Today we said goodbye to another angel who has gone on into eternity, Natalie Cole.
With ongoing health issues that caused major event cancelations in December, Cole passed away in a Medical Center in Los Angeles, reportedly of congestive heart failure.
A woman who certainly would not need any form of introduction, the American singer and daughter to the legendary performer Nat King Cole left a lasting imprint on the minds and hearts of the music industry with a career that spanned over 40 years.
The Grammy winner has given us hit after hit, including “This Will Be'”, “Inseparable” “Unforgettable” and “I’ve Got Love On My Mind” (just to name a few). By 1979, she had released four albums, starred in her own TV special, garnered huge media attention with Aretha Franklin and Earth, Wind & Fire, and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Although there was a short period of time in her life where she struggled with drug abuse and rehabilitation, Cole came back out on top with the release of her album, Everlasting, which put her back on the top of the charts. Her career would follow with hit after hit, albums always hitting the Top 10.
Many of us remember her best-selling album of all time, Unforgettable…With Love, where she covered many songs her father had previously recorded. Aside from it producing chart-topping songs, it also won her Grammys in Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance. Over the span of her career, she garnered nine Grammy Awards.
Cole made a number of guest appearances in both television and media, cultivating a career built on beautiful music and resiliency. She’s also released memoirs and starred in the movie “Livin’ For Love: The Natalie Cole Story”. She was known for her gracefulness, poise, and beautiful sense of humor (like when she shared her “Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist Award”with fellow friend and competitor Whitney Houston at the American Music Awards).
We will forever remember the legacy that she built and the lasting impression she left on many of our hearts as a singer. We commend the life of Natalie Cole and forever remember her in our hearts and community.