Nat King Cole
USA, 1936–1965
American pianist and singer (1919-1965). His piano trio recordings were influential on jazz small-group format, and his baritone singing established a widely copied jazz-pop style.
MusicRoots documents 1 artist who influenced Nat King Cole and 7 artists Nat King Cole influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced Nat King Cole?
- Earl Hines — Cole named Earl Hines his idol — his piano style was formed in direct imitation of Hines's trumpet-style lines.
Which artists did Nat King Cole influence?
- Stevie Wonder — Nat King Cole's elegance and warmth were the sophistication Stevie always reached for.
- Marvin Gaye — Nat Cole was Gaye's model for elegance and crossover vocal style in his early career.
- Ray Charles — Charles began his career as a deliberate Nat Cole imitator — 'I ate, slept, and drank everything Nat King Cole' — before finding his own voice.
- Oscar Peterson — Nat King Cole was the decisive early model: Peterson took the piano-bass-guitar trio format and the whole musical approach from Cole's group.
- Hank Ballard — Nat King Cole's smooth crooning was among the voices Ballard absorbed alongside gospel and blues.
- Bobby Bland — Bland's smooth, sophisticated balladry drew on pop-jazz crooners, Nat King Cole among them, softening his gospel-blues into supper-club soul.
- Clare Fischer — Named among his influences — the trio-piano touch under all that harmony.