World Premiere Musical L.O.V.E. to Be Presented At at The Vortex Theatre

In celebration of Black History Month, L.O.V.E.: A Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole Musical, a new theatrical work written, directed, and produced by internationally acclaimed artist Laura Jane Jones, will make its world premiere as a staged reading February 17 at 7 PM at The Vortex Theatre in Austin. The performance is free and open to the public, with donations encouraged.

Supported, in part, by an Austin Live Music Fund Grant of Austin Arts, Music, Culture and Entertainment, L.O.V.E will celebrate the groundbreaking father-daughter duo whose talent helped shape the American Songbook and break barriers for Black artists. Through the stories, music, and the cultural impact of the Cole family, the production explores a heritage that bridges generations, genres, and pivotal moments in American history. Featuring seven actors portraying multiple roles, the staged reading of the musical brings to life not only Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole, but also legendary artists including Frank Sinatra, Harry Belafonte, Peggy Lee, and Ella Fitzgerald.

'Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole were history makers,' said Jones. 'Not only was Nat King Cole the first African American artist signed to Capitol Records but he was also the first African American man to host a televised variety show with The Nat King Cole Show. Natalie Cole was equally impressive, becoming the first African American woman to win the Grammy Award for 'Best New Artist' and the first African American woman to win 'Album of the Year.' Their collective catalogue is the soundtrack to our lives and the pure definition of the American Songbook. We will never have another father-daughter duo like this. Their story needs to be told in every artistic medium.'

Nat King Cole broke racial barriers during an era when Black performers faced widespread discrimination in the entertainment industry. His remarkable career encompassed jazz piano, popular standards and recordings that became enduring classics, while his television program challenged prevailing barriers to Black representation in mainstream American entertainment.

Natalie Cole established a celebrated career of her own, carrying forward her father's musical legacy while earning recognition as a distinctive vocalist and recording artist. Her achievements included multiple Grammy Awards and 'Unforgettable' introducing a new generation to her father's music through the memorable father-daughter duet created with his original recording of the song.

L.O.V.E. brings these individual accomplishments together in a theatrical experience that examines the Cole family's place in Black history, music history and the broader American story. Audiences will encounter the artists, collaborations, and cultural forces that helped weave America's musical tapestry, while celebrating the lasting power of art to connect generations.

'Audiences will walk away celebrating the unique legacy of our country's music and all the ways it was created - through strife, evolution, and collaboration,' said Jones. 'I want people to celebrate what these two icons brought to music history, Black history, and ultimately American history.'

The musical legacy of Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole is built on more than extraordinary talent. It is a story of musical connection, artistic evolution, and the power of a shared passion to transcend generations. That same spirit drives the creative partnership behind L.O.V.E.: A Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole Musical, bringing together Writer, Director and Producer Laura Jane Jones and Composer, Arranger, and Music Supervisor Horace Alexander Young.

The collaboration began in 2023, when Jones and Young joined forces to create a Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole tribute concert series. Their work evolved into the King Cole Legacy Experience and ultimately inspired L.O.V.E., a theatrical production that expands on their shared mission to preserve the Cole family's place in American music history.

For Jones, the project brings together a lifetime immersed in music, theatre, and storytelling. As a vocalist, songwriter, and producer, she has performed and recorded with artists spanning generations and genres, including Enrique Iglesias, Aerosmith, Cynthia Erivo, The Black Eyed Peas, Dave Matthews Band, Joe Cocker, Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert, and Carrie Underwood. She has performed in 103 countries and appeared on major music platforms, including the Grammy Awards, the Latin Grammy Awards, the American Music Awards and American Idol. Her background in theatre and music, combined with her experience as a touring vocalist, informs her approach to telling the Cole family's story from both an artistic and deeply human perspective.

'Having spent years in theatre, studying music, performing and touring, and creating the Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole tribute concert series with Horace, this project started pouring out of me,' Jones said. 'I have always wanted to preserve our cultural musical history. Their story is one of extraordinary talent, but it is also a story about the people, the times and the barriers they navigated.'

Young brings more than four decades of musical experience to that vision. An accomplished performer, composer, arranger and educator, he has worked with legendary artists including Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Bill Withers, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Nancy Wilson, Patti LaBelle, Peabo Bryson, and Patti Austin. His career also encompasses orchestral arrangements and theatrical productions, with work involving ensembles such as the National Symphony of South Africa, the Boise Philharmonic, the Spokane Symphony, and the Spokane Jazz Orchestra.

Young's longstanding connection to Nat King Cole's music, including tribute performances with symphony and jazz orchestras, provides a natural foundation for the production's original score and arrangements. For L.O.V.E., he collaborates with Jones as music supervisor, shaping the musical framework that brings the Cole family's story to the stage.

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