Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres. He was the first black American to host a television variety show and has maintained worldwide popularity over 40 years past his death; he is widely considered one of the most important musical personalities in United States history. The Christmas Song (1944), commonly referred to as Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire or Merry Christmas to You, is a classic Christmas song, written by vocalist Mel Torm and Bob Wells. According to Torm, the song was written during a blistering hot summer. In an effort to stay cool by thinking cool, the most-performed (according to BMI) Christmas song was born.
I saw a spiral pad on his piano with four lines written in pencil, Torm recalled. They started, Chestnuts roasting ... Jack Frost nipping ... Yuletide carols ... Folks dressed up like Eskimos. Bob (Wells, co-writer) didnt think he.