Stardust: The Rare Television Performances (Digi-Pak)

Two CD archive release. Was there ever a performer in the history of American popular music who produced such a diverse body of work, over such an extended period of time, as Nat King Cole? In a career that spanned nearly 30 years-despite his untimely death in 1965 at age 45-Nat sang and played just about everything at one time or another, from jazz and pop to country and spirituals and all else in between. To this day, his music-all of it-endures. In late 1956, at a time when Cole was arguably the most successful entertainer on the planet, he began a 13-month run as host of his own NBC television show, The Nat King Cole Show. Over the years, bits and pieces of music and footage from the show have surfaced, mostly on unauthorized bootlegs. This collection from Real Gone Music includes more than two dozen of the rarest and choicest performances from The Nat King Cole Show, coupled with nearly 30 minutes of additional music from a 1963 appearance on Australian television being released for the very first time in America. On display, particularly in the material from his own show, is Nat's willingness to tackle a variety of material and genres rather than simply trotting out renditions of his most familiar and successful records. Appearing in this set are many songs that Cole never recorded commercially or even sang again in public, with arrangements by such giants as Nelson Riddle, Billy May and Gordon Jenkins. And when he does sing one of his hits, they often scarcely resemble the studio