Cozy Cole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cozy Cole
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Photo by Ralph F. Seghers
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Randolph Cole |
| Born | October 17, 1909 East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | January 9, 1981 (aged 71) Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Genres | Swing |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1930s–1970s |
| Associated acts | Cab Calloway, Blanche Calloway, Benny Carter, Stuff Smith, Willie Bryant, Raymond Scott, Louis Armstrong |
William Randolph "Cozy" Cole (born October 17, 1909 – died January 9, 1981) was a famous American jazz drummer. He played with many big names in music, like Cab Calloway and Louis Armstrong. He also had his own bands.
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Life and Music
Cozy Cole was born in East Orange, New Jersey. He started his music career in 1928 with Wilbur Sweatman. In 1930, he played drums for Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers. He even recorded an early drum solo on a song called "Load of Cole."
Cozy played with many different bands and musicians over the years. He was with Blanche Calloway from 1931 to 1933. Then he joined Benny Carter's band and later Willie Bryant's. From 1936 to 1938, he played with Stuff Smith. One of his most famous partnerships was with Cab Calloway, where he played from 1938 to 1942.
In 1942, Cozy Cole joined CBS Radio's orchestra. This orchestra was special because it was one of the first to have musicians of different backgrounds playing together. After that, he became a key member of Louis Armstrong's All Stars.
Cozy Cole performed with Louis Armstrong and his All Stars at the ninth Cavalcade of Jazz concert. This big concert happened in Los Angeles on June 7, 1953. Many other famous musicians also played that day.
Hit Songs
Cozy Cole became very well known for his songs "Topsy I" and "Topsy II." "Topsy II" was a huge hit! It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also hit No. 1 on the R&B chart. This song sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc. It was one of the few drum solo recordings to ever make it onto the Billboard charts. His song "Turvy II" also made it to No. 36 in 1959.
Later Career and Legacy
Cozy Cole also appeared in movies about music, like Don't Knock the Rock. He kept performing throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He played with musicians like Jonah Jones and Stuff Smith. He often performed drum duets with another famous drummer, Gene Krupa, in New York City.
In 1978, Capital University gave Cozy Cole an honorary degree. This means they recognized his amazing contributions to music. Many rock drummers today say Cozy Cole influenced them. For example, the drummer Cozy Powell even took his nickname "Cozy" from him!
Cozy Cole passed away in 1981 from cancer. He was also a teacher to other drummers, including Philly Joe Jones.
Albums by Cozy Cole
- Earl's Backroom and Cozy's Caravan (1958) – shared with Earl Hines
- The Drummer Man with the Big Beat (1959)
- Cozy Cole Hits! (1959)
- A Cozy Conception of Carmen (1962)
- Hot and Cozy with Hot Lips Page (1962)
- It's a Cozy World (1964)
- It's a Rocking Thing! (1966)
- Concerto for Cozy (1975)
- Lionel Hampton Presents: Cozy Cole and Marty Napoleon (1977)
- Nice All Stars (1978)
Collaborations
Cozy Cole played drums on many albums for other artists, including:
See also
In Spanish: Cozy Cole para niños
