Farewell Natalie Cole: The Best of the 1970s

Natalie in 1975

One of America's most recognised and outstanding voices has fallen silent. Natalie Cole, daughter of legendary vocalist Nat 'King' Cole, died at the age of 65 on New Year's Eve, 2015.

Rising star

Although one of her most memorable releases was the posthumous duet of Unforgettable with her late father in 1991, her hitmaking career had begun some sixteen years earlier with the 1975 release of This Will Be. The song yielded the young Natalie Cole a Top 10 hit in the US (#6) and even brought her briefly into the UK Top 40 (#32). It would later earn Cole her first Grammy Award, when she was honoured with the Best R&B Vocal Performance.

Her follow-up single Inseparable, also the title of her début album (Pop #18, R&B #1), followed This Will Be into the US Top 40, although it petered out at #32. However, both songs reached #1 on the R&B chart and contributed to her second Grammy win, this time as Best New Artist.

Continuing popularity

Released in 1976, her next album Natalie followed Inseparable into the US Top 20 (#13) and spawned two further American hit singles in Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady) and the more jazz orientated Mr. Melody.

Her output continued apace when in 1977 Cole released what would become two back to back platinum-certified albums - a first for a female recording artist - in Unpredictable and later her fourth release, Thankful.

Each album contained songs that would see Natalie return to the Top 10 of the US pop charts and become classics of their genre: firstly I've Got Love on My Mind which peaked at #5 (#1 R&B) and Our Love, a #10 hit which also topped the Soul Chart.

Television and duets

All of this led to Cole starring in her own television special, drawing in such groups as the popular Earth, Wind and Fire, as well as appearing on the TV special Sinatra and Friends, where she duetted with Sinatra on I Get a Kick Out of You and performed I've Got Love on My Mind.

The big pop hits of the 1970s began to dry up, though. Nevertheless, her singles continued to perform well on the American R&B chart where tracks such as Annie Mae and Stand By entered the Top 10.

However, three more gold-certified albums followed before the end of the decade: 1978's Live collection, I Love You So from 1979 and the duet long player with Peabo Bryson, We're the Best of Friends. All were a testament to her continuing popularity which she would maintain throughout the following decades until her sad and untimely passing.

Natalie Cole: A sophisticated lady...RIP

 

Natalie Cole: 1970s Singles

• This Will Be
• Inseparable 
• Sophisticated Lady (She's a Different Lady)
• Mr. Melody
• I've Got Love on My Mind
• Party Lights
• Our Love
• Annie Mae
• Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
• Stand By
• Sorry
• Your Lonely Heart
• Gimme Some Time (with Peabo Bryson)

Natalie Cole: 1970s Albums

• Inseparable - (Released: May 11, 1975) 
• Natalie - (Released: April 9, 1976) 
• Unpredictable - (Released: February 1977) 
• Thankful  - (Released: November 16, 1977)
• Natalie Live! - (Released: June 13, 1978) 
• I Love You So - (Released: March 19, 1979) 
• We're the Best of Friends (with Peabo Bryson) - (Released: November 1979)