Died On This Date (December 31, 2015) Natalie Cole / R&B Great
themusicsover Natalie Cole
February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015
Natalie Cole was an American R&B singer who, over the course of a career that spanned 6 decades, sold over 30 million albums and earned nine Grammys. Born into a show business family – her father was Nat King Cole and her mother was Maria Hawkins Cole, a one-time singer for Duke Ellington, Cole followed her parents into show business at a very early age. When she was just six, she sang on her father’s iconic Christmas album, and within five years, she was performing on stage. After graduating from college, Cole began singing in clubs and soon caught the ear of a couple of producers who recorded a few tracks and shopped them around. Capitol Records signed her and released her first album, Inseparable, in 1975. The album contained her first top 10 single, “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” which resulted in Cole’s first two Grammys, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best New Artist. The balance of the ’70s were extremely prosperous for Cole as she released several more hit records; performed to sell-out crowds; and made numerous TV appearance including her own two specials. The early ’80s were less kind to her as record sales dwindled and she battled her own personal demons. But by 1987, Cole’s career was bouncing back. Her 1987 dance album, Everlasting, brought her back to the charts with such hit singles as, “Everlasting,” “Jump Start,” “I Live For Your Love,” and her pop crossover version of Bruce Springsteen‘s “Pink Cadillac.” The hits continued through the early ’90s and beyond, with Cole’s style maturing into that which made her father famous, jazz vocals/traditional pop. She continued to record and perform to adoring fans over the next two decades, but in December of 2015, it was later revealed, she had to cancel several shows due to ongoing health problems. On December 31, 2015, Natalie Cole died of congestive heart failure at the age of 65.
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Wendell Holmes was the guitarist, pianist and vocalist for the legendary gospel, R&B, and blues band, the Holmes Brothers. Formed in 1978, the trio built a legion of loyal followers thanks to their heavenly harmonies and overall sound that was once described by the New York Times as “deeply soulful, uplifting and timeless.” Formed in Christchurch, Virginia, the Holmes Brothers moved to Harlem during the ’80s to try their luck in the city’s blues clubs. They signed their first record deal in 1989 and went on to release 12 albums, including three that landed in the top five of the Billboard Blues Album charts. The list of artists they recorded with includes Joan Osborne, Willie Nelson, Peter Gabriel, and Van Morrison. In 2014, they received an National Endowment For The Arts National Heritage Fellowship. Wendell Holmes died from complications due to pulmonary hypertension. He was 71.
Ben E. King was an American R&B singer whose signature song, “Stand My Me,” is one of the few records to hit the Top 10 in two separate decades – the first being upon release in 1961, the second in 1986 when it was used as the theme song for the very popular film of the same name. In 1958, King was a member of a Harlem doo wop group known as the Five Crowns when the manager of the Drifters recruited them to replace recently fired members of the Drifters. With the Drifters, King scored several hits over the next two years. That list includes “This Magic Moment,” “Save The Last Dance For Me,” and “There Goes My Baby.” He left the group for a solo career in 1960 and went on to release some of the biggest hits of the era including, “Spanish Harlem,” “There Goes My Baby,” and of course, “Stand By Me.” Those three songs are considered to be vital parts of the foundation that shaped rock and roll. Like many R&B acts during the mid ’60s, King’s brand of music was pushed aside by the British Invasion. Even though he continued to record and tour, he wouldn’t hit the charts again until the re-release of “Stand By Me,” 20 years later. His career enjoyed even another bump when hip hop artists began sampling his songs during the ’90s and beyond. He continued to tour into his 70s. Ben E. King was 76 when he passed away on April 30, 2015. Cause of death was not immediately released
Johnny Kemp was a Bahamian R&B singer who, during the 1980s, helped lay the foundation of what would be called new jack swing. Kemp launched his career at the age of 13, singing in local nightclubs. In 1979, he moved to New York City where he sang with the band, Kinky Fox. In 1986 he released his first album which contained his first hit, “Just Another Lover.” What followed was a string of R&B and pop hits including, “Just Got Paid,” “Dancin’ With Myself,” and “Birthday Suit.” Johnny Kemp was 55 when he died on April 16, 2015. Cause and circumstances surroundings his death were immediately unclear.
Percy Sledge was a beloved American R&B singer whose recording of “When A Man Loves A Woman” went on to become one of popular music most enduring ballads. Born in Leighton, Alabama, Sledge earned his keep working in the fields and later as a hospital orderly while singing in area clubs on weekends. A former patient introduced him to a producer friend, leading to his first recording contract. What followed was a string of R&B hits that included “Warm and Tender Love,” “Take Time To Know Her,” “It Tears Me Up,” and of course, “When A Man Loves A Woman,” which was not only a hit upon its original release in 1966, but again in 1983 thanks to its placement in the film, The Big Chill. Sledge continued recording and performing well into the 2000s, and was ultimately inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Percy Sledge was 73 when he passed away on April 14, 2015. Cause of death was not immediately released