Some Fascinating Details of Natalie Cole's Relationship with Gospel Music Revealed

Though the late Natalie Cole may have drifted away from the Lord during her battles with drugs, she was always a Christian.  In fact, it was in her most severe struggles with drugs, she re-dedicated her life again to Christ.  Further, Cole has always include Gospel-themed songs in her records.  In fact, one of her most popular youtube videos is a Gospel duet she performed with the late great Whitney Houston entitled "Say a Little Prayer," a video viewed by more than 3.5 million people. 

Cole died on December 31 at the age of 65. She was the daughter of the legendary Nat King Cole.  Cole herself have had her share of smash hits on the jazz,pop and R&B charts. She rose to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be", "Inseparable", and "Our Love". Then Cole re-emerged in 1987  with her smash album Everlasting and her cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac". In the 1990s, she re-recorded standards by her father, resulting in her biggest success, Unforgettable... with Love, which sold over seven million copies and also won Cole numerous Grammy Awards. She sold over 30 million records worldwide 

What is relatively unknown is that Cole spoke about the possibility of her creating gospel music during an interview with CBN. "I feel it coming on. I really do. I feel I do know that title already, and I've been thinking of that for 10 years," Cole said about a potential gospel record. "That would be called 'To Sing for the Master,' because thats whom I really sing for."

The singer who has infiltrated many genres told CBN before she died that people should, "never stop working on your relationship with the Lord. It is an awesome experience."

On the red carpet for the BET "Celebration of Gospel" event last Saturday in Los Angeles, a number of gospel music artists sang Cole's praises. Gospel music's songstress Yolanda Adams who had a close personal relationship with Cole, says: "She never had a bad thing to say about anybody and that's rare in this business. She for me was like a big sister," Adams said. "She always had something positive to say about making sure that the music was there and that we had to do something together. Sadly, we didn't get a chance to do anything on recording, but we've been in places where we've sang together."

Grammy award-winning gospel music curator Bobby Jones said he's comforted by the knowledge that Cole had a relationship with God. "Anytime you lose a dear friend you're going to be sorry but knowing that she did know the Lord brings us consolation."

 

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