Natalie Cole, “Unforgettable” Singer & Grammy Winner, Dead At 65

Natalie Cole, a nine-time Grammy winner, died in the evening on Thursday, December 31, 2015 in Los Angeles at the age of 65, her publicist Maureen O’Connor confirmed. According to a family statement, Cole died from “ongoing health issues.”

Natalie was one of five children born to jazz singing legend Nat King Cole and his second wife, Maria Hawkins Ellington. Her own career took off in the mid-1970s thanks to hit albums Inseparable and Unpredictable and smash singles “This Will Be,” “Sophisticated Lady” and “I’ve Got Love On My Mind.” It was during this time that she won her first three Grammys, including Best New Artist in 1976.

Subsequent albums failed to repeat Cole’s initial success, and a dependency on cocaine and heroin resulted in a 1983 stint in rehab. The singer eventually staged a comeback that saw her back in the Top 10 by the late 1980s with singles such as “Pink Cadillac,” a Bruce Springsteen cover, and the ballad “Miss You Like Crazy.”

Cole also contributed the hit song “Wild Women Do” to the 1990 Pretty Woman soundtrack, but her biggest blockbuster would come a year later with the multi-Platinum album Unforgettable…With Love, which saw Natalie covering standards originally recorded by her late father. The LP and its title track, “Unforgettable,” earned Cole six more Grammys in 1992.

Cole had battled hepatitis as a result of her previous drug addiction, and underwent a kidney transplant in 2009. In recent weeks, she had reportedly canceled a series of live appearances that were scheduled for mid-December.

I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Natalie Cole, as I have cherished the long friendship I had with her, her father Nat, and the family over the years. Natalie was an exceptional jazz singer and it was an honor to have recorded and performed with her on several occasions. She was a lovely and generous person who will be greatly missed.

A photo posted by Tony Bennett (@itstonybennett) on Jan 1, 2016 at 10:05am PST

“Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived … with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever,” says her family’s statement.