The Unforgettable Natalie Cole
Update (1/1/16): Natalie Cole passed away on December 31, 2015. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir organization wishes to express its sincere condolences to her family. In a press conference during her 2009 guest appearance with the Choir, Cole said, '"I really think we are here to honor our Lord Jesus Christ. He will be definitely honored, and I'm sure he's pleased. It's so nice to take the 'I' out of it and make it a team effort." She also lovingly referred to the Choir as her "Wonderful backup singers."
In 2009, Natalie Cole was the guest artist for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas concert, in which she performed holiday classics such as “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Angels from the Realms of Glory.” In the above video, Natalie and the Choir present “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” which appears on the album The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
Born in Los Angeles, Cole is the daughter of Nat King Cole and Maria Hawkins Ellington. She sang on her father’s Christmas album at age six and began performing when she was eleven. Her musical career took off in the 1970s with the hit songs “This Will Be,” “Inseparable,” and “Our Love.”
Her success continued throughout the 80s as she moved from R&B to pop with the 1987 album Everlasting. She found her biggest success in the 1990s when she re-recorded standards by her father in an album titled Unforgettable: With Love. Cole won several awards for the recording, which sold over seven million copies, and has appeared as an actress in film and television.