At a Nat King Cole recording date in his later years, the arrival of another pianist also named Cole seemed almost absurd, given that the velvet-voiced singer had shifted focus almost entirely to vocals while studio musicians handled the keyboard parts. One of those musicians was Buddy Cole. Although the two men shared no family tie, numerous writers nevertheless presumed a fraternal connection, and Nat frequently received praise for piano passages that Buddy had actually performed.
Buddy’s most conspicuous on-camera appearance occurred when he played piano in the original 1954 film A Star Is Born opposite Judy Garland. Born Edwin LeMar Cole, he remained largely a studio figure whose reputation rested on his skill as both instrumentalist and conductor, along with his inventive deployment of celeste, harpsichord, and organ. He eventually purchased the grand pipe organ formerly installed at the Hollywood United Artists theatre, installed it in his own home studio, and issued a series of instrumental albums that later became prized artifacts among collectors of space-age pop.
Raised in the heart of Hollywood, Cole began his professional life as a theatre organist in the early 1930s. By the close of the decade he was performing with the dance orchestras of Frankie Trumbauer and Alvino Rey. Once established in the recording studios he supplied arrangements and accompaniments for a wide range of singers, among them Louis Armstrong, Rosemary Clooney, and Tex Ritter. His contributions extended into broader popular culture when he composed the theme for the long-running game show Truth or Consequences, a melody that accompanied the program for more than ten years.
Among the sessions that feature his playing and direction are two of Bing Crosby’s signature recordings, “In a Little Spanish Town” and “Old Man River.” Composer Henry Mancini was an early admirer of Cole’s organ work and engaged him for the theme of the television series Mr. Lucky. A subsequent disagreement over credit for the distinctive organ sound led Cole to decline participation in the show’s soundtrack album. Around the same period he began documenting his own masterworks—albums that placed the organ in solo and big-band contexts—first for Columbia, then Warner Brothers, and ultimately the specialist labels Alshire and Doric.
Cole was married to Yvonne King of the King Sisters vocal group; his former bandleader Alvino Rey later married her sister Louise King. He should not be mistaken for the comic of identical name.
