The Tragic Death Of Nat King Cole Explained

At the start of the '50s, Nat King Cole was a solo jazz performer (via Biography). He churned out song after song, including classics like "Unforgettable" and "Mona Lisa." At that point of his career, he was a highly recognized singer. By the start of the 1960s, Cole was only getting more popular. His hit song "Ramblin' Rose" jump-started a slight decline that crept up at the end of the '50s. That song, along with "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer," earned him two top 10 hits on the Billboard charts. But while the start of the '60s seemed very promising for Cole, he faced with some tragic news. In December of 1964, Cole had a health crisis that forced him to cancel a show (via Los Angeles Times). The cancellation would turn out to be the permanent end of his career.

That year Cole released his memorable song "L-O-V-E," but at the close of 1964, the beloved entertainer also learned that he had lung cancer. The diagnosis would cut Cole's life very short, because he died not long after the discovery. On February 15, 1965, Cole died at the age of 45. He was survived by his wife, Maria, and five children; three biological and two adopted. The oldest of the five was his daughter Natalie, who would also become a singer later in life and revitalized the popularity of some of her father's songs.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunCDkXFqcXBfqbWmedOrmKChk2Kxpq3ToWSonl2jrrV5yqKloGWTpLmmecSxp6WZmaOypXs%3D