Sunday marked the 100th anniversary of Nat King Cole’s birth. It is hard to overstate Cole’s contribution to American music and culture and impossible to estimate the depth of his influence on musicians of all genres.
To commemorate Nat King Cole’s centennial year, Lois Reitzes will be speaking with musicians and scholars about the legacy of Cole’s artistry.
Today, the host of WABE’s Blues Classics and Jazz Classics, H Johnson, talked with Lois Reitzes about the musicians who influenced Nat King Cole and his astonishing talent as a pianist.
One of Nat King Cole’s early piano influences was Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines.
“Earl Hines had a way of playing that is still being emulated by a lot of pianists today.” H. Johnson said.
