Natalie Cole Dies: Her Life in Pictures

01 of 09

A STAR IS BORN

The daughter of legendary jazz musician Nat King Cole and singer Maria Cole, Natalie was born Feb. 6, 1950, immersed in the world of music. She began performing at the tender age of 11, but insisted that her father made her work for the right to hit the stage. "He did say to a few people, 'I think she's got it.' Whatever it is, he saw that," the star, pictured here in 1957 with her parents and big sister Carol, told CBS's Sunday Morning. "And I remember when I first sang with my dad really professionally I had to audition. He said, 'You're gonna have to show me that you can do this.'"

02 of 09

A LIFE-CHANGING LOSS

In 1965, when Cole was 15, her father died of lung cancer. "To lose a parent at that age is just devastating," she told Sunday Morning. Following his death, Cole's mother moved the family, which now included twin daughters Timolin and Casey, from Los Angeles to Massachusetts.

03 of 09

MAKING HER MARK

Cole began performing in clubs after graduating from college in 1972. Establishing herself as an R&B singer, she released her debut album, Inseparable, in 1975 to much success. The track "This Will Be" earned her a Grammy for best female R&B vocal performance. By 1979, Cole had released six more popular records and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

04 of 09

PRIDE AND JOY

Cole wed record producer Marvin Yancy in 1976 and one year later, the couple welcomed son Robert (pictured with his mom at the 1988 American Music Awards).

05 of 09

TROUBLED TIMES

Don't Look Back, Cole's 1980 eighth album, failed to match the explosive success of its predecessors. Three years later, Cole, who had been struggling with drug addiction, entered treatment at a rehab facility in Connecticut. In her 2000 memoir, the singer revealed that drugs were "a culmination of not having resolved things," including her father's death and being molested as a child.

06 of 09

PICKING UP THE PIECES

After treating her addiction, Cole revived her career in the late '80s. Tracks from her albums Everlasting (1987) and Good to Be Back (1989) put the artist back on top of the charts.

07 of 09

PERSONAL BEST

Released in 1991, Unforgettable … with Love was Cole's best-selling album. The record featured covers of her father's classic songs, and her label even crafted a single and video of the pair singing "Unforgettable." The album took home six Grammys.

08 of 09

LOOKING BACK

Cole opened up about her past struggles in the 2000 autobiography Angel on My Shoulder. "I can afford to be honest now and I hope it helps someone," Cole told The Guardian about writing candidly of her battle with drugs "I feel enough distance from the person I used to be. I'm not ashamed about my life any more because I've learnt from it." Cole starred as herself in the TV movie based on the book, Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story, which earned her an NAACP Image Award.

09 of 09

FIGHTING UNTIL THE END

Cole continued releasing music and performing well into the 2000s. During this time, she dabbled in everything from jazz to pop, rock and R&B. Her 2008 album, Still Unforgettable, won the Grammy for best traditional pop vocal album. On Dec. 31, 2015, 65-year-old Cole died in Los Angeles of complications from an ongoing health condition. "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," her son, Robert, and sisters Timolin and Casey Cole, said in a statement.