Natalie Cole, R&B and jazz singer, dies aged 65 (2024)

  • Published

Natalie Cole, R&B and jazz singer, dies aged 65 (1)Image source, Reuters

Natalie Cole, whose hit songs included the duet Unforgettable with her father Nat "King" Cole, has died aged 65.

The Grammy-winning singer died on Thursday night at a hospital in Los Angeles, her publicist told the Associated Press news agency.

She rose to fame as an R&B artist with tracks such as This Will Be and Inseparable.

The singer had recently cancelled a series of performances, including one on New Year's Eve.

"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,'' said a statement from her son Robert Yancy, and sisters, Timolin and Casey Cole, AP reported.

US civil rights activist Rev Jesse Jackson was among the first to tweet his condolences: "#NatalieCole, sister beloved & of substance and sound. May her soul rest in peace. #Inseparable."

Image source, AP

Image source, EPA

The singer had battled drug problems and hepatitis in the past, and underwent a kidney transplant in 2009.

Her greatest success came with her 1991 album, Unforgettable... With Love, which paid tribute to her father with reworked versions of some of his best-known songs, including That Sunday That Summer, Too Young and Mona Lisa.

On the hit track Unforgettable, her voice was remixed with her father's, 25 years after his death.

The album went on to win six Grammys, including album of the year, as well as song of the year for the title track.

Image source, BBC

The daughter of crooner Cole and jazz singer Maria Hawkins - who worked with Duke Ellington - Natalie grew up surrounded by music in an affluent neighbourhood of Los Angeles.

Her father died from lung cancer when she was only 15, and she struggled to come to terms with his death. However, she appeared to find solace in music.

She began performing in college and had early success with her debut album Inseparable in 1975. The album track, This Will Be, became a top ten hit and went on to win Cole a Grammy for best female R&B performance.

Cole was also named best new artist at the Grammys - and the album's title track, Inseparable, became another chart hit.

Drug addiction

The follow-up albums Natalie and Unpredictable cemented her success, with tracks such as Sophisticated Lady and I've Got Love On My Mind bringing further chart glory.

In 1977, she had two platinum albums and her own Christmas special - and two years later she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

But her drug issues came to prominence in the 1980s and there followed a predictable slump in her career, as she battled addiction.

She re-emerged on the music scene in 1987, signed to a new label and with a new sound. Jump Start (My Heart) and her cover of Bruce Springsteen's Pink Cadillac were among her notable pop hits, while 1989's Miss You Like Crazy won her international acclaim.

She returned to the classic standards associated with her father in the 1990s, telling the Associated Press, she had to "throw out every R&B lick that I had ever learned and every pop trick I had ever learned".

"I didn't shed really any real tears until the album was over,'" Cole said. "Then I cried a whole lot.

"When we started the project, it was a way of reconnecting with my dad. Then when we did the last song, I had to say goodbye again."

In 2008, 17 years after Unforgettable... with Love, Cole released Still Unforgettable, which included not only songs made famous by her father but other artists, including Frank Sinatra.

Image source, Getty Images

The same year, she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C - which she believed was the result of her intravenous drug use in the early years of her fame.

Her battle with drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, was charted in her 2000 autobiography Angel on my Shoulder.

She underwent a successful kidney transplant in 2009 - after being inundated with offers of kidneys from fans - and continued to tour and make public appearances on TV shows, including American Idol.

"I am a walking testimony to you can have scars,'' she told People magazine. `"You can go through turbulent times and still have victory in your life.''

Cole was married three times, and had one son.

More on this story

  • Natalie Cole: Your memories

    • Published

      1 January 2016

  • Nat King Cole's widow dies at 89

    • Published

      12 July 2012

  • Cole diagnosed with hepatitis C

    • Published

      16 July 2008

  • Fans offer kidneys to singer Cole

    • Published

      1 April 2009

  • Cole 'resting' after transplant

    • Published

      21 May 2009

  • Natalie Cole to divorce husband

    • Published

      4 February 2004

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Natalie Cole, R&B and jazz singer, dies aged 65 (2024)

FAQs

Natalie Cole, R&B and jazz singer, dies aged 65? ›

Cole's family said in a statement that the singer died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from complications from long-standing health issues, adding that she “fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived … with dignity, strength and honor.” The multiple Grammy-winning artist was 65.

What caused Natalie Cole's death? ›

— -- Natalie Cole died as a result of heart failure brought on by idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH), her family said in a statement Thursday. The singer died on New Year's Eve at a hospital in Los Angeles at 65.

What lung disease did Natalie Cole have? ›

Her family released a statement to the Associated Press saying the singer was diagnosed after her transplant with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a rare lung disease that ultimately led to heart failure and Cole's untimely death at age 65. Not many people have heard of or understand PAH.

Who inherited Natalie Cole's estate? ›

The daughter of R&B legend Nat King Cole was 65 years old when she died of congestive heart failure on New Year's Eve. She also listed her only child, son Robert Adam Yancy, as a beneficiary along with her twin sisters Timolin and Casey Cole and her cousin Pamela Harris.

How old was Natalie Cole in 1965? ›

In 1965, when Cole was 15, her father died of lung cancer. "To lose a parent at that age is just devastating," she told Sunday Morning.

Who did Natalie Cole leave her money to? ›

She listed several beneficiaries in her will, including her son Robert Yancy and other relatives. She also left money to her good friends Benita Hill and Tamara Engelstein, who were there for her during her battle with Hepatitis C. Natalie Cole died from congestive heart failure. She was 65.

Did Natalie Cole have a kidney transplant? ›

There was only one problem–her sister, Cookie, was in a coma and Cole didn't want to leave her side. She did only after her family insisted Cookie would want Cole to have a chance at a healthier life. Cookie passed away shortly after, but Cole's kidney transplant was a success.

Does pulmonary fibrosis shorten life expectancy? ›

There are patients who live less than three years after diagnosis, and others who live much longer. It is important to recognize that PF is a chronic condition that is going to progress and can lead to premature death. But it is also important to remember that no one can predict your individual experience.

Can you live 20 years with pulmonary hypertension? ›

While there's no cure for the condition, there are steps that can be taken to slow pulmonary hypertension progression, minimize its effects, and manage the symptoms. In the last two decades, medical advances have increased survival rates. Some individuals may live 20 years from the time of diagnosis.

What does death from pulmonary fibrosis look like? ›

Towards the end, you may be sleepy or unconscious much of the time. You may also lose interest in eating and drinking. Your breathing pattern may change and eventually, your skin may become pale and moist, and you will become very drowsy. You may wish to consider end-of-life care.

What happened to Natalie Cole's son? ›

They divorced in 2004. In 2017, her son Robbie died of a heart attack, aged 39.

What happened to Natalie Cole's husband? ›

Marvin J. Yancy, who produced three Grammy-winning records for his former wife, Natalie Cole, died here last Friday. He was 34 and suffered a heart attack. A local pastor, Yancy had worked as a musician and composer before producing “This Will Be,” “Inseparable” and “Sophisticated Lady,” the three Grammy winners.

How old was Natalie Cole when Nat King Cole died? ›

at the age of six. natalie sang on her father's Christmas album. nat and king cole died of lung cancer. when natalie was 15 years old. to escape the pain of her father's death.

How many times did Natalie Cole get married? ›

Cole was married to Marvin J. Yancy, her producer for years, and was separated from him when he died in 1985. Her later marriages to André Fischer, also a musician and producer, and to Kenneth Dupree, a pastor, ended in divorce. Survivors include a son from her first marriage, Robert Yancy; and two sisters.

Who was Natalie Cole's husband? ›

Natalie Cole | Natalie Cole married Marvin Yancy, a songwriter, producer, and former member of the '70s R&B group 'The Independents', nearly 45 ye...

Did Natalie Cole have liver disease? ›

Cole admitted in her 2000 autobiography to a history of drug abuse. She also suffered from Hepatitis C and a liver disease in 2008.

What happened to Nat King Cole's adopted son? ›

They had five children: Natalie (1950–2015), who had a successful career as a singer before dying of congestive heart failure at age 65; an adopted daughter, Carole (1944–2009, the daughter of Maria's sister), who died of lung cancer at the age of 64; an adopted son, Nat Kelly Cole (1959–1995), who died of AIDS at the ...

How old was Natalie Cole when her father Nat King Cole died? ›

Natalie Cole was inspired by her dad at an early age and auditioned to sing with him when she was just 11 years old. She was 15 when he died of lung cancer, in 1965. She began as an R&B singer but later gravitated toward the smooth pop and jazz standards that her father loved.

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