Mariah Carey And Suzanne Somers Pay Tribute To Natalie Cole

Mariah Carey has shared her devastation upon hearing the news that fellow R&B singer Natalie Cole passed away on New Year’s Eve at the age of 65. Carey made her sadness known via Instagram, where she shared a sweet picture of the two singers at an event they both attended. E! News relays the words Carey paired with the photo on her social media account.

Beyond devastated to hear about the passing of the beautiful and talented Natalie Cole. pic.twitter.com/M1lXfDSawC

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) January 2, 2016

“Beyond devastated to hear about the passing of the beautiful and talented Natalie Cole. “My deepest condolences to her family and all who were blessed to know her,” Carey wrote. “She will be terribly missed.”

It is unclear where it was that the photo of the two was taken, but within the picture Natalie Cole, daughter to the late Nat King Cole, is seen cradling Carey’s face in a touching manner. Cole is known for a number of R&B hits and her beautiful voice. Hits by the songstress include, “This Will Be,” “I’ve Got Love on My Mind,” and a virtual duet of her father’s signature song “Unforgettable.”

As E! relays,, “Natalie, daughter of the late jazz legend Nat King Cole, died at age 65 on New Year’s Eve after battling health complications.” In a statement obtained by the entertainment news outlet, Natalie’s identical twin sisters, Timolin Cole and Casey Cole along with her son, Robert Yancy, shared their thoughts on her passing.

“Natalie fought a fierce, courageous battle, dying how she lived..with dignity, strength and honor. Our beloved Mother and sister will be greatly missed and remain UNFORGETTABLE in our hearts forever.”

Three’s Company and Step by Step star Suzanne Somers, 69, also shared her devastation over Cole’s passing via her own Instagram account and relayed a sweet moment she and Natalie shared that will clearly be “unforgettable” to her as well.

“I just received the tragic news that my sweet friend Natalie Cole has passed away. Although I know she’s been struggling with her health for many years, I really felt she was going to make it. The last time I saw her was a few months ago when I had the absolute thrill and pleasure to sing with her at a private party. We sang ‘Our Love is Here to Stay’ and after we hugged each other and vowed to do it again. I will miss her. Rest in peace dear Natalie. Your voice was pure perfection; the silkiest most beautiful female voice ever. We were blessed with her awesome talent and her presence. God bless Natalie Cole.”

Natalie was dearly loved and appreciated for her sweet spirit and incredible talent, as her sisters have clearly communicated. Cole’s sisters were eager to share about how fortunate they feel to have been blessed with one more Christmas alongside Cole. Timolin and Casey Cole spoke with People before heading off by plane to Natalie’s funeral.

“Christmas Eve has always been a magical time for Natalie because she looked forward to the season and being surrounded by loved ones. We had a wonderful evening where we reminisced about holiday traditions of the past and present, including decorating every inch of her Hancock Park home with vintage Christmas ornaments and finery.”

Family memories are what’s helping Natalie’s sisters and son deal with her tragic passing from ongoing health complications. What keeps the family appreciative and in a state of hopefulness, as opposed to sadness, is the beauty of the art that Natalie Cole has left behind, much like that of her iconic father Nat King Cole.

The family flew to Los Angeles to celebrate the life of Natalie Cole and pay tribute to her at her funeral.

[Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation]