Nathaniel Adams Coles was born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17th 1919. Coles had three brothers Eddie, Ike and Freddy and a half sister Joyce Cole. Ike and Freddy would later pursue careers in music as well. When Cole was four years old he and his family moved to Chicago, Illinois where his father Edward Coles became a Baptist Minister. Coles learned to play the organ from his mother Perlina Coles, the church organist. His first performance was of "Yes" we have No Bananas " at the age four. He began formal lessons at 12 eventually learning not only Jazz and Gospel music, but also western classical music, performing as he said " From Johann Sebastian Bach to Serges Rachmaninoff. The family lived in the Bronze vile neighborhood of Chicago. Coles would sneak out of the house and hang around outside the clubs, listening to artist such as Louis Armstrong, Earl Hines and Jimmie Noone. He participated in Walter Dyetts renowned music programme High School
Inspired by the performances of Earl Hines, Cole began his performing career in the mid -30's while still a teenager adopting the nick name "Nat Cole " is olde brother Eddie a bass player soon joined Cole band and they made there first recording in 1963 . under Eddie name. They also were regular performer at clubs, Cole him self acquired his nick name "King" performing at one Jazz Club a nickname presumable reinforced by the other wise unrelated nursery rhyme about Old King Cole. He also was a pianist in a national tour of Broadway theater legend Eddie Blakes revue "Shuffle Along" When it suddenly failed in Long Beach California Cole decided to remain there.
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