Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever." Cole leaves behind a legacy as one of the most celebrated and iconic women in R&B. Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived.with dignity, strength and honor. Her family released a statement saying, "It is with heavy hearts that we bring to you all the news of our Mother and sister's passing. She was lucky enough to receive a kidney transplant in 2009 at USC.Ĭole died from congestive heart failure on Decemin Los Angeles. Because of the strain hepatitis C takes on your body, Cole's kidneys began to fail. In 2008, Cole was diagnosed with hepatitis C, a disease of the liver. The marriage was short-lived, however, ending in 2005. She wed her third husband, Bishop Kenneth Dupree, in 2001. The couple welcomed their son, Robert Adam Yancy, into the world in 1977, before divorcing in 1980.Ĭole remarried in 1989, to record producer Andre Fisher. An ordained Baptist minister, Yancy reintroduced religion to Cole, who became a devout Baptist during their union. In 1976 - not long after Inseparable was released - Cole married producer Marvin Yancy. At the age of 6, she recorded "I'm Good Will, Your Christmas Spirit" with her father, and by age 11, the young songstress had begun performing in the community. Growing up with talented and renowned parents, Cole was raised in an environment that nurtured her natural musical ability. Natalie Maria Cole was born on February 6, 1950, to vocal legend Nat King Cole and jazz singer Maria Cole in Los Angeles, California. with Love, featuring renditions of songs previously sung by her father. After a bout with addiction, Cole returned in the 1990s with Unforgettable. Albums soon followed, as well as two Grammy Awards for her debut album, Inseparable (1975). Although she didn't plan on a singing career, she took a summer job singing with a band in 1972. Natalie Cole was the daughter of singers Nat King Cole and Maria Cole. It marked her first Spanish-language album.American singer-songwriter Natalie Cole, daughter of mid-century crooner Nat King Cole, was best known for her Grammy Award-winning album 'Inseparable.' Who Was Natalie Cole?