by Lauren Sierra
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW0p6vMKnXk&w=420&h=315]
No matter what language you may speak, music is a language universally understood by all. Music does not judge you based on the color of your skin, or where you came from. Rather, it unites individuals by celebrating their common history and experiences. Nat King Cole, one of the world’s most celebrated musicians, knew this to be true.
Born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17, 1919, Cole began his career as a jazz pianist and went on to become the first African-American to host his own television variety show, called The Nat King Cole Show. In 1958, Cole traveled to Havana, Cuba to record his first Spanish album entitled, “Cole Español.” The album received so much praise that in the coming years, Cole recorded two more Spanish albums. In 1959 “A Mis Amigos,” was released, followed by “More Cole Español,” in 1962. All three albums were an instant hit in the United States, as well as Latin America. For this, we rename Nat King Cole the original crossover artist.
Like Cole, many popular artists such as Christina Aguilera, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez have also successfully “crossed over” by releasing bilingual (and even trilingual) records. Through these albums, musicians have had the opportunity to expose their audiences to new cultures and ideas by means of their music’s distinct rhythm, instruments and messages carried in their lyrics.
We all know the importance of celebrating our own cultures and traditions, but we sometimes forget to appreciate those of others. The success of many crossover artists speaks to the wants and needs of the diverse U.S. population. At the Center for Hispanic Marketing at FSU, students, such as myself, are taught to keep an eye out on these crossover trends. Today’s crossover artists are facilitating the development of a new identity that is more tolerant and understanding of their differences and similarities. Marketers better be listening.
For more information about Nat King Cole as well as his musical career, please visit the following links:
http://www.npr.org/2010/09/07/129635547/nat-king-cole-en-espanol
Happy birthday Nat King Cole,
The HMC bloggers