on March 17, 1919, in Montgomery, Alabama. His father Edward James Coles was a Baptist minister, and his mother Perlina Coles (née Adams) was a preacher. Cole had three brothers--Eddie, Ike, and Frank--and a half-sister, Joyce. When Cole was four years old, the family moved to Chicago, Illinois. as his father had been offered a position as pastor of the Second Baptist Church there.
Cole began singing in his father’s church at the age of five and showed an early aptitude for the piano. In 1924, Edward Coles took his sons to see vaudeville performer Kate Vaughan perform at Chicago’s Grand Theater. Afterward, Vaughan took young Nat under her wing and enrolled him in her singing school. Shortly thereafter, Cole began appearing on Vaughan’s radio show The WLS National Barn Dance. By 1930 he had already become a veteran performer, appearing on numerous radio programs and making his recording debut that same year with “That Ain’t Right.”
In 1931 Cole left Vaughan’s troupe to return to Chicago and pursue a career as a musician. He spent the next few years playing in various clubs around the city before forming his own trio in 1936. The following year he made his first appearance at New York City’s legendary Cotton Club
His musical career
Nat King Cole’s musical career began when he was just a child, singing and playing piano in his father’s church in Chicago. He dropped out of school at age 15 to pursue music full time, playing in various small jazz bands around the city. In 1931, he made his first recordings with a group called the Royal Swingers.
In 1935, Cole formed his own group, the Nat King Cole Trio, and they began touring nightclubs and performing on radio programs. The trio became very popular, and their recordings, including “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Body and Soul,” were best-sellers. In 1943, they had their own national radio show, The Nat King Cole Show.
Cole also began pursuing a solo career during this time, releasing his first solo album in 1948. His hit songs “Nature Boy” and “Mona Lisa” both topped the charts in the early 1950s. In 1956, Cole starred in his own television show, The Nat King Cole Show, becoming one of the first black men to host a national TV program.
Cole continued to record and perform throughout the rest of his life. He died of cancer in 1965 at the age of 45.
His later years
In the early 1950s, Cole began to suffer from health problems that would eventually prove fatal. A heavy smoker, he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1956 and underwent surgery to remove a tumor. The surgery was successful, but the cancer returned and spread to his colon. Cole continued to perform and record until his death from liver cancer on February 15, 1965, at the age of 45. His final album, L-O-V-E, was released posthumously in 1966 and reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. In 1998, Cole was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and “Unforgettable,” one of his best-known songs, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
Saint Louis Blues
Though it was first published over a century ago in 1914, W.C. Handy’s “Saint Louis Blues” has lost none of its original luster. The song has been covered by countless artists, but Nat King Cole’s version is perhaps the most well-known.
The history of the song
The song “Saint Louis Blues” was written by W.C. Handy in 1914. It is one of the first blues songs to achieve mainstream popularity and has been recorded by many artists over the years. The original version was an instrumental, but later versions added lyrics.
The song tells the story of a woman named Liza, who is living in poverty in Saint Louis. She is unhappy with her life and longs for a better life. The song reflects the hopelessness and despair that many people felt during this time period.
Despite its sad subject matter, “Saint Louis Blues” is a happy and upbeat song. It has a catchy melody and is one of Handy’s most popular tunes.
Cole’s version of the song
As with many of his songs, Cole first recorded “Saint Louis Blues” in Los Angeles. On March 27, 1946, Cole and his trio recorded the song at WMCA Radio Studios. The trio version was released as a single (catalog number 1003) by Cole’s label, Excelsior Records. Backed with “I Don’t Want to Cry Anymore”, the recording reached number one on the Billboard Race Records chart in June 1946. It was one of three recordings to reach number one that year, along with Louis Jordan’s “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” and Helen Humes’s “Be-Baba-Leba”. The single remained at number one for eleven weeks.
Why the song is still popular today
Though it was released over 60 years ago, Nat King Cole’s recording of “Saint Louis Blues” remains one of the most popular versions of the song. There are several reasons for its longevity.
First, Cole’s vocal performance is definitive. His smooth, rich voice is the perfect vehicle for the wistful lyrics of the song, which tell the story of a man longing for his lost love. The combination of Cole’s voice and the emotive lyrics makes for a very moving listening experience.
In addition, Cole’s version features some fantastic session musicians, including jazz guitarist Barney Kessel and violinist Stuff Smith. Their contributions give the song a unique sound that sets it apart from other versions.
Finally, Cole’s “Saint Louis Blues” is just a really great song! It’s been covered by countless artists over the years, but nobody has been able to match Cole’s original recording. It stands as a timeless classic and an essential part of American music history.
Why Nat King Cole is Still Relevant
Revered by many as one of the greatest musicians of all time, Nat King Cole’s contributions to the world of music are still being felt today. His velvety voice and smooth piano playing made him a popular figure in the 1940s and 50s, and his songs like “Nature Boy” and “Straighten Up and Fly Right” are still classics today. Let’s take a look at why Nat King Cole is still relevant.
His influence on music
Few musicians have had as much of an impact on American music as Nat King Cole. His rich baritone voice and elegantly understated piano playing defined the sound of popular music in the 1940s and 1950s, influencing generations of artists that followed. Cole’s timeless ability to cross genres – from Jazz and Blues to Pop and Gospel – made him one of the most popular and beloved entertainers of his day, with a career that spanned five decades.
Though he is best known for his lush ballads and easy-listening standards, Cole was a gifted jazz pianist who cut his teeth in the nightclubs of Chicago’s South Side. He went on to lead one of the most popular big bands of the Swing Era, before embarking on a successful solo career that saw him transition into mainstream pop music. Along the way, Cole became one of the first African-American artists to find crossover success in the mainstream music industry, blazed a trail for other black performers, and helped to shape the sound of American popular music for years to come.
Today, more than half a century after his death, Nat King Cole’s artistry remains as relevant as ever. His beautiful renditions of songs like “Unforgettable” and “Mona Lisa” continue to charm new listeners, while his innovative jazz recordings are still revered by critics and historians. On what would have been his 100th birthday, we celebrate the life and legacy of one of America’s greatest musicians.
His influence on pop culture
In the late 1940s and early ‘50s, when Cole was recording some of his biggest hits, there were few African Americans working in mainstream pop music. His infectious brand of jazz piano and vocals helped break down racial barriers in the music industry and paved the way for other black artists to find success.
Cole’s easygoing charm and crossover appeal also made him a hit with television audiences. In 1956, he became the first African American to host his own network variety show, The Nat King Cole Show. Though the program was short-lived, it blazed a trail for other black entertainers like Cosby, James Brown, and Whitney Houston who would later find success in television.
More than 50 years after his death, Cole’s influence can still be felt in popular culture. In 2015, he was posthumously inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, and his son Natalie launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund a documentary about his life. His songs have been covered by everyone from Tony Bennett to Rod Stewart to Norah Jones, and his smiling face continues to watch over countless music fans from its place on a postage stamp.
His timeless appeal
There are many reasons why the work of musician and singer Nat King Cole is still relevant today. For one, his music was always ahead of its time. He was one of the first musicians to fuse together different genres of music, including jazz, blues, and pop. This made his music unique and fresh, and it still sounds fresh today.
In addition to his innovative style, Nat King Cole was also a master of communication through his lyrics. He had a way of connecting with his audience on a deep level, and his lyrics continue to resonate with people today. His songs often dealt with topics that were relevant at the time, such as racism and social injustice. However, they also had a universal appeal that makes them just as relevant today.
Finally, Nat King Cole was an incredibly talented singer with a voice that was both soothing and powerful. His voice is as timeless as his appeal, and it continues to touch hearts all over the world.
