[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 5, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E5]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 MOURNING THE LOSS AND HONORING THE UNFORGETTABLE LIFE OF NATALIE COLE

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 5, 2016

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is with a deep sadness and a heavy 
heart that I rise today to pay tribute to Natalie Cole, a woman who 
touched the hearts of millions of Americans.
  Natalie Cole passed away, December 31, 2015 in Los Angeles, 
California; she was only 65 years old.
  Natalie Cole's musical career began in 1975 when her debut album, 
Inseparable, was released and she became an instant star in the music 
industry.
  With hit songs such as ``This Will Be (An Everlasting Love),'' 
Natalie Cole exploded onto the music scene, earning the young starlet 
her first two Grammy Awards--for best new artist and best female R&B 
performance.
  In 1976 not long after Inseparable was released Cole married producer 
Marvin Yancy, with whom she welcomed her son Robert Adam Yancy into the 
world.
  Natalie Cole's career began to climb to new heights throughout the 
1970's, releasing four gold and two platinum records.
  In 1979, Natalie Cole was honored on the Hollywood walk of fame, with 
a star of her very own.
  Although this strong woman struggled with her own personal demons, 
she was able to face and overcome them and in the mid-1980's was back 
on top of the musical charts with the megahit, ``Pink Cadillac.''
  In 1991, Natalie Cole released her career-defining Unforgettable . . 
. with Love, which paid tribute to her beloved father, the legendary 
and inimitable Nat King Cole.
  Unforgettable sold more than 7 million copies and garnered several 
honors, including the coveted Grammy for Album of the Year.
  Natalie Cole continued to release many other popular albums, 
including Snowfall on the Sahara and The Magic of Christmas, an album 
of holiday standards recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra.
  Mr. Speaker, truer words were never spoken than when Natalie Cole's 
family said that ``Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying 
how she lived . . . with dignity, strength and honor.''
  Natalie Cole leaves behind a legacy as one of the most celebrated 
recording artists in history.
  I ask the House to observe a moment of silence in memory of Natalie 
Cole who will forever remain Unforgettable in the hearts of her legions 
of fans around the world.

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