1999

2/3

9 p.m.: Live concert: Natalie Cole ("Unforgettable") and Freddie Cole at Blue Note. http://www.audionet.com/concerts/bluenote/index---f.htm

 

2/25

SARAH McLACHLAN: I think Lauryn Hill has turned the industry on their nose. NATALIE COLE: She is really a pioneer. She's going to be a lot of women's mentor.

 

Program to Explore Abuses in Afghanistan; Home Edition;
Los Angeles Times   03-03-1999

Program to Explore Abuses in Afghanistan

Los Angeles Times Wednesday March 3, 1999
Home Edition
Calendar, Page 3


Mavis Leno, wife of "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, will chair a
March 29 program at the Directors Guild of America that aims to shed
light on human rights abuses against women in Afghanistan.

The event--to be written, directed and produced by Linda
Bloodworth-Thomason and Harry Thomason--aims to bring exposure to what
organizers call a system of "gender apartheid" by the ruling Taliban
regime.

A number of female celebrities are scheduled to take part in the
event, including Gillian Anderson, Melanie Griffith, Natalie Cole, Laura
Dern, Melissa Etheridge, Kathy Bates, Sally Field, Anjelica Huston,
Julianna Margulies, Cybill Shepherd, Lily Tomlin and Nancy Sinatra.

Tickets to the event are $150 and include a 6:30 p.m. buffet reception
preceding the 8 p.m. program.

 

 

4/18

* Sunday on Showtime at 8 p.m., the debut of "Freak City,"
with Natalie Cole, Samantha Mathis, Marlee Matlin, Peter Sarsgaard,
Jonathan Silverman and Estelle Parsons. The story focuses on unlikely
friendships that develop between feisty young women who have been
institutionalized against their will. Repeat: April 29 at 10 p.m.

 

Cole To Miss St. Lucia Jazzfest;
AP Online   05-13-1999

Cole To Miss St. Lucia Jazzfest

CASTRIES, St. Lucia (AP) -- Natalie Cole will not appear at the St. Lucia Jazzfest because of damaged vocal cords.

She'll be replaced by Erykah Badu, the St. Lucia Tourist Board said Wednesday.

Miss Cole, the daughter of the late Nat King Cole, had been warned by doctors to rest her voice for seven to 10 days after a series of performances in Las Vegas.

She was to have led the lineup Saturday at an open-air concert on Pigeon Island in the Caribbean. Kool and the Gang, David Sanborn and Nestor Torres are scheduled to perform.

Ray Charles, Lionel Ritchie, Patti LaBelle and Deborah Cox have also canceled, some because of scheduling conflicts.

The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Copyright 1999 The Associated Press All Rights Reserved

 

5/18

CHARITY SCORECARD; Home Edition; HEATHER STEWART JORDEN
Los Angeles Times   05-18-1999

CHARITY SCORECARD
By HEATHER STEWART JORDEN

Los Angeles Times Tuesday May 18, 1999
Home Edition
Southern California Living, Page 3


Natalie Cole was honored and more than $2 million was raised at the
Los Angeles Urban League's 26th annual Whitney M. Young Award Dinner held
April 15 at the Century Plaza Hotel. More than 1,700 attended the dinner.
Cole was recognized for her accomplishments in promoting understanding
across racial, economic, cultural, gender and religious lines. The
evening, themed "Unforgettable," featured a performance by Ray Charles,
including his rendition of "Georgia on My Mind," and an announcement by
the Ron Burkle Foundation that it was making a $1-million donation. Last
year's honoree, Yoshio Ishizaka, who is president and chief executive of
Toyota Motor Sales, presented the award to Cole along with John Mack,
president of the Los Angeles Urban League. KTLA broadcaster Larry
McCormick emceed and James W. Callaway, president of Pacific Telesis, was
dinner chairman. The late Whitney M. Young Jr., executive director of the
National Urban League from 1961 to 1971, was a civil rights leader known
as the "Voice of the voiceless, hope for the hopeless and power for the
powerless." The funds raised will be used for Urban League education,
literacy, job placement, job training and minority business development
programs in L.A. County.

 

6/2

BW)(GA-100-BLACK-MEN-OF-AMER) FEATURE/Fortune 500 CEOs and Singing
Legend Natalie Cole Set Goal to Raise $35 Million

Feature/Assignment Editors
FEATURE ...

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--June 2, 1999--

How Cars, Trucks, Shoes and Securities Join With Hollywood for the 100
Black Men of America Inc. "Miracles of Mentoring Campaign"

100 Black Men of America, Inc. today announced that Natalie Cole
will serve as honorary chair for its "Miracles of Mentoring Campaign."
The "Miracles of Mentoring Campaign" leadership committee is
comprised of Natalie Cole, honorary chair; Joseph J. Grano, Jr.,
president of PaineWebber Inc.; James P. Kelly, chairman and CEO of
United Parcel Service; Philip H. Knight, chairman and CEO of Nike,
Inc.; and John F. Smith, Jr., chairman and CEO of General Motors Corp
as co-chairs of the Campaign.
The leadership committee will join in an effort to raise $35
million. The "Miracles of Mentoring Campaign" will announce major
contributions during a press conference at the 100 Black Men of
America, Inc. national convention in Detroit later this summer.
"The response and commitment we have received from the 'Miracles
of Mentoring Campaign' leadership committee has been outstanding,"
said Thomas Dortch Jr., national president of the 100 Black Men of
America, Inc. "The 100 has been committed to improving the quality of
life in the African-American community. Since its founding in 1963, we
have touched more than 130,000 youth -- people can see the value of
that. Every penny earned will go toward strengthening our already
successful signature programs such as mentoring, health and wellness,
and economic development."
"As a mother, I can relate to the need for empowering young
people to become self-sufficient contributors to our society," said
multi-Grammy winning recording artist Natalie Cole. "This is a truly
wonderful project. All of the money raised in this campaign will help
us continue to educate, motivate, and encourage our young people."
The "Miracles of Mentoring Campaign" hopes to raise $35 million
by the year 2001. Funds raised will be allocated to chapter projects
related to initiatives in the four strategic service areas: support
for local chapter facilities and operations; national headquarter
projects, related to improving the national office facility;
establishing the National Mentoring and Leadership Institute in
Georgia, dedicated to training chapter members and the students with
whom they work; and scholarship endowment for students in need of
financial support.
Less than 10 percent of all monies raised will be used for
administrative costs. For more information about the campaign visit
the 100 Black Men of America, Inc.'s Web site at www.100blackmen.org.
Founded in 1963, the mission of 100 Black Men of America is to
improve the quality of life for our communities and enhance
educational and economic opportunities for all African-Americans. The
100 serves as the national flagship for the member chapters and is
governed by a Board of Directors that includes all member chapter
presidents and nine elected executive committee members. With more
than 10,000 members and 87 national and international chapters, The
100 has touched the lives of more than 130,000 youth through its
mentoring and youth development programs.

--30--jm/sd* sf/sd

 

6/5

COLE FRONT: Natalie Cole is back tending the R&B/pop roots she planted in the '70s with "Snowfall On The Sahara," due June 22. Her first album since 1996's standard-filled "Stardust," this new collection reunites three-quarters of the "Stardust" production team (Cole, Phil Ramone, and David Foster) and boasts a dual-single release: the Cole-co-written title track (which went to contemporary jazz and AC stations) and the 1976 D.J. Rogers chestnut "Say You Love Me" (sent to adult R&B stations).

"R&B and pop-I spent most of my career in that place," says Cole. `And frankly I missed it. Anyone who's even halfway familiar with my career knows I don't do the same stuff over and over."

"Snowfall"-written with Peter Wolf-was actually penned six years ago and is the original demo, notes Cole, with extra guitar and synth sweetening, plus drum programming provided by the versatile Rodney Jerkins. "Say You Love Me" recaptures the original's flavor and includes Luther Vandross on background vocals. The album's other songs are a mixture of personal faves ("Corinna," "Reverend Lee," "A Song For You") and recommendations from friends (Elton John suggested recording "Stay With Me") and family (sister Carol told her about Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody," which features a substitute last verse written by Dylan himself).

After 25 years in the biz and 21 albums to date, Cole says, this album "really gave me a shot in the arm. I had so much fun. You never know what's going to happen with these things. But if you feel good about something, that's all you can do."

 

6/19

Natalie Cole is this year's honorary chair for the lOO Black Men of America Inc.'s Miracles of Mentoring campaign, which focuses on helping urban youth. Co-chairs include General Motors chairman/CEO John Smith Jr. and UPS chairman/CEO James Kelly.

 

6/21

Today's R&B forgettable, Cole says

Natalie Cole, who cut her teeth on rhythm and blues, says modern R&B lacks soul. ``I mean lyrics and passion, some understanding of communicating an idea beyond just jumping into bed,'' the Grammy-winning daughter of the late Nat ``King'' Cole said in Sunday's edition of The Orange County (Calif.) Register. ``There used to be songs that I would listen to and have to go look up words in the dictionary afterward, you know? What happened to smart music like that?'' she said. Cole's first album in three years, Snowfall in the Sahara, is due in stores Tuesday.

 

8/1

Lifetime's "Intimate Portrait" focuses on the life and career of
singer Natalie Cole, Sunday at 11 p.m.

 

NATALIE COLE "Snowfall on the Sahara" Elektra; Mike Joyce
The Washington Post   08-06-1999

NATALIE COLE "Snowfall on the Sahara" Elektra
Byline: Mike Joyce
Edition: FINAL
Section: Weekend

Natalie Cole's latest album seems the result of a seven-year itch.
After spending most of the last decade mining classic pop tunes and
reviving songs associated with her father, Nat King Cole, the singer
has moved on to more contemporary material. Well, somewhat more
contemporary, at least.

Just what possessed Cole to record this curious collection
of tunes is anybody's guess. Do we really need another interpretation
of Leon Russell's "A Song for You," even one from a singer as gifted
as Cole? Does Roberta Flack's "Reverend Lee" deserve another reprise,
especially one that holds no surprises? And though the inclusion of a
Taj Mahal tune on a Cole album is a bit surprising, Cole's rendition
of "Corrina" lacks the original version's grit and personality. In
fact, of all the familiar tunes only Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve
Somebody," powered in part by a gospel choir and equipped with a new
final verse, manages to do the singer and the song justice.

While these and most of the other tracks on the album were
made in New York with the help of producer Phil Ramone, the album's
title cut and the Patti Page hit "Eyes Wide Open" were recorded in Los
Angeles, with David Foster overseeing things. East Coast or West
Coast, the results are pleasant enough, but anyone expecting something
exciting coming from Cole's return to R&B and pop grooves should be
prepared to wait a little longer.

Appearing Monday at Wolf Trap. To hear a free Sound Bite from
Natalie Cole, call Post-Haste at 202/334-9000 and press 8103. (Prince
William residents, call 690-4110

8/11

Natalie Cole: Lost in Time; Mike Joyce
The Washington Post   08-11-1999

Natalie Cole: Lost in Time
Byline: Mike Joyce
Edition: FINAL
Section: Style

It's not every day that a singer performing "Send In the
Clowns" inspires fans to shout, "You go, girl!" Then again, it's not
every day that Natalie Cole comes to town.

The singer's concert at Wolf Trap on Monday night was almost
exclusively devoted to vintage pop and jazz songs. Most of them were
tastefully arranged for rhythm and horn sections, and all of them had
at least one thing going for them: Cole's unmistakably supple and
soulful voice.

Since releasing "Unforgettable, With Love," her blockbuster pop
album, Cole has seen her career enter a time warp that has rendered
her one of most successful interpreters of songs that predate or
parallel the rock era. Even now, with a new album that has a more
contemporary focus, Cole is mindful that audiences that fill large
summer venues are still expecting her to pay homage to her father, Nat
King Cole, and his peers. So she tailors her concerts accordingly,
faithfully reprising "Unforgettable" (with, of course, the help of her
father's recorded version), and crafting sometimes clever and
sometimes moving tributes to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah
Washington, and Lambert, Hendricks and Ross.

Although the range of material quickly proved demanding, with
the singer often moving back and forth between dreamy pop ballads and
spirited scat recitals, Cole made it all seem rather effortless, a
family trait to be sure.

9/99

NATALIE COLE RECEIVES CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT SHOW

LADY OF SOUL AWARDS:SANTA MONICA,CALIFORNIA,4SEP99 - Singer Natalie Cole accepts the 1999 Lena Horne Award for Outstanding Career Achievement at the 5th annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards September 3 in Santa Monica. The award show honors the best female performers of Soul Music and was telecast live in the United States. Photo by Fred Prouser REUTERS

 

 

10/1

Natalie Cole To Perform for Charity;
AP Online   10-01-1999

Natalie Cole To Perform for Charity

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Grammy-winning singer Natalie Cole will perform at the opening gala of the Los Angeles Staples Center.

The Oct. 16 event will be held on the new basketball court where the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers teams will play.

Proceeds from the event will go to charity.

The daughter of the legendary Nat ``King'' Cole recently released her first album in three years, ``Snowfall on the Sahara,'' and has such hits as ``Unforgettable'' and ``This Will Be.''

 

10/17

Look for two holiday entries from the Cole family. Capitol has reissued
Nat King Cole's classic album ``The Christmas Song'' on CD. Daughter
Natalie Cole's jazzy collaboration with the London Symphony
Orchestra...called ``The Magic of Christmas''...has been released by
Elektra. ___

 

10/29

It was billed as "The End of the World Wide Web as you know it."
At least that's how the full-page New York Times ad described
Pixelon.com's Oct. 29 iBash99 webcast. And it sounded too good to
be true: a free mega-concert hosted by David Spade and Web vixen
Cindy Margolis, toplined by the Who and showcasing Faith Hill,
LeAnn Rimes, Chely Wright, Dixie Chicks, Sugar Ray, Natalie Cole,
Tony Bennett, the Brian Setzer Orchestra, and Kiss--all broadcast
from the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas via the Internet in
full-screen, full-motion streaming video. Admittedly, it was a
helluva way to announce the arrival of a new company. Just don't
throw away your TV yet.

 

12/1

GARTH BROOKS Running for President? Garth Brooks has put his toe in
the presidential sweepstakes waters.
Brooks, at a press conference last week (with Tony Bennett and
Natalie Cole) to promote tonight's NBC special, "Garth Brooks & the
Magic of Christmas," was asked whether he might shoot for the White
House one day.
"I think it is the future, celebrities [as politicians]. A lot of
candidates are going to be celebrities," he said.
But, he has reservations.
"For me [to run], the system will have to change. There's something
wrong with putting a guy in for four years and then trying to blow him
apart." Brooks, Cole and Bennett were asked what was the best Christmas
present they'd ever received
. Said Bennett: "I was down on my luck
professionally.
I had just gone through a divorce. I was alone in a

hotel room [on Christmas Eve] here. I heard this choir and I thought I
left the TV on. Then I realized it was out in the hallway. Duke
Ellington had done a sacred concert across the street and he sent over
the whole choir to sing for me. 'On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.' It
was such a great experience." -Anthony Scaduto In other news: Thomas
Adès, the 28-year-old British composer, is the youngest winner of the
$200,000 Grawemeyer Award, administered by the University of Lousiville.
Adès, whose first opera "Powder Her Face" earned worldwide raves, won
for his first major orchestral work, "Asyla." -Justin Davidson
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12/11

 

Natalie Cole's voice is warm honey telling Faith Ringold's "Tar
Beach," about a little girl who's lifted by the stars to fly above the
George Washington Bridge.