Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole was the first African American to host his own variety show. He had many famous guests like Count Basie, Peggy Lee, Sammy Davis Jr. and Tony Bennett. His show, The Nat King Cole Show, did not lasted only from 1956 to 1957. The short lifespan of the show can most likely be attributed to the lack of support from companies. Being a show hosted by an African American put it at a disadvantage since racist people did not want to sponsor a program hosted by a black man.
Despite facing racism personally, Nat King Cole did not want to take a solid stance on most racial issues of his day. He avoided the activism and wanted to focus more on entertaining.
Even though his own show did not last more than a year, Nat King Cole showed up on other popular shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Gary Moore Show. He also is known for singing many hits and his rendition of "The Christmas Song" is still a popular holiday classic. After he passed away from lung cancer, his daughter recorded a duet part to his song "Unforgettable" and combined their vocals.
Despite facing racism personally, Nat King Cole did not want to take a solid stance on most racial issues of his day. He avoided the activism and wanted to focus more on entertaining.
Even though his own show did not last more than a year, Nat King Cole showed up on other popular shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Gary Moore Show. He also is known for singing many hits and his rendition of "The Christmas Song" is still a popular holiday classic. After he passed away from lung cancer, his daughter recorded a duet part to his song "Unforgettable" and combined their vocals.
Biography.com Editors. "Nat King Cole Biography", Biography.com, April 18, 2019,
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