Nat "King" Cole

Nat "King" Cole

Jazz pianist and velvety vocalist Cole began performing from the age of 4. He recorded such timeless hits as "Unforgettable," "Mona Lisa," and "The Christmas Song."

He became the first black man to host a weekly network television show in 1956, although it was ... more soon canceled because of difficulty finding a national sponsor. During a Birmingham, Ala., performance, Cole was attacked by a group of white men.

He died in 1965. Through the magic of technology, his daughter Natalie turned "Unforgettable" into a Grammy Award-winning duet on her tribute album of the same name. (Redferns/Retna Ltd.)