Ray Coleman
| Ray Coleman | |
|---|---|
| Born |
15 June 1937 Leicester |
| Died | 10 September 1996 (aged 59) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation |
Author Editor in chief, Melody Maker Biographer Journalism |
Ray Coleman (15 June 1937 – 10 September 1996) was a British author.
Career
Coleman was the former editor-in-chief of Melody Maker known for his biographies of The Beatles. Besides Melody Maker, Coleman contributed to music magazines such as Disc, Black Music, and Musicians Only, and a contributor to magazines such as Billboard. An author or co-author of ten books, Coleman was near the completion of a Phil Collins biography at the time of his death. The book was completed and published in 1997.
He was the first journalist to be awarded a Gold Badge of Merit by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for services to British music.
Coleman as biographer
Coleman wrote or co-wrote the biographies of at least a dozen famous musicians. They include the following.
- Lennon: The Definitive Biography (1985, updated 1993)
- McCartney: Yesterday and Today
- The Carpenters: The Untold Story
- Clapton: The Authorised Biography of Eric Clapton
- Frank Sinatra: A Celebration
- Stone Alone: The Definitive Story of the Rolling Stones (co-written with Bill Wyman)
- Brian Epstein: The Man Who Made The Beatles
- Rod Stewart: The Biography
- Gary Numan: The Authorised Biography
- I'll Never Walk Alone (co-written with Gerry Marsden)
- Phil Collins: The Definitive Biography
References
Notes
- SouthCoastToday.com, an edition of The Standard Times, 26 September 1996.
- Muze, Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 1 July 2005.