This Will Be A Natalie Cole Post

Winston + Natalie Cole 002

In 1967, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences split the Grammy Awards category for Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance into two – one for men and one for women. The first recipient in the female category was Aretha Franklin, for “Respect.”

The 1968 winner of Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female, was Aretha Franklin, for “Chain of Fools.”

The 1969 winner of Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female, was Aretha Franklin, for “Share Your Love with Me.”

The 1970 winner of Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female, was Aretha Franklin, for “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied).”

The 1971 winner of Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female, was Aretha Franklin, for “Bridge over Troubled Water.”

The 1972 winner of Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female, was Aretha Franklin, for Young, Gifted and Black.

The 1973 winner of Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female, was Aretha Franklin, for “Master of Eyes.”

The 1974 winner of Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female, was Aretha Franklin, for “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.”

The 1975 winner of Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female, was Aret…wait! It was NOT Aretha. Who broke Ms. Franklin’s chain chain chain? It was a young singer named Natalie Cole, whose debut single, “This Will Be,” won her that Grammy and also earned her the award for Best New Artist, making Natalie the first African-American to win in that category.

“This Will Be” is one of my favorite records of all-time. The music is festive, as a song celebrating the discovery of an everlasting love should be. Cole’s performance is letter-perfect. The part where she sings “huggin’ and squeezin’ and kissin’ and pleasin’ together forever through rain or whatever” works me into a frenzy still, almost forty years later. In addition, the record is under three minutes, so there is not time to get sick of it. It ends while your heart is racing. If it came out two years later there likely would have been an extended version but it didn’t so there isn’t.

By the way, Aretha Franklin was not nominated for Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female for 1975. After that year off, she returned to that category in 1976 with “Something He Can Feel.” She lost to Natalie Cole, who took home the award for “Sophisticated Lady (She’s a Different Lady).” Both women were again nominated for Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Performance, Female for 1977, but they lost to Thelma Houston. That’s one for another blog post.

Today Tunes du Jour celebrates Natalie Cole’s 64th birthday. Here are three of my favorite Cole performances.

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