Nat King Cole - The Second Disc

Formats:

Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Blues, Classic Rock, Country, Holiday, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock

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Bing Crosby, Bobby Helms, Brenda Lee, Burl Ives, Chuck Berry, Connie Francis, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Nat King Cole, Paul McCartney, The Beach Boys, The Jackson 5, Yoko Ono

The Weekend Stream: August 23, 2025

August 23, 2025 by The Second Disc | 8 Comments

Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. We’ve got the goods from everywhere this week: the Jersey shore, Philadelphia, Manhattan, jolly old England and a spooky, nondescript European countryside! Bruce Springsteen, “Lonely Night in the Park” (Columbia/Legacy) (Apple / Amazon) If you’re still digesting Tracks II or are prepping for the inevitable Nebraska revival brought on by this fall’s biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, spare a moment for the impending 50th anniversary of The Boss’ mainstream breakthrough Born to Run (which…

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Formats:

Genres:

Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Pop, Rock, Soundtracks

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Bruce Springsteen, Danny Elfman, David Yazbek, Nat King Cole, Oasis, Phil Collins, Ronan Keating, Talking Heads, The Doors, The Hooters

RSD Round-Up: Spotlight on Omnivore, Iconoclassic, Friday Music, Dark Horse, Light in the Attic, and More

February 27, 2024 by The Second Disc | 1 Comment

Our look at this year’s Record Store Day releases continues with a look at the lineups from Omnivore Recordings, Iconoclassic Records, Friday Music, Light in the Attic, and more of our favorite labels! All titles here are due on April 20, and all descriptions are taken directly from the labels. If you are interested in any of these titles, they will be available at your local record store on April 20. Head over to recordstoreday.com for a list of participating retailers. U.K. readers, please visit recordstoreday.co.uk and Canadian readers, please visit recordstoredaycanada.ca. Watch this space close to…

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Formats:

CD, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Funk, Jazz, Latin, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

The Weekend Stream: February 17, 2024

February 17, 2024 by Mike Duquette | 2 Comments

Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles making digital debuts. Today, we celebrate Crowded House’s return, an unreleased track from the Godfather of Soul, six albums from a female country hitmaker and many more! Crowded House, “Oh Hi” (BMG) (iTunes / Amazon) One of Second Disc HQ’s favorite bands, Crowded House, is back with the first single from Gravity Stairs, their first album since 2021’s Dreamers Are Waiting. This gentle, uplifting single from Neil Finn and company (longtime bassist Nick Seymour, keyboardist Mitchell Froom and Neil’s…

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Genres:

Country, Disco/Dance, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock

Tags:

Holly Dunn, INXS, James Brown, Joe Cocker, Kristen Kelly, Nat King Cole, Peter Noone

The Weekend Stream: June 18, 2023

June 18, 2023 by Mike Duquette | 1 Comment

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to float you into the weekend. Our latest round-up brings you deep cuts from Pat Boone, rarities from Nat “King” Cole and a brand-new series diving deep into the works of Duke Ellington. Duke Ellington, Ellington in Order, Volume 1 (1927-1928) (Legacy) (iTunes / Amazon) A century ago this year, pianist Edward Kennedy Ellington played his first gigs as a bandleader; by the end of…

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Formats:

Genres:

Country, Disco/Dance, Everything Else, Folk, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

Alan Parker, Carolyn Franklin, Cy Coleman, Donna Lewis, Duke Ellington, John Williams, Nat King Cole, Pat Boone, Patti Page, Paul Simon, Pulp, The Offspring

Chasin’ the Bird: Charlie Parker’s “Bird in LA” Vinyl Box Gets Wide Release

May 18, 2023 by The Second Disc | 2 Comments

Following its sold-out release for Record Store Day Black Friday in 2021, Charlie Parker’s Bird in LA is returning to vinyl in a general release from Verve/UMe tomorrow, May 19. On the same day, it will be released to streaming and digital services. This collection of the legendary saxophonist’s historic first three trips to Los Angeles remains available in the CD format, as well. Kansas City, Missouri native Parker (1920-1955) was a key player in the development of bop, and while he’s closely associated with the New York jazz scene, he made…

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Formats:

Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Jazz

Tags:

Buddy Rich, Charlie Parker, Chet Baker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Nat King Cole

The Weekend Stream: April 1, 2023

April 1, 2023 by Mike Duquette | 2 Comments

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. Our latest round-up may be on April Fool’s Day, but it’s no joke: remixes by Madonna, rarities by Burt Bacharach and Peggy Lee, a White Stripes live set and the first major Barry White production are all here. Happy streaming! Madonna, Nothing Really Matters (Remixes) (Warner/Rhino) (iTunes / Amazon) Madonna closed the Ray of Light album cycle with…

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Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock, Soundtracks

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Ashanti, Barry White, Bobby Darin, Burt Bacharach, Carly Simon, Cissy Houston, Debbie Gibson, Jack White, Joel Grey, Lil Wayne, Love Unlimited, Madonna, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, Petula Clark, Rupert Holmes, Stephanie Mills, The White Stripes

The Weekend Stream: March 18, 2023

March 18, 2023 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. We’ve got new remixes from David Bowie, old remixes from Madonna, an unheard Lou Reed song and much more – including another music writer who could use your help. David Bowie, Let’s Dance (40th Anniversary Remix E.P.) / Let’s Dance (Club Bolly Mixes) / China Girl (Riff & Vox Mixes) (Parlophone) 40th Anniversary Remix: iTunes / Amazon Club Bolly: iTunes / Amazon China Girl:…

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Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, Rock, Soundtracks

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David Bowie, Jerry Lee Lewis, Lou Reed, Louis Armstrong, Madonna, Nat King Cole, Nazareth, The Chipmunks

The Weekend Stream: February 11, 2023

February 11, 2023 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. Today sees digital expansions from Jan Berry, Brian McKnight and Weezer; new songs from The Guess Who and a member of Jellyfish – plus a great way to provide aid in the face of the week’s biggest natural disaster. Brian McKnight, Anytime (Deluxe Edition) (Motown/UMe) (iTunes / Amazon) Soulful crooner Brian McKnight started to come into his own…

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Genres:

Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Electronic, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

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Brian McKnight, Jan and Dean, Jellyfish, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Nat King Cole, The Guess Who, Weezer

She Ain’t Down Yet: Stage Door Collects “Unsinkable Molly Brown” Demos and More on New 2-CD Deluxe Release

December 19, 2022 by Joe Marchese | No Comments

When Meredith Willson’s The Music Man made its Broadway bow on December 19, 1957 at The Majestic Theatre (today the home of Phantom of the Opera), the composer-lyricist-librettist had already enjoyed a long and prolific career. Willson, born in Mason City, Iowa – the inspiration for The Music Man‘s River City – had played flute and piccolo in the orchestras of John Philip Sousa and Arturo Toscanini; became the musical director of NBC Radio in Hollywood; received Academy Award nominations for the music of the films The Great Dictator and The Little…

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Cast Recordings, Popular Standards/Vocal

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Genres:

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Andre Kostelanetz, Aretha Franklin, Dinah Shore, Gordon MacRae, Harve Presnell, Meredith Willson, Nat King Cole

The Weekend Stream: June 18, 2022

June 18, 2022 by Mike Duquette | No Comments

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to discover! Today’s your chance to dive deep on an alternate history of Miles Davis or some mid-’60s classics by The Ventures, among other cool picks; pull up a chair after your Record Store Day Drop visit and queue up some good stuff! Miles Davis, Early Minor: Rare Miles from the Complete In a Silent Way Sessions / Double Image: Rare Miles from the…

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Features, The Weekend Stream

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Genres:

Classic Rock, Disco/Dance, Jazz, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Reggae, Rock

Tags:

A Taste of Honey, Bob Marley, Bob Marley and the Wailers, La Toya Jackson, Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, Nat King Cole, The Ventures

Hooray for Hollywood: New Box Set Celebrates 100 Years of The Hollywood Bowl with Sinatra, Bernstein, Doors, Newman, Dudamel, More

May 17, 2022 by Joe Marchese | 10 Comments

2022 marks 100 years of The Hollywood Bowl. The famous amphitheater nestled in the Hollywood hills has hosted luminaries of every genre of music from classical to rock in its instantly familiar bandshell (actually two bandshells, as the first one from 1929 was demolished in 2003 and replaced with a larger model). The Bowl has been featured in movies including the original A Star Is Born, Double Indemnity, Xanadu, and Beaches and cartoons starring Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, and The Pink Panther. Now, its resident orchestra – the prestigious L.A. Philharmonic…

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Features, The Weekend Stream

Formats:

Box Sets, Vinyl

Genres:

Cast Recordings, Classic Rock, Classical/Opera, Disco/Dance, Jazz, Latin, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

Count Basie, Donna Summer, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Henry Mancini, Herbie Hancock, James Brown, John Barry, John Williams, L.A. Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein, Nat King Cole, Randy Newman, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, The Doors

The Weekend Stream: March 19, 2022

March 19, 2022 by Mike Duquette | 1 Comment

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles. There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to discover! From hard-rockin’ brothers to non-stop dance vibes, you’ve got quite a selection this week. Nelson, Imaginator / Silence is Broken / Brother Harmony / Life / Like Father, Like Sons / Before the Rain / Perfect Storm (After the Rain World Tour 1991) / Lightning Strikes Twice (Stone Canyon/UMe) Imaginator: iTunes / Amazon Silence: iTunes / Amazon Brother: iTunes / Amazon Life:…

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Formats:

Genres:

Disco/Dance, Everything Else, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rap/Hip-Hop, Rock

Tags:

Depeche Mode, Ice Cube, Nat King Cole, Nelson

Love Is Here to Stay: Craft Reissues, Remasters Natalie Cole’s “Unforgettable…with Love” for 30th Anniversary

February 2, 2022 by Joe Marchese | 4 Comments

Natalie Cole lost her father, Nat “King” Cole, when she was just fifteen years of age. But a little more than a quarter-century after his untimely passing, Natalie paid the ultimate tribute to Nat when her studio album Unforgettable…With Love celebrated his rich oeuvre. Anchored by a virtual duet with him of his classic “Unforgettable,” the album was Natalie’s first to embrace her legacy. The 1991 LP and duet went on to earn a collective seven Grammy Awards, reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and attain a 7x Platinum certification. Craft…

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Formats:

Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole

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Popular Standards/Vocal

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Release Round-Up: Week of October 29

October 29, 2021 by The Second Disc | 3 Comments

Pink Floyd Momentary Lapse Remixed CD BD

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! R.E.M., New Adventures in Hi-Fi: 25th Anniversary Edition (Craft Recordings) 2CD/1BD (now due November 19): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD (now due November 12) : Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP (Original album only; out today): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Craft Recordings is continuing its ongoing R.E.M. reissue series with a 25th anniversary edition of the Georgia band’s tenth studio album New Adventures in Hi-Fi. A 2CD/1BD Deluxe Edition will present the newly remastered original album, a disc of B-sides and rarities, and a Blu-ray with numerous features…

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Release Round-Up

Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, DVD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Country, Holiday, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, Rock

Tags:

Buck Owens, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Joe Grushecky and the Iron City Houserockers, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Pink Floyd, R.E.M., Spice Girls, The Doobie Brothers, Whitesnake

Joy to the World: “New” Nat “King” Cole Christmas Album Coming with Johnny Mathis, Gloria Estefan, John Legend Duets

October 15, 2021 by Joe Marchese | 7 Comments

Although he’s one of the voices most closely associated with Christmas, Nat “King” Cole only recorded one full-length Christmas LP in his lifetime. Now, Capitol Records and UMe are out to change that with a “new” yuletide album from the legendary vocalist who died in 1965 at just 45 years of age. A Sentimental Christmas with Nat “King” Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Reimagined arrives October 29 on CD, vinyl, and digital platforms. In addition to reorchestrated solo performances, the album features virtual duets with Johnny Mathis, Gloria Estefan, John Legend, Kristin…

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Holiday, Popular Standards/Vocal

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Tags:

Gloria Estefan, John Legend, Johnny Mathis, Kristin Chenoweth, Nat King Cole

Songs of Joy and Peace: Real Gone Music Announces 2020 Christmas Titles

October 23, 2020 by Sam Stone | No Comments

Can it be? Christmas season already? It seems like just yesterday it was March! Well, a time-bending pandemic isn’t going to keep holiday cheer away, at least not when it comes to new yuletide reissues! Real Gone Music has a trio of them coming your way in November and December. We told you about Season’s Greetings: The Fantastic Strings of Felix Slatkin back in July when it was issued as an online-only product. If you missed out, fear not! The Vatican-endorsed Christmas classic will become widely available on CD on November 6….

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Holiday Gift Guide, Reviews

Formats:

CD, Vinyl

Genres:

Holiday, Pop, R&B/Soul, Soundtracks

Tags:

Brian Setzer, Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Danny Elfman, Felix Slatkin, Jackie Wilson, Nat King Cole, Rod Stewart, Run-D.M.C., Run-DMC, Straight No Chaser, The Muppets, The Supremes, Trombone Shorty, Tyler The Creator

Holiday Gift Guide Review: Nat King Cole, “Hittin’ the Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943)”

December 20, 2019 by Joe Marchese | No Comments

The first voice you hear on Resonance Records’ exhilarating new box set Nat King Cole – Hittin’ the Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943) isn’t that of the famous artist. Rather, it’s his older brother and bassist Eddie Cole warbling teenaged Nat’s sprightly composition “Honey Hush.” Nat, of course, is the one tickling the ivories with confidence, grace, and an already sure sense of swing. Although he hadn’t yet formed his famous trio (and the lineup here credited as “Eddie Cole’s Solid Swingers” is larger with piano, bass, drums, alto sax, and tenor…

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Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

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Nat King Cole

Holly Jolly Christmas: TJL Presents Ultimate Holiday Celebration on Public Television, CD and DVD

November 13, 2019 by Joe Marchese | 3 Comments

Have you caught the Christmas spirit yet? If not, things are very likely to change on Saturday, November 16. That’s when TJL Productions debuts a new special on PBS that’s sure to get you ready for the holiday season. A Classic Christmas, part of T.J. Lubinsky’s acclaimed My Music series, presents an array of yuletide favorites from an all-star roster of legendary artists. Hosted by Marion Ross (Happy Days) and Gavin MacLeod (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Love Boat), A Classic Christmas is essential viewing for the entire family as it…

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Formats:

CD, DVD

Genres:

Holiday, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal

Tags:

Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, Carpenters, Doris Day, Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Rosemary Clooney, The Beach Boys, The Supremes, Various Artists

Release Round-Up: Week of November 1

November 1, 2019 by The Second Disc | No Comments

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Bob Dylan featuring Johnny Cash, Travelin’ Thru, 1967-1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15 (Columbia/Legacy) 3CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 3LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings chronicle Dylan’s 1967-1969 recordings in Music City – including those made with a very special guest – on the latest volume of the artist’s long-running Bootleg Series. Bob Dylan (featuring Johnny Cash) – Travelin’ Thru: 1967-1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 15 boasts dozens of previously unreleased recordings from the…

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Formats:

Blu-Ray, Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl

Genres:

Classic Rock, Country, Folk, Holiday, Pop, Popular Standards/Vocal, R&B/Soul, Rock, Soundtracks

Tags:

Bob Dylan, Booker T. Jones, Cyndi Lauper, Garth Brooks, Jeff Lynne's ELO, Johnny Cash, Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole, R.E.M., The Doors, The Rolling Stones, Uncle Walt's Band, Van Halen

Straighten Up and Fly Right: Resonance Collects Nat “King” Cole’s Earliest Years on New Box Set

July 22, 2019 by Joe Marchese | 7 Comments

The career of Nat “King” Cole has been exceedingly well-represented in the CD era, whether via numerous, expanded original album reissues or the hefty box sets released by the Bear Family and Mosaic labels. But one period of King Cole’s career has been rather overlooked: the recordings he made prior to signing with Capitol Records, the label with which he would spend more than two decades. Now, Resonance Records is addressing that situation with a remarkable, comprehensive new box set that ranks as the jazz label’s most ambitious project yet. Hittin’ the…

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Box Sets, CD, Vinyl

Genres:

Tags:

Nat King Cole

Comes Once In a Lifetime: Stage Door Celebrates “Lost Broadway: 1961” On New Collection

May 29, 2019 by Joe Marchese | 2 Comments

Stage Door Records’ five volumes of Lost West End have sampled numerous rare musicals that have played London over the years. Now, the U.K. label is turning its sights across the pond to the Great White Way to launch a new series: Lost Broadway. The first volume focuses on the year 1961, when composer-lyricist Jerry Herman made his Broadway debut with the successful Milk and Honey; some of the brightest stars included Barbara Cook, Jerry Orbach, Elaine Stritch, and Alfred Drake; the venerable Noel Coward returned with Sail Away; and the hits…

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Cast Recordings, Popular Standards/Vocal

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Genres:

Tags:

Alfred Drake, Barbara Cook, Dinah Shore, Judy Garland, Margaret Whiting, Mel Tormé, Nat King Cole, Various Artists

Review: Nat “King” Cole, “Ultimate Nat King Cole” and “International Nat King Cole” [UPDATED]

April 10, 2019 by The Second Disc | 8 Comments

March 17, 2019 would have been Nat “King” Cole’s 100th birthday. While the man born Nathaniel Adams Coles only lived to the age of 45, he more than earned his royal moniker over his three decades of performing. He paved the way for African-American artists as the first black man to host a nationwide television variety show, and quietly but devotedly crusaded for civil rights. At the time of his death, at the height of Beatlemania, he was selling some seven million records a year. The Cole centennial has just been celebrated…

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Reviews

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Genres:

Marvin Gaye, Nat King Cole

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Review: Nat “King” Cole, “Ultimate Nat King Cole”

March 18, 2019 by The Second Disc | No Comments

Yesterday, March 17, 2019, would have been Nat “King” Cole’s 100th birthday. While the man born Nathaniel Adams Coles only lived to the age of 45, he more than earned his royal moniker over his three decades of performing. He paved the way for African-American artists as the first black man to host a nationwide television variety show, and quietly but devotedly crusaded for civil rights. At the time of his death, at the height of Beatlemania, he was selling some seven million records a year. The Cole centennial has just been…

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Reviews

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Genres: