Page 14 - Wednesday, May 20, 2020
■ I remember asking Frankie Laine in a radio interview, who was his favourite singer and without hesitation he said, “Nat King Cole”. Nat was not only the favourite singer of many people but he was also highly regarded in the music industry - what a voice. Nathaniel Adams Coles was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on St Patrick's Day in 1919. His father was a Baptist minister. Nat had three brothers and a half sister. I did have the pleasure of meeting and interviewing his brother Freddy in 2000. He was taught to play the organ as a child and by the age of 12 was taking piano lessons. He began playing professionally in his teenage years and adopted the stage name of Nat King Cole - it was said to have come from the nursery rhyme Old King Cole. Nat went to Los Angeles and formed the very successful Nat King Cole Trio with guitarist Oscar Moore and bass player Wesley Prince. In 1937 he married Nadine Robinson who was a dancer. In 1943, Nat had his first hit song for Capitol Records, Straighten Up and Fly Right. Many hit songs followed and it is said that the revenue from his hit songs helped to finance the construction of the circular Capitol Records building near Hollywood and Vine in LA. In 1948 he divorced Nadine and married Maria Ellington. His hit songs such as The Christmas Song, Nature Boy, Mona Lisa and
www.LocalPaper.com.au
Magazine Whatever Happened To ... Nat King Cole By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM Unforgettable made him one of the highest selling recording artists in the US and throughout the world. In 1955 Nat King Cole made his first trip to Australia for a national tour which was a tremendous success. Rowan and Martin, who were later to become famous in the television series Laugh In, were the support act for his show. Lee Gordon had booked Nat for the tour and brought him back again the following year. Alan Heffernan, who was Lee Gordon's accountant, told me that during the tour there was a mix up with flight arrangements. Nat and Maria had no sleeping berth andAlan was in a panic. As the weary Nat stepped off the
● Nat King Cole plane he put his arm around Alan's shoulder and said, “Alan, I know it would have been set up, but sometimes these things go wrong. Don't worry about it.” This was typical of Nat's nature and everyand everybody loved him. His hit songs included Get Your Kicks On Route 66, Sweet Lorraine, For Sentimental Reasons, Too Young, Answer Me, Walkin' My Baby Back Home, When I Fal
In Love, Ramblin' Rose and Those Lazy, Hazy Crazy Days of Summer. In 1956 he began his television series, The Nat King Cole Show, on NBC and was the firs AfroAmerican to host his own variety program Nat suffered from racism for most of his life and was attacked by a group of thugs whils singing onstage in his home state of Alabama His film roles included The Blue Gardenia, St Louis Blues and Cat Ballou, where he performed the title song with Stubby Kaye. After years of heavy smoking Nat King Cole died in 1965 of lung cancer. At the time of his death he was estranged from Maria and lef behind five children from his two marriages His daughter Natalie has become a famous singer and in 1990 recorded the duet Unforgettable singing to a recording of her father's voice An official United States postage stamp featuring Nat King Cole was issued in 1994. The life of Nat King Cole would make a great film - he was one of the great singers of the Twentieth Century. Kevin Trask Kevin can be heard on 3AW The Time Tunnel - Remember When Sundays at 10.10pm with Philip Brady and Simon Owens. And on 96.5 FM That's Entertainment - Sundays at 12 Noon. www.innerfm.org.au
Check Victoria’s High Country at Home
■ A virtual escape to one of Victoria's most spectacular regions is a click away though the website High Country at Home, which showcases a range of fun, tasty, informative and interactive bookable experiences. Sample the region's famous food, wine, craft beer, cycling and naturebased offerings with High Country chefs, winemakers, brewers and adventurers leading classes and sharing their insights, expert knowledge, and tips and tricks. It's as easy as booking a date, checking the mailbox for all the High Country goodies you'll need for the class then getting the crew together (a maximum of eight per class) to zoom into: ■ Making delicious hand-crafted gnocchi, followed by a guided wine tasting and lunch with the King Valley's legendary Katrina and Fredo Pizzini of Pizzini Wines. ■ The Spa at Beechworth, offering calming, immersive, sensory foot reflexology classes, and demonstrating therapeutic self-foot massage techniques using their own range of luxe artisanal scrubs, soaks and oils. ■ Bright Brewery's Barrel Series experiences - two interactive sessions each week hosted byowner/founder, Scott Brandon - tasting the range of exclusive Barrel Series ales with the expert guidance of head brewer Reid Stratton. ■ Renowned chef and distiller Hamish Nugent, of Bright's Reed & Co/Remedy Gin fame, is offering bookable cocktail-making classes and guided gin tastings as part of a suite of new intimate interactive classes with eight High Country businesses now available on the site. High Country at Home is also an online marketplace showcasing products from around the region, including wine, beer, gin, honey, luxe granola, sauces, olives, locally roasted coffee and boutique wares from nearly 100 High Country businesses. And for Melbourne shoppers, there's also a current list of metro stockists of a range of High Country products. After a tough year for tourism businesses feeling the twin impacts of the summer 2020 bushfires and now covid-19, High Country at Home of-
The Arts
From the comfort of the couch: viewers can learn winemaking with the Willy Wonka of viticulture, Chester Osborn, and purchase their wines; cook alongside one of Adelaide's best chefs, Africola's Duncan Welgemoed, as he tackles everyday pantry ingredients to make a restaurant quality dish and order takeaway from Africola for the first time in the restaurant's history; or simply unwind to a picturesque backdrop of South Australia. Visit www.southaustralia.com
Art online
with John Rozentals fers a great way for visitors to take a virtual journey to this beautiful region this autumn, at a time when travel may not be an option. Visit www.victoriashighcountry. com.au Note: Potential travellers should check the status of individual events and establishments with regard to the coronavirus outbreak.
SA TV
■ As borders and movement are restricted around the world and people's lives are confined to virtual spaces, the South Australian Tourism Commission is bringing South Australia into living rooms across the country via a new online platform, SATV. SATV features local tourism operators and businesses that have adapted how they operate during COVID-19 restrictions to offer new innovative ways to still purchase, experience and enjoy their product or service from the confines of home. The platform will also act as a livecontent hub, showcasing some of South Australia's most iconic regions and charismatic operators, keeping couped-up travellers and the community inspired while in self-isolation or adhering to social distancing rules. SATV will showcase content from South Australia's wide range of businesses that champion the destination's best qualities.
■ TheArt Gallery of Queensland: part of a virtual exploration of the state. Amid the global COVID-19 crisis, travellers around the world are staying home, staying safe and eagerly waiting for life to return to normal. And while traditional travel may be out of the question for now, Queensland is inviting travellers to explore virtually today to help plan their next unforgettable holiday. To inspire their next holiday, travellers are invited to a sensory journey of Queensland that will bring the Sunshine State into their home through sight, sound, smell and taste. Visit www.queensland.com
Walking in Memphis
■ The city of Memphis has a raft of new virtual experiences for people to enjoy until they can make their way to the city in person. With something for everyone, from kids to hardcore Elvis fans, the list of virtual experiences includes: a Graceland-live cam, narrated zoolympics from Memphis Zoo, a Museum-to-Go including activities for kids to do at home, a streamed production of Story Time in Neverland, and a virtual commemoration from the National Civil Rights Museum of Dr Martin Luther King's death. Visit www.memphistravel.com Note: Potential travellers should check the status of individual events and establishments with regard to the coronavirus outbreak. - John Rozentals
OK. With John O’Keefe Star salaries slashed ■ Right around the world many of the big names inTV have suffered pay cuts due to COVID-19. Australia is no exception. We understand salaries have been savaged by up to 20 per cent. Lisa Wilkinson on Ten gets a lazy $2.3 million. Nine’s new kid on the block Hamish Blake pockets $2 million. Then there’s a drop to $1.3 million for Sonia Kruger, now at Seven on $1.3 million. David Koch is on $1 million ... and the list goes on..
Costly comments
■ News Corporation must pay almost half a million dollars following publication of an article in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph about Silver Chair lead singer Daniel Johns. Johns receives $170,000 plus legal costs of $300,000. Fact checking appears the problem behind the story and is another case of chasing a headline without cross checking the facts.
Ten plans changes
■ Next year could see changes to I’m A Celebrity – Get Me Out Of Here – overseas locations for filming are a no-no, so a location will most likely be a dense bush block somewhere within Australia. Ten has confirmed they will be producing another series of The Masked Singer.
Bert’s back
■ Logie winner and everyone’s favourite, Bert Newton, will appear on SBS ‘s Who Do You Think You Are? in prime time on Tuesday (May 26). It should be an entertaining show. Wife Patti has previously had her time on the same show discovering lots of previously unknown family members . In a flashback during a radio interview Patti told how a section of Bert’s wig was auctioned and raised $30,000 for a local charity.
Star scores in LA
■ Nicky Whelan was one of the bright, young, bubbly personalities in Neighbours. She sought fame and fortune in Tinsel Town and found it with parts in sit coms, lavish commercials and is due to feature in a film The Binge with Vince Vaughn. Nicky maintains contact with most of her pals from Neighbours including Steph McIntosh, who is the daughter of former ABC News presenter Sue McIntosh.
New disc for Denis
■ In a conversation with Denis Walter he let it slip he will be releasing some new material later this year, most likely targeted for Christmas gift giving. Check Sony Music for the release date
Cost of COVID-19
■ We are all aware of the horrendous problems caused by COVID -19 – the live event industry has been all but wiped out, and media is surviving day-by-day. To give you an idea of how serious the cuts are at Nine Network theirchief Tom Malone is tasked with slashing $ 200 million before the close of this year. - John O’Keefe
