In celebration of what would have been Natalie Cole’s 75th birthday, Craft Recordings proudly announces expanded digital reissues of two classic albums from the GRAMMY®-winning singer, songwriter, and actress. Fans can now revisit 1987’s Everlasting and 1989’s Good to Be Back in newly remastered deluxe digital editions, featuring the original tracklists along with rare remixes, B-sides, and single edits—many available digitally for the first time. Pre-saves are open now for both titles.
Bonus tracks include standouts like “I Wanna Be That Woman” from the “Pink Cadillac” 12", a new mix of “The Urge to Merge,” and an edited version of “Rest of the Night.” Four unreleased tracks from Everlasting and three from Good to Be Back will roll out over the coming weeks. Everlasting arrives August 1, followed by Good to Be Back on August 29. Two tracks—“Jump Start (Dance Mix)” and “As a Matter of Fact (Urban Radio Mix)”—are available to stream today.
Born in Chicago in 1950, Natalie Cole was the daughter of Nat King Cole, one of the most beloved artists of the 20th century. But Natalie carved her own lane, launching her solo career in 1975 with the soulful Inseparable, which included the breakout hit “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).” Her star rose rapidly through the late ’70s with a series of platinum-selling albums and R&B chart smashes such as “I’ve Got Love on My Mind,” “Our Love,” and “Stand By.” After a brief retreat from the spotlight in the early ’80s, Cole’s return was marked by the release of Everlasting, her acclaimed 11th studio album.
Everlasting found Cole embracing a fresh sound. Produced by Reggie and Vincent Calloway, the kinetic lead single “Jump Start” stormed to No.2 on the R&B chart and No.13 on the Hot 100, setting the tone for a successful reinvention. The follow-up, “I Live for Your Love,” became a signature ballad, while her sizzling take on Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” became a massive global hit, reaching Top 5 status in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Switzerland, and beyond. A remix by David Cole and Robert Clivillés (C+C Music Factory) topped Billboard’s Dance chart.
Other notable tracks include “Split Decision” (co-written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager), and her smooth cover of “When I Fall in Love”—a nod to her father’s 1956 classic, featuring a saxophone solo by Kenny G. José Feliciano also makes an appearance on the upbeat “More Than the Stars.” Hailed by AllMusic as “one of Cole’s best ’80s albums,” Everlasting earned Gold status and climbed to No.8 on the R&B chart—her highest position since 1979. It also returned her to the Billboard 200 Top 50.
Good to Be Back, released in 1989, reinforced Cole’s return to form. It blended energetic, radio-ready pop with lush ballads, led by the dramatic hit “Miss You Like Crazy,” produced by ballad master Michael Masser. The track topped both R&B and Adult Contemporary charts and became a global sensation, reaching No.2 in the U.K.—Cole’s highest international chart placement. The album also featured “Starting Over Again” (written for Dionne Warwick), and the R&B Top 10 duet “I Do” with Freddie Jackson.
Other highlights include the infectious “Rest of the Night” (penned by Glen Ballard and Randy Goodrum), “As a Matter of Fact,” and the breezy title track. Good to Be Back was well received in the U.S., reaching the R&B Top 20, and became her first Top 10 album in the U.K., earning Gold certification from the BPI.
These two albums marked a creative and commercial rebirth for Cole and laid the foundation for her 1991 mega-hit Unforgettable… with Love, a heartfelt digital duet project with her late father that earned her multiple GRAMMYs and 7x Platinum certification. Cole continued to push creative boundaries in later releases like Take a Look (1993), Stardust (1996), and Still Unforgettable (2008).
With a catalog of 22 studio albums and three live recordings, Natalie Cole built an extraordinary legacy. Her talents extended beyond music to television and film, from autobiographical performances to hosting TV shows. She earned nine GRAMMY Awards, multiple NAACP Image Awards, the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Hitmaker Award, and the prestigious George and Ira Gershwin Lifetime Achievement honor in 1993.
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