--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The one who really captured me and became…" description: "\"The one who really captured me and became my absolute favorite was Nat King Cole. He was a genius at what he did. Most people don't realize what a grea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/johnny-mathis-3833_genius_the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-becam_1328510.png" --- # The one who really captured me and became my absolute… ![“The one who really captured me and became my absolute favorite was Nat King Cole. He was a genius at what he did. Most people don't realize what a great pianist he was. After listening to him for years, I finally met him, and he was the nicest human being.” quote by Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/johnny-mathis-3833_genius_the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-becam_1328510.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/johnny-mathis-3833_genius_the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-becam_1328510.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/johnny-mathis-3833_genius_the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-becam_1328510.png) > “The one who really captured me and became my absolute favorite was Nat King Cole. He was a genius at what he did. Most people don't realize what a great pianist he was. After listening to him for years, I finally met him, and he was the nicest human being.” [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He admires Nat King Cole for his genius and kindness, noting his piano talent. **In simple terms:** He loves Nat King Cole’s talent and character. Key Takeaway Seek inspiration from admired artists. Themes admiration musical legacy humanity Mood warm inspired Type personal musical When to use this quote - music education - performance practice - artist mentorship Key Concepts Artist influence personal connection Questions to Reflect On - What qualities of Nat King Cole inspire you? - How can you emulate his kindness? A Different Perspective Idealizing artists can overlook flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king/) [Pianist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pianist/) ## Related quotes > [It's all very well having a great pianist playing but it's no good if you haven't got anyone to get the piano on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-holloway/it-s-all-very-well-having-a-great-pianist-playing-but-it-s-no-good-if/) [Ian Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-holloway/) > [If I had my life to live over, I wish I could be a great pianist or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/if-i-had-my-life-to-live-over-i-wish-i-could-be-a-great-pianist-or/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [When you think of diversity, George Duke fits that bill better than a lot of people. He's played a lot of straight-ahead jazz with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-mcbride/when-you-think-of-diversity-george-duke-fits-that-bill-better-than-a/) [Christian McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-mcbride/) > [I like Stevie Wonder as my favorite non-pianist pianist. I mean, I shouldn't call him a non-pianist, because he's really a great pianist, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chick-corea/i-like-stevie-wonder-as-my-favorite-non-pianist-pianist-i-mean-i/) [Chick Corea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chick-corea/) > [A great pianist doesn't run around the piano or do push ups with his fingers. To be great, he plays the piano. ...being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mourinho/a-great-pianist-doesn-t-run-around-the-piano-or-do-push-ups-with-his/) [Jose Mourinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mourinho/) > [My dad's family were political and he was always a theatrical creature, whereas my mum is really musical and her father was the touring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/my-dad-s-family-were-political-and-he-was-always-a-theatrical/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [My favorite singer to this day is Nat King Cole. I've tried to emulate his phrasing. It is so absolutely beautiful to listen to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/my-favorite-singer-to-this-day-is-nat-king-cole-i-ve-tried-to-emulate/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I believe it was Nat King Cole that my dad took me to see, and we were sitting in the dressing room, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-believe-it-was-nat-king-cole-that-my-dad-took-me-to-see-and-we-were/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [“A great pianist was once asked by an admirer, "How do you handle the notes as well as you do?" The artist replied, "The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schnabel/a-great-pianist-was-once-asked-by-an-admirer-how-do-you-handle-the/) Arthur Schnabel > [I considered Nat King Cole to be a friend and, in many ways, a mentor. He always had words of profound advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diahann-carroll/i-considered-nat-king-cole-to-be-a-friend-and-in-many-ways-a-mentor/) [Diahann Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diahann-carroll/) > [I can bet nobody can sing Nat King Cole's songs better than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-christo/i-can-bet-nobody-can-sing-nat-king-cole-s-songs-better-than-me/) [Bob Christo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-christo/) > [I do love the Nat King Cole stuff, the classic Christmas records. There's something about putting those records on and hearing his voice at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcdonald/i-do-love-the-nat-king-cole-stuff-the-classic-christmas-records-there/) [Michael McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcdonald/) > [Nat King Cole's lyrics were speaking to me, almost like fatherly advice, when I was listening to him alongside the console stereo player. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/nat-king-cole-s-lyrics-were-speaking-to-me-almost-like-fatherly/) [Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/) > [My mother says I was two-and-a-half when I started playing. My father was a minister, and when he went to church in the morning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/my-mother-says-i-was-two-and-a-half-when-i-started-playing-my-father/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) ## More by Johnny Mathis > [The world changes. The world is completely different now from when I was growing up. Back then, you didn't say things like they say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/the-world-changes-the-world-is-completely-different-now-from-when-i/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I've paid the price over the years, though: a lot of injuries and surgeries related to my sports career; my hips and knees took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-ve-paid-the-price-over-the-years-though-a-lot-of-injuries-and/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [When you do interviews, you have to talk about yourself - and I like to find out about other people. I am so familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/when-you-do-interviews-you-have-to-talk-about-yourself-and-i-like-to/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I've found that if I limit my talking, just everyday talking, a couple of days before I have to sing, my voice is stronger.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-ve-found-that-if-i-limit-my-talking-just-everyday-talking-a-couple/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [In other words, the celebrity gets out of hand, and if youre not careful, you will forget what you are about - and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/in-other-words-the-celebrity-gets-out-of-hand-and-if-youre-not/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [As a child, all I knew was that people kept asking me to sing, and because I liked to please, I would sing. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/as-a-child-all-i-knew-was-that-people-kept-asking-me-to-sing-and/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [The light dims a little bit as you get older and new generations come along. But it's around the holidays when I am remembered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/the-light-dims-a-little-bit-as-you-get-older-and-new-generations-come/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I think most people don't understand: I have nothing to do with that. I just open my mouth, and it comes out that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-think-most-people-don-t-understand-i-have-nothing-to-do-with-that-i/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [My mom loved my Christmas music, so I did an awful lot of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/my-mom-loved-my-christmas-music-so-i-did-an-awful-lot-of-it/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I love the house that I've been living in for over 40 years. I really am a homebody and I still love to play golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-love-the-house-that-i-ve-been-living-in-for-over-40-years-i-really/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I'm really pretty much a regular person who just got very lucky. I got involved early on in my life with a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-m-really-pretty-much-a-regular-person-who-just-got-very-lucky-i-got/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [There are not so many songs written about love today like there were in the past. It's all changed, but that's why my songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/there-are-not-so-many-songs-written-about-love-today-like-there-were/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I started off as a kid singing with my dad. My dad was my best pal. But he had seven kids, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-started-off-as-a-kid-singing-with-my-dad-my-dad-was-my-best-pal-but/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [It's the most personal thing that I do is sing. Because I can't tell a lie. I want them to know exactly what I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/it-s-the-most-personal-thing-that-i-do-is-sing-because-i-can-t-tell-a/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I was really active athletically, definitely. I was a hurdler, a sprinter. I played basketball for years. I was a serious athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-was-really-active-athletically-definitely-i-was-a-hurdler-a/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) [Explore all 121 Johnny Mathis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) ## More Genius quotes > [“If people fully understand you, they will think of you as a normal, if they half understand you, will think of you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-people-fully-understand-you-they-will-think-of-you-as-a-normal-if/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Woman, in short, has an unconscious life, man a conscious life, and the genius the most conscious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-weininger/woman-in-short-has-an-unconscious-life-man-a-conscious-life-and-the/) [Otto Weininger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-weininger/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I have known many chess players, but among them there has been only one genius - Capablanca!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emanuel-lasker/i-have-known-many-chess-players-but-among-them-there-has-been-only/) [Emanuel Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emanuel-lasker/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [One is not born a genius, one becomes a genius; and the feminine situation has up to the present rendered this becoming practically impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/one-is-not-born-a-genius-one-becomes-a-genius-and-the-feminine/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Treason implies responsibility for something, control over something, influence upon something, knowledge of something. Treason in our time is a proof of genius. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/treason-implies-responsibility-for-something-control-over-something/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never try to judge any one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajat-dogra/never-try-to-judge-any-one/) [Rajat Dogra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajat-dogra/) > [“genius is a path that we can all take and derive much benefit, happiness, fulfillment, and success from...not a genetic windfall or divine gift.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick/genius-is-a-path-that-we-can-all-take-and-derive-much-benefit/) [Sean Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick/) [Browse all 5,125 Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The one who really captured me and became my absolute favorite was Nat King Cole. He was a genius at what he did. Most people don't realize what a great pianist he was. After listening to him for years, I finally met him, and he was the nicest human being.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johnny Mathis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-became-my-absolute-favorite-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genius" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-became-my-absolute-favorite-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/johnny-mathis-3833_genius_the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-becam_1328510.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/johnny-mathis-3833_genius_the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-becam_1328510.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc4/johnny-mathis-3833_genius_the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-becam_1328510.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The one who really captured me and became my absolute favorite was Nat King Cole. He was a genius at what he…” — Johnny Mathis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Johnny Mathis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The one who really captured me...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-became-my-absolute-favorite-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/the-one-who-really-captured-me-and-became-my-absolute-favorite-was/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```