Backstage Weekend - Nancy Wilson and Nat King Cole at The Hollywood Bowl - 1964
By Gordonskene Saturday Oct 10, 2009 12:22pm
(Nancy Wilson - Nat "King" Cole - In a word, magic)
October 4, 1964 - hard to imagine it was 45 years ago this past week, but that particular Sunday night saw an extraordinary group of people assembled on stage at the Hollywood Bowl to raise funds and awareness for defeating a Proposition on the November ballot. Proposition 14, or the attempt by Realtor groups and the John Birch Society to nullify the Rumford Fair Housing Initiative that passed in 1963. A veritable who's who of Hollywood, with orchestra led by none other than Nelson Riddle and emcee's Joey Bishop and Milton Berle introducing a lineup of talent that included Nancy Wilson and Nat "King" Cole.
I've extracted the Wilson and Cole sets out for this segment. I will add the rest over the coming weeks.
This goes under the heading of "previously unknown concert tapes", as I don't believe any commercial (or otherwise) copy of this concert has been available before today.
You get to hear it first.
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Thanks for the consistent good times I spend swooning around here, and the history lessons are priceless too.
As always, my pleasure!
Gordon
I have this album my dad was given in 68 for winning the Dutch Oven contest in LA. Never been open. It sat in my folks dresser under some sweaters since 68. It's been autographed by Mrs Cole.
It has no title. It's a bunch of Nat King Cole songs by Nat King Cole.
It was made for the Nat King Cole Cancer foundation.
It says that these are all previously unreleased recordings.
It's numbered #1142.
It's never been opened.
My brother said he tried to find out about it, but no one here knows anything about it. The so called NKC expert here in Carmel Ca said he'd never heard of it.
My brother somehow got in touch with Natalie Cole's agent, and he said he knew nothing about it.
I was wondering. Could you help me out and find out any info on this album. I looked all over online, and found nothing.
My Dad turned down going on tour because he didn't want to be away from the family. So some agent gave him this album.
The copyright laws are expired. So I have a feelin this album is worth some money. I want to see what I can get and give it to my folks. I'd also give some to the NAACP. It would only be fair.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.
As far as I know, Cole's widow started the Nat King Cole Cancer Foundation in 1966 and I believe the album you have was from one of the fundraisers she held around that time. I don't know if it's still around, but I know his daughters started another foundation last year, but I don't think they are affiliated. The number you have is probably which number out of a possible 5,000 which may have been pressed. If the album is still sealed, it's hard to get any additional information such as label copy or copyright information or an address (at the time) for the foundation. As for value, I am no judge as value is usually always predicated on who wants it and how many of them are there. Your best bet right now might be to investigate any Nat King Cole Appreciation Societies that have been around for a while.
Hope that helps. Maybe other readers will add more.
That is alot of help.
The problem is, I'd really love to listen to this album.
But I can't.:(
It'll probably sit in storage for another 30 years.
My iPod has scores of her recordings on it. She sounds as fresh today as she did 45 years ago.
... I can see my collection is woefully inadequate. WOW! Thanks so much for this, Gordon. The quality of this recording is surprisingly good, and I'm really enjoying it.
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