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Cole was born in Montgomery, Alabama
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At the age of four, Cole's family moved to Chicago where jazz and gospel were evolving. Also, he started learning the piano by ear from his mother.
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At 12, Cole played the organ, sang in his father's church choir and studied classical piano.
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Cole married dancer Nadine Robinson and moved to Los Angelos
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All For You was the trio's first number one hit on th Harlem Hit and peaked at number nineteen on the U.S. pop chart.
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The King Cole Trio signed with Capitol Records. Cole's record sales fueled much of Capitol Records' success at the time.
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"Straighten Up and Fly Right," was the trio's most popular single reaching number one on the Harlem Hit Para for ten weeks. "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You," was the trio's last for the Harlem Hits and had reached number twenty on national charts.
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The biggest-selling version by Cole was released by Capitol Records and reached Billboard Best Seller, which lasted 12 weeks on the chart, peaking at number one.
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Cole divorced Robinson and six days later he married Maria Hawkins Ellington.
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Despite his fame and wealth, Cole and his new wife faced racial discrimination when they went to buy a home in 1948 in the all-white Hancock Park. The Ku Klux Klan responded to his presence with a burning cross on his front lawn.
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Cole had the most successful verson published by Capitol Records and reached the Billboard charts, which stayed for 15 weeks peaking at number one.
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Cole's version spent eight weeks at number on in the Billboard singles chart.
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From 1951, Cole abandoned the trio formate and produved many solo vocal songs.
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The show debuted on NBC and Cole was the first African-American host, which created controversy.
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Cole was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. In January 1965, his left lung was removed.
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Cole, a heavy smoker, died of lung cancer in Santa Monica, California.
