Nat King Cole has gone down in history for The Christmas Song which made waves at the time

Gifted musician Nat King Cole had many incredible songs, but it is The Christmas Song that reminds us of the nostalgia of what this festive season means.

The holiday tune has been recorded by many, but it is Cole (1919 - 1965) who distinguished it by being the first Black singer to record a popular Christmas song. His rendition has captivated generation after generation since then.

This classic Christmas song written by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells in 1944 was first recorded by The King Cole Trio in 1946.

Nat's vocals are oozing the Christmas spirit and his easygoing persona belied the backdrop of discrimination that he experienced as a black person.

When Cole's wife, Maria, remarked that he wasn't a fighter, she also said that mostly he just wanted to get along and perform his music. In many ways, being who he was and doing the work he did, made him more of a fighter than maybe he expected.

In October 1956, Nat started his own TV show. Cole's popularity allowed him to become the first African American to host a network variety program, The Nat King Cole Show, which debuted on NBC television in 1956. The show fell victim to the bigotry of the times, however, and was cancelled after one season.

Cole had greater success with concert performances during the late 1950s and early '60s and twice toured with his own vaudeville-style reviews, The Merry World of Nat King Cole (1961) and Sights and Sounds (1963). Adapting his style was one factor that kept Cole popular up to his early death from lung cancer in 1965. He was only 45 years old when he died.

In January 1964, Cole made one of his final television appearances on The Jack Benny Program. Cole was introduced by Jack Benny as 'the best friend a song ever had'.

Cole fought racism all his life and refused to perform in segregated venues. In 1948, Cole purchased a house in the all-white Hancock Park neighbourhood of Los Angeles. The Ku Klux Klan, still active in Los Angeles well into the 1950s, responded by placing a burning cross on his front lawn.

Members of the property-owners association told Cole they did not want any undesirables moving in. Cole retorted, "Neither do I. And if I see anybody undesirable coming in here, I'll be the first to complain."

Nat charted over 100 pop singles, and more than 2 dozen albums in about 20 years—second only to Frank Sinatra. His legacy lives on in The Christmas Song and his many other hits which give warmth and beauty.