PBS to Air Nat ‘King’ Cole Special, Marking Centennial

  I  
Image

Nat “King” Cole (1919–1965)

(Photo: Capitol Photo Archives)

My Music: Nat “King” Cole’s Greatest Songs is set to air March 2 on PBS, just ahead of the singer’s 100th birthday on March 17.

The tribute to the Alabama-born pianist and vocalist will be hosted by actor Martin Sheen.

While issuing dozens of recordings during his truncated life, Cole for about a year beginning in 1956 also helmed NBC’s The Nat ‘“King” Cole Show, bringing some of period’s top talent to the nation’s viewing audience.

In 2006, PBS also ran an installment of American Masters on Cole. For this upcoming show, performances are set to include renditions of “Unforgettable,” “Mona Lisa,” “Nature Boy,” “Ramblin’ Rose” and “Sweet Lorraine,” among others.

For more information about My Music and to find local air times, visit the PBS website. DB



  • KP2_Print_copy.jpg

    ​Peplowski first came to prominence in legacy swing bands, including the final iteration of the Benny Goodman Orchestra, before beginning a solo career in the late 1980s.

  • 2707_Pressphoto2_copy_2.jpg

    The success of Oregon’s first album, 1971’s Music Of Another Present Era, allowed Towner to establish a solo career.

  • John_Hammond_courtesy_johnhammond.com.jpg

    Hammond came to the blues through the folk boom of the late 1950s and early 1960s, which he experienced firsthand in New York’s Greenwich Village.

  • DAddario_RSWAB-LG_oninstrument1hi-res_copy.jpg

    Rico’s Anti-Microbial Instrument Swab

  • Richie_Beirach_neu.jpg

    Richie Beirach was particularly renowned for his approach to chromatic harmony, which he used to improvise reharmonizations of originals and standards.


On Sale Now
March 2026
Maria Schneider
Look Inside
Subscribe
Print | Digital | iPad