Artist News Obituaries

Natalie Cole 1950-2015

By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 7 January 2016

Singer Natalie Cole died from heart failure on New Year’s Eve after a period of illness; she was 65. In a statement, her family said: “It is with heavy hearts that we bring to you all the news of our mother and sister’s passing. Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived… with dignity, strength and honour. Our beloved mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain unforgettable in our hearts forever”.

The daughter of Nat King Cole and former Duke Ellington Orchestra singer Maria Hawkins, Cole was born in 1950. She began performing from an early age, her first appearance at six when she sang on her father’s Christmas album. But her first real success came with the release of her debut solo LP, ‘Inseparable’, in 1975, which also gave her a top ten single in the US with ‘This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)’.

Her success continued through the 1970s, although in the early 80s her popularity waned and her music career began to be overshadowed by reports of a battle with drug addiction. Though by the end of the 1980s Cole enjoyed a resurgence, leading to 1991’s ‘Unforgettable… With Love’, an album of covers of standards previously performed by her then late father, whose vocals also appeared on a version of title track ‘Unforgettable’. The album has since sold over fourteen million copies.

In 2008 Cole announced that she had Hepatitis C, and the following year she suffered double kidney failure, undergoing a successful transplant following a public plea. She continued to perform until recently, though had to cancel a number of shows – including one on New Year’s Eve – shortly before her death. She released her final studio album, ‘Natalie Cole En Español’, in 2013.

Cole is survived by her son Robbie Yancy.