Favorites: Joey, Our Love, It’s Been You, Cry Baby, Inseparable, I Can’t Say No, You, Needing You, I’ve Got Love On My Mind, Just Can’t Stay Away, Someone That I Used To Love, Annie Mae, This Will Be, Miss You Like Crazy, Mona Lisa, Unforgettable, I’m Catching Hell, Party Lights, Your Eyes, I Wish You Love, Take A Look, Don’t Say Goodnight.

Being the child of Black Royalty isn’t easy for everyone. Being the daughter of the immaculate Nat King Cole, Natalie found it sort of difficult to differentiate herself from her famous father in the beginning stages of her career.

Eventually, she became one of the most successful artists of all time..selling over 30 million records worldwide. When Natalie Cole passed, the lack of tributes and discussions about her was disappointing. She was more than the legendary Nat King Cole’s daughter. She was a legend in her own right. She gained a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame before she turned 30.

Natalie Cole was one of a kind, & she’ll always be missed. Here’s why Natalie deserves her flowers:

The 1998 Intimate Portrait documentary shows Natalie in a light of success, hitting rock bottom & sweet redemption.

Natalie & Whitney knew how to get some duets out for the GIRLS!

 

The new generation gave new light to Natalie’s classics.

Kanye West sampled Natalie’s Someone That I Used To Love for the intro to his second album & his single “Heard Em Say.”

The legendary trio Destiny’s Child sampled Natalie’s “Inseparable” for their album cut “If.” If is a SONG okay?! It made me live for the song even more growing up noticing the sample.

En Vogue covered Natalie’s 1977 song “Just Can’t Stay Away,” & even got to sing it with her!

Syleena Johnson did what she had to do with sampling Natalie’s Annie Mae on her song “He Makes Me Say!”

 

Mary’s cover of Our Love is simply phenomenal.

 

When Nas sampled Unforgettable for his song with Can’t Forget About You, he had to bring in Natalie for a cameo! You want to have Natalie in your video!

Natalie can get down on songs she covered too now! Her rendition of the Beatles song Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds is everything.

Cry Baby? Natalie tore this song UP! Being a huge Janis Joplin fan, Nat did this song justice.

You is an amazing to get into if you like Natalie Cole. It’s one of my favorites. Aretha Franklin also recorded this song since it was Marvin Yancy & Chuck Jackson’s dream to have her record one of the songs they’ve written!

The 1970s:

Albums Released: Inseparable, Natalie, Unpredictable, Thankful, I Love You So, We’re The Best Of Friends.

Natalie Cole was in a band & had a tough time booking places that didn’t want her to play her father’s tunes. Eventually, she met the production team of Marvin Yancy & Chuck Jackson…& the rest was history.

Natalie, Marvin & Chuck were a dream team! After signing with Capitol Records (The House That Nat built,”) Natalie became a FORCE to be reckoned with!

I Can’t Say No is a SONG! One of my favorites from her debut album.

With hits like “This Will Be,” “I’ve Got Love On My Mind, Our Love, Sophisticated Lady, Inseparable, & many more..Natalie was in demand & people couldn’t get enough of her.

 

One of my favorite moments was when Natalie & Peabo Bryson Released a duets album, “We’re The Best Of Friends.” Their cover of What You Won’t Do For Love is a CLASSIC!

 

 

The 1980s:

Albums Released: Don’t Look Back, Happy Love, I’m Ready, Dangerous, Everlasting, Good To Be Back.

After a wonderful few years in the spotlight, Natalie’s career took a drastic turn to rock bottom after her drug addiction started to become public knowledge and many people did not want to work with her. She entered rehab and came back stronger than ever in the mid 80s, with hits like “Jump Start,” The Bruce Springsteen cover “Pink Cadillac,” & “Miss You Like Crazy.”

One of my favorite Natalie songs is I’m The One from 1987’s Everlasting. She had TIME on this record!

The 1990s:

Albums Released: Unforgettable..with Love, Take A Look, Holly & Ivy, Stardust, Snowfall On The Sahara.

The 1990s cemented Natalie’s legendary status. After many years of trying to not cover her late father’s music, it would be one of her biggest moments as a musician..when she released 1991’s Unforgettable..with Love. By covering her father’s standards, she used modern technology to incorporate her vocals into songs he made instant hits and it was like he was still alive. The Unforgettable duet is simply magic. 😭🙌🏾

She swept the 1992 Grammys winning several awards and became bigger than her wildest dreams.

The 2000s:

Albums Released: Ask a Woman Who Knows, Leavin’, Still Unforgettable, Caroling, Caroling: Christmas with Natalie Cole.

Natalie kept the momentum going with quality holiday albums and great jazz records. The most standout album to me during this decade was Leavin’. It’s one of my favorites from Natalie, especially the cover of her idol Aretha Franklin’s Day Dreaming & her cover of the Isley Brothers hit Don’t Say Good Night. Her version is a smooth jazz quiet storm hit! Don’t sleep.

The 2010s:

Albums Released: The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, Natalie Cole En Español.

Natalie continued to tour and make music, even in Spanish. Like her father, she made an album in Spanish (which would be her last,) and it was simply magical. Whew.

 

Natalie Maria Cole tragically passed away December 31st, 2015.

Natalie will always be remembered for being a talented Queen with immaculate music to match. Natalie had a talent so many people in music are missing today. A VOICE.

She was destined to be a star in her own right, but had to remember that her father would be the guiding light to an even special career. There will never be another Natalie Cole, & I hope she is having an unforgettable time with her family in heaven. 🙏🏾💕