The Pulse of Entertainment: Grammy/Oscar/Emmy Winner Nat King Cole to Be Honored at the Catalina Jazz Club June 18

*“It’s called ‘Into the Cole’ as in Nat King Cole – ‘A Tribute to Nat King Cole’,” said entertainer Aaron Atkins, a Golden Star Halo Award winner, about his upcoming “Into the Cole: A Tribute to Nat King Cole” show at the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood on June 18, 2026. “It will be an evening of timeless classics…of Nat King Cole. I will sneak in a few original songs in the same classic style.”

I went to review one of his shows several years ago and he sang Grammy Award winning Nat King Cole’s hit “Mona Lisa.” He didn’t sing it – he “performed” it, and he delivered it with that Smooth Jazz influence. I remember saying no wonder this show was on Broadway. In fact, the “Into the Cole” show was nominated by BroadwayWorld.com for the “Best Male Cabaret Concert Artist” Award.

Attendees on June 18^th at the Catalina Jazz Club will also be treated to a musical experience with the Aaron Akins Band.

“Yes, I have an amazing band,” he said when I asked if the band that was there a couple years ago will be back. “There is Iya Iwata on piano, she is my music director. She plays for The Whispers. There is John Valentine on sax, he plays for The Whispers too and he is their frontman. Emilio Conesa is on guitar and the music director for The Whispers. The drummer is Moyes Lucus, he plays for George Michael. Ahamd Jamal is a straight-out legend, a genius piano player. They are my regular band.”

One of my favorite hits of Nat King Cole is “Rambling Rose” because I have the pleasure of being a friend of the lady who this song is named after – her first name is Rosa. She was a singer who released the hit song “Mr. DJ.” She was touring with Nat King Cole as his opening act. During that time, he wrote and released a song about her – “Rambling Rose.” Once she retired from touring, she honored him by naming her column “Rambling Rose.” Aaron Akins gives Cole accolades too, not only with the “Into the Cole” A Tribute to Nat King Cole” show, but he released a cover of the Cole hit “Mona Lisa” on the NAKICO Records imprint. This single garnered Cole a Grammy Hall of Fame honor. Nat King Cole also garnered Oscar and Emmy Awards. Now, I am not saying Aaron Akins will be singing these hits in his “Into the Cole: A Tribute to Nat King Cole” show, but other notable Nat King Cole hits include “Unforgettable,” “At Last”, “Ain’t Misbehaving” and “I Have Grown Accustomed to Her Face.”

“When I first started the tribute to Nat King Cole, I was trying to figure out a way…to get to my songs, “Aaron pointed out as we continue talking about his show. “Nat King Cole was all about love…so it’s a great fit.”

What Akins said is true, his own catalog of hits is all about love too. There is his debut “I Just Wanna Love You” (NAKICO Records); “What the World Needs” followed; “God Make Women Beautiful” (NAKICO Records); “Love is All Around” (NAKICO Records), and his latest hit single “When Do We Love” which features Walter and Wallace Scott of The Whispers (20^th Century Jazz).

“Yes, my latest single ‘When Do We Love’ features Walter and Wallace Scott of the legendary Whispers,” Aaron reaffirmed for me when I asked.

“In fact, one song, an original, was written by the songwriter for Nat King Cole. He also wrote for Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington and Sarah Vaughn. His name is Henry Nemo,” Akins pointed out in a way that you can tell he was so very honored to be an artist that has this man’s song as part of his catalog of music.

The Catalina Jazz Club is legendary, and I congratulated Aaron on performing at such a legendary venue and he agreed with me saying, “The pedigree of who played there before me…stars like Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Stanley Clark and Stevie Wonder.”  http://www.AaronAkinsMusic.com http://www.CatalinaJazzClub.com

SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Dr. Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million for her column The Pulse of Entertainment. She is the publisher of the digital magazine www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com, which has an estimated 160,000 visitors a month. An entrepreneur, Dr. Moseley’s company, Freelance Associates, is a business management/public relations strategic planning and consulting firm that is celebrating 32 years in 2025. Dr. Eunice also serves as professor for the School of Business at Stanton University in Anaheim, California and serves as promotions director (at-large), journalist and business consultant for The Baltimore Times. Dr. Moseley founded the Uplifting Minds II Foundation (www.UpliftingMinds.com) in 2023, a 501 C3 with a mission to empower the underserved through three major programs – One Stop Business Shop, the ULMII Professional Conference and the ULMII Academy (business management and public relations). EVENTS: “Uplifting Minds II” Entertainment Conference (ULMII), was launched by Dr. Eunice in 1999, to educate aspiring artists/musicians about the business of entertainment – www.UpliftingMinds2.com. Next ULMII Entertainment Conferences for Baltimore on Saturday April 18, 2026, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore Times, and for Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7, 2026, presented by The Pulse of Entertainment and the ULMII Foundation. The ULMII conferences are free with virtual access via Zoom. ULMII entertainment conference offers a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and International Talent Competition where the top three scored acts receive the ULMII Best Act Award and over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services and cash!

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