While behind the wheel on New Year's Day, the sad news of the death of the American singer, Natalie Cole, daughter of the late jazz singer Nat King Cole hit my ears. She had died on New Year Eve from complications of a long standing health condition. I was really touched. Her death has depleted the stock of musicians who sang songs of sobriety.
Immediately, my mind went to my colleague and bosom friend, Dr Ibrahim Bashir (Ibro), whom we both got hooked to Cole's music. And almost immediately, I got this from Ibro, 'JUST IN: "Unforgettable" singer Natalie Cole has died of congestive heart failure. She was 65. https://t.co/Qxa150kpGN.' I told him I just got the news myself, and that he had beaten me to telling him. He replied "Sad." And I said "You know we were attached to her." And he replied "Absolutely. Still have her CDs."
For Ibro and I, there was no other singer that our duo mutually loved and adored. She needed not know us. For sure, there are many of us round the globe who shared a soul singer and an idol. We all loved her. But it was mutual. A fan would shout out, "I love you Natalie," and with a smile she would say, "I love you more!"
You could snuggle into her songs. Her voice is soul-filling. It takes you on a journey, and brings you back home safely!
While burning the midnight oil back in the university, Cole's scintillating voice was our soothing companion. With her songs you are in dreamland. It was easy to dream. Yes, big dreams! We constantly lived her lyrics "...I feel so well, No sobs, no sorrows, no sighs...," "... I hope you do believe me..." "...If I have to choose just one day to last my whole life through..." "I was walking along minding my business When love came and hit me in the eye..."
Natalie Cole released her debut album “Inseparable,” in 1975, which also had the Top 10 single “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).” She was Best New Artist at the 1976 Grammy Awards, there also, “This Will Be” won “Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female.”
But “Unforgettable ... With Love” in 1991, was her best. An album that went back to old songs by her father. It sold 14 million copies and won Natalie Cole six Grammy Awards. The New York Times said '“Unforgettable” reminded both radio programmers and the record business that there was a large audience for music offering comfort far from the cutting edge.'
Her 1993 album “Take a Look,” and “Holly & Ivy,” her 1994 Christmas album both sold 500,000 copies. It was "Stardust,” something from a collection of from 1996, that sold eventually a million copies. She got a Grammy with “When I Fall in Love,” another duet with the father.
Songs like "I miss you like crazy," "Mona Lisa," "Route 66," "That Sunday That Summer," ''Too Young," "This can't be love," "Paper Moon," "L-O-V-E," "Smile," "Orange Colored Sky," "A Medley: For Sentimental Reasons/Tenderly/Autumn Leaves," "Unforgettable (duet with Nat King Cole)."
Our children's generation lacks genuine singers. It's all technology aided noise, in the name of music. A friend of Cole's, David Munk who is a New York-based actor, writer, record-business survivor and creator of stargayzing.com writing in The Huffington Post said Cole 'was less generous to vocalists who didn't have real chops or who relied on Auto-tune or histrionics. "What is with these kids?" she would say. "You riff to make a musical point, it should never be the point, because that ain't sayin' nothin except 'look at me!'"
The closest we could ever have to Natalie Cole in Nigeria are Onyeka Onwenu and the late Christy Essien-Igbokwe. And no one is even interested in following their footsteps. They only pander to the appetite of a morally depraved audience.
Natalie Cole was born on February 6, 1950, to Nat King Cole and his wife, Maria Cole.
Before she died, she said she wanted her epitaph to be, "Natalie Cole: the daughter of a king, the mother of a prince, a friend to all." That was what she was.
Dr Cosmas Odoemena
While behind the wheel on New Year's Day, the sad news of the death of the American singer, Natalie Cole, daughter of the late jazz singer Nat King Cole hit my ears. She had died on New Year Eve from complications of a long standing health condition. I was really touched. Her death has depleted the stock of musicians who sang songs of sobriety.
Immediately, my mind went to my colleague and bosom friend, Dr Ibrahim Bashir (Ibro), whom we both got hooked to Cole's music. And almost immediately, I got this from Ibro, 'JUST IN: "Unforgettable" singer Natalie Cole has died of congestive heart failure. She was 65. https://t.co/Qxa150kpGN.' I told him I just got the news myself, and that he had beaten me to telling him. He replied "Sad." And I said "You know we were attached to her." And he replied "Absolutely. Still have her CDs."
For Ibro and I, there was no other singer that our duo mutually loved and adored. She needed not know us. For sure, there are many of us round the globe who shared a soul singer and an idol. We all loved her. But it was mutual. A fan would shout out, "I love you Natalie," and with a smile she would say, "I love you more!"
You could snuggle into her songs. Her voice is soul-filling. It takes you on a journey, and brings you back home safely!
While burning the midnight oil back in the university, Cole's scintillating voice was our soothing companion. With her songs you are in dreamland. It was easy to dream. Yes, big dreams! We constantly lived her lyrics "...I feel so well, No sobs, no sorrows, no sighs...," "... I hope you do believe me..." "...If I have to choose just one day to last my whole life through..." "I was walking along minding my business When love came and hit me in the eye..."
Natalie Cole released her debut album “Inseparable,” in 1975, which also had the Top 10 single “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).” She was Best New Artist at the 1976 Grammy Awards, there also, “This Will Be” won “Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female.”
But “Unforgettable ... With Love” in 1991, was her best. An album that went back to old songs by her father. It sold 14 million copies and won Natalie Cole six Grammy Awards. The New York Times said '“Unforgettable” reminded both radio programmers and the record business that there was a large audience for music offering comfort far from the cutting edge.'
Her 1993 album “Take a Look,” and “Holly & Ivy,” her 1994 Christmas album both sold 500,000 copies. It was "Stardust,” something from a collection of from 1996, that sold eventually a million copies. She got a Grammy with “When I Fall in Love,” another duet with the father.
Songs like "I miss you like crazy," "Mona Lisa," "Route 66," "That Sunday That Summer," ''Too Young," "This can't be love," "Paper Moon," "L-O-V-E," "Smile," "Orange Colored Sky," "A Medley: For Sentimental Reasons/Tenderly/Autumn Leaves," "Unforgettable (duet with Nat King Cole)."
Our children's generation lacks genuine singers. It's all technology aided noise, in the name of music. A friend of Cole's, David Munk who is a New York-based actor, writer, record-business survivor and creator of stargayzing.com writing in The Huffington Post said Cole 'was less generous to vocalists who didn't have real chops or who relied on Auto-tune or histrionics. "What is with these kids?" she would say. "You riff to make a musical point, it should never be the point, because that ain't sayin' nothin except 'look at me!'"
The closest we could ever have to Natalie Cole in Nigeria are Onyeka Onwenu and the late Christy Essien-Igbokwe. And no one is even interested in following their footsteps. They only pander to the appetite of a morally depraved audience.
Natalie Cole was born on February 6, 1950, to Nat King Cole and his wife, Maria Cole.
Before she died, she said she wanted her epitaph to be, "Natalie Cole: the daughter of a king, the mother of a prince, a friend to all." That was what she was.
Dr Cosmas Odoemena
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