The King Cole Trio was formed in 1937 in Los Angeles by Nat King Cole. The trio consisted of Nat on piano, Oscar Moore on guitar, and Wesley Prince on double bass. The trio played in Los Angeles throughout the late 1930s and recorded many radio transcriptions. Nat's role was that of piano player and leader of the combo. During World War II, Wesley Prince left the group and Cole replaced him with Johnny Miller. The King Cole Trio signed with the fledgling Capitol Records in 1943. In 1947, Irving Ashby replaced Oscar Moore. The trio split up in 1955 after Nat's solo career took frontstage.
