Natalie Cole brought a touch of class to Taste of Chicago and the Petrillo Music Shell.

The 61-year-old daughter of legendary singer Nat King Cole (and Duke Ellington Orchestra singer Maria Cole) is a legend of sorts now, too. She’s received 21 Grammy nominations and won nine times. Her seven Top 20 hits include a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac” and her 1991 album, Unforgettable…With Love, on which she sang the songs of her dad, sold more than seven million copies. Cole’s interesting life has included three marriages, drugs, hepatitis C and, two years ago, a kidney transplant.

While the stage looked tacky with V103 billboard-quality banners draped down each side with a big picture of Cole of them, the singer gave a classy performance Thursday backed by seven musicians and two background singers. She traveled adeptly through a variety of numbers from R&B, soul, pop, jazz and even gospel, often bending a song to where she wanted to go vocally.

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Early in the show, a woman in the pavilion waved Cole’s book and the singer said she’d sign it if the fan could make her way to the stage. She did and Cole autographed it. Cole began to show off her vocal stylings on “Route 66.” “Tell Me All About It” featured three electronic keyboardists and the result was a schmaltzy, lounge vibe. A subsequent sing-along to a DJ spun record was a misstep, but the show got back on course quickly.

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“Fever” received a cheer with its first line. “Guess Who I Saw Today” brought some to their feet. "Smile" was effective in its subtlety. Her now trademark “Unforgettable” duet with her late dad singing on a video screen received a standing ovation. The song was particularly striking when her dad appeared to be looking at his daughter. She followed with the title track from her first album, Inseparable.

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Then out of nowhere, a gale wind blew off the lake into Grant Park. The drum screen was knocked down and light precipitation caused a loud, short-out sound from the stage. The threatening weather caused about a quarter of the people to leave the concert, which I thought might end there. But Cole stood her ground, announcing there would be a delay while the stage was checked. She invited fans to take her picture while everyone waited. After about five minutes, the concert resumed with a crowd-pleasing “Mr. Melody,” which saw dozens of fans rush closer to the stage.

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Those who stayed saw Cole go for it vocally on “I’ve Got Love On My Mind.” More people left when it started raining, but the diehards who remained were rewarded with a spiritually-charged “I’m Catching Hell.” “This Will Be” closed the show on an uplifting note with Cole singing while sitting near the edge of the stage, seemingly oblivious to the rain as her fans danced in it. It looked like she was as happy to be singing for them as they were to hear her. It was the kind of scene that helps foster a legend.

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The setlist:

Summer Sun

Come Rain or Come Shine

Nice 'N' Easy

Route 66

Tell Me All About It

(DJ Mix)

Fever

Guess Who I Saw Today

Smile

Unforgettable

Inseparable

Mr. Melody

Sophisticated Lady (She’s a Different Lady)/Annie Mae/I’ve Got Love On My Mind

I’m Catchin’ Hell (Living Here Alone)

This Will Be

Start: 6:08 p.m./Finish: 7:27 p.m.

Totals: 16 songs, one hour and 19 minutes