William Randolph "Cozy" Cole (October 17, 1909 – January 9, 1981) was an American jazz drummer who scored a #1 Cashbox magazine hit with the record "Topsy Part 2". "Topsy" peaked at number three on Billboard Hot 100, and at number one on the R&B chart. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. The track peaked at No. 29 in the UK Singles Chart in 1958. The recording contained a lengthy drum solo, and was one of the few drum solo recordings that ever made the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single was issued on the tiny Brooklyn-based Love Records label.William Randolph Cole was born in 1909 in East Orange, New Jersey. His first music job was with Wilbur Sweatman in 1928. In 1930 he played for Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, recording an early drum solo on "Load of Cole". He spent 1931–33 with Blanche Calloway, 1933-34 with Benny Carter, 1935-36 with Willie Bryant, 1936-38 with Stuff Smith's small combo, and 1938-42 with Cab Calloway. In 1942, he was hired by CBS Radio music director Raymond Scott as part of network radio's first mixed-race orchestra. After that he played with Louis Armstrong's All Stars.Cole appeared in music-related films, including a brief cameo in Don't Knock the Rock. Throughout the 1960s and '70s Cole continued to perform in a variety of settings. Cole and Gene Krupa often played duets at the Metropole in New York City during the 1950s and 1960s.He died of cancer in 1981, in Columbus, Ohio.Cole is cited as an influence by many contemporary rock drummers, including Cozy Powell, who took his nickname "Cozy" from Cole.
October 17, 1909, East Orange, New Jersey, United States
Died
January 29, 1981, Columbus, Ohio, United States
Place Of Birth
East Orange, New Jersey, USA
Profession
Soundtrack, Music Department, Actor
Education
Juilliard School
Nationality
American
Albums
Jumpin' at the Deuces, New Orleans Nights
Star Sign
Libra
#
Fact
1
Along with Gene Krupa, he ran a drum tuition academy in New York during the early and mid-1950's. He duetted with Krupa in the motion picture The Glenn Miller Story (1954).
2
Was the first black musician engaged as a member of a network musical staff, when he was hired by CBS in 1943 to work alongside Raymond Scott.
3
Studied at the Juilliard School of Music.
4
As member of an All-Star Orchestra led by Jack Teagarden and Earl Hines, he toured Europe in 1957 and the following year had a million selling singles hit with "Topsy". During the early 1960's, the Cozy Cole Combo performed at the Metropole in New York and a quintet led by Cole toured Africa between 1962 and 1963.
5
Started on drums as a child, becoming professional in 1928. After playing in the orchestra of Wilbur Sweatman, he organised his first own band and, by 1930, recorded with Jelly Roll Morton. During the 1930's and 40's, he alternated leading small groups with playing for, among others, Cab Calloway, Benny Carter, Benny Goodman and the Louis Armstrong All-Stars.
6
Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume One, 1981-1985, pages 170-171. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998.
$850,000
