Natalie Cole

Bio:

Natalie Cole (born Natalie Maria Cole in Los Angeles, California, on February 6, 1950) was an American singer, performer, and songwriter. Growing up in a musical household with singers Nat King Cole and Maria Cole as parents, Natalie followed her parents’ footsteps and pursued a singing career herself. After beginning her performing career at just age 11, Natalie rose to fame in the mid-1970s when she released her first album, Inseparable. Despite her musical success, Natalie battled many personal issues that resulted in drug abuse and addiction. She completed a six-month rehab stint in 1983 and has since remained sober. Natalie made a comeback in 1991 with her best-selling album, Unforgettable… With Love, which featured a duet with her father. But after her personal issues came health issues, as Natalie was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 2008. Even after receiving a kidney transplant in 2009, Natalie still dealt with many health problems in the later part of her life. She passed away from congestive heart failure on January 1, 2016, at the age of 65.

Best Known For:

Natalie is best known for her digital duet with her father, Nat King Cole, “Unforgettable.” She also had hits like “This Will Be,” “Our Love,” and “Inseparable.”

Personal Life:

Natalie had three different marriages in her lifetime. She married her producer Marvin Yancy in 1976, with whom she had a son, Robert Adam “Robbie” Yancy, in 1977. Their marriage only lasted until 1980. Natalie remarried in 1989 to Andre Fischer, who was a record producer and former drummer for the band Rufus. Although they were divorced in 1995, Natalie found love again with bishop Kenneth Dupree and the two married in 2001. After divorcing Kenneth in 2004, she had no more marriages, and her relationship life seemed to remain out of the spotlight until her death.