Throwback: Happy 107th Birthday, Nat King Cole!

It’s March 2026. We’re about to blow through the first third of the year. Things have gotten messier and more hellish. Apparently, we’re now at war. We’ve got masked goons grabbing people off the streets and shooting civilians. The economy is reeling. We’re dealing with a mad, dying king. And yet, we have to simultaneously fight fascists and get on with our daily lives. 

But there’s music, art and community. I hope that this site is a bit of escape and maybe even a reminder of how much community means when the world is running down. 

• The Who frontman  Roger Daltrey celebrated his 82nd birthday on March 1
• The pioneering singer, activist and actor Harry Belafonte was born 99 years ago on March 1
• Karen Carpenter was born 76 years ago on March 2
• Lou Reed, arguably one of the most influential figures of the past 75 years or so was born on this day 84 years ago on March 2
• Tone Lōc celebrated his 60th birthday — yes, y’all 60th! — on March 3
• The legendary soul artist Bobby Womack was born 82 years ago on March 4
• Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted celebrated his 63rd birthday on March 4
• Teena Marie, one of the perhaps most under-appreciated pop and R&B vocalists ever was born 70 years ago on March 5
• Best known for his work with Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Frusciante celebrated his 56th birthday on March 5
• Mary Wilson, the legendary co-founder of The Supremes was born on 82 years ago on March 6
• Pink Floyd‘s David Gilmour celebrated his 80th birthday — yes, y’all, 80th! — on March 6
• Isley Brothers’ guitarist Ernie Isley celebrated his 74th birthday on March 7
• The Monkees’ Mickey Dolenz celebrated his 81st birthday on March 8
• The legendary and pioneering Gary Numan celebrated his 68th birthday on March 8
• Free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman was born 96 years ago on March 9
• Pearl Jam‘s Jeff Ament celebrated his 63rd birthday on March 10
• The Horrors co-founder and former member Tom Furse celebrated his 39th birthday on March 11
• The legendary Al Jarreau was born 86 years on March 12
• James Taylor celebrated his 78th birthday on March 12 
• U2‘s Adam Clayton celebrated his 66th birthday March 13
• Roy Haynes was born 101 years ago on March 13
• The legendary Lightnin’ Hopkins was born 113 years ago on March 15
• Sly and the Family Stone frontman Sly Stone was born 83 years ago on March 15
• Public Enemy‘s Flavor Flav celebrated his 67th birthday on March 16
• Smashing Pumpkins founder and frontman Billy Corgan celebrates his 59th birthday today

The great Nat King Cole was born on this day 107 years ago today. The singer, pianist and actor’s career spanned almost three decades, starting in the late 30s, when he formed the King Cole trio. The trio was the top-selling group — and only Black act! — on Capitol Records in the 1940s. Interestingly, Cole’s trio became the model for small jazz ensembles that followed.

In 1950, Cole became a solo artist, who recored over 100 songs that charted on the pop charts, including “Unforgettable,” “Smile,” “A Blossom Fell,” “Nature Boy,” “When I Fall In Love,” “Let There Be Love” and more.

I didn’t know this but his NBC variety show, The Nat King Cole Show aired from 1956-1957 — and it was the first nationally broadcast television show hosted by someone Black. He was able to get some of the period’s biggest names on the show, including Count Basie, Mel Torme and countless others.

Happy birthday, trailblazer! Happy birthday, wherever you are!

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The Joy of Violent Movement is a completely independent and completely D.I.Y. media outlet. Over the course of this site’s 15+ year history, I’ve used my fiercely independent stance to cover music with an eclectic and global perspective that a lot of other publications just don’t have — and will likely never have. 

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