Natalie Cole

Few children of legends successfully emerge from the shadow of a world-famous parent, often choosing to completely reject their background and do something entirely different. But not only did Natalie Cole, the great Nat King Cole's daughter prove herself a magnificent singer in her own right, she fondly embraced her heritage to the point of imaginatively using technology to duet with her late father. Exposed to classic jazz and soul from an early age, Natalie absorbed her influences well and was signed by her father's old label, Capitol with reviews of her 1975 debut album Inseparable comparing her favorably with one of her heroines, Aretha Franklin. Further success followed with the albums Natalie (1976), Unpredictable and Thankful (1977) as she concentrated on an R&B style but after a decline when she battled drug problems she returned to the top of the charts in 1987 with the Everlasting album; including the hit singles Jump Start (My Heart), I Live For Your Love and a cover of Bruce Springsteen's Pink Cadillac. She later had a UK Top 10 hit with Miss You Like Crazy from the album Good To Be Back and in 1991 she finally succumbed to constant requests to sing her late father's material with the album Unforgettable...With Love; which included the interactive duet with her father's voice on the title track Unforgettable. Another jazz album Take A Look followed in 1993 but Natalie returned to pop and R&B in 2006 with Leavin'. Two years later she revisited her father's material on the album Still Unforgettable, while forging a parallel career as an actress, starring as herself in 2001's Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story and appearing on TV and in movies, including the Cole Porter biopic De-Lovely (2004).