Larry Coleman

American songwriter (mostly composer), musician, publisher, & artist manager.

Coleman charted sixteen times between 1953-1967 in the U.S. and U.K. His highest charted song was "Changing Partners" by Kay Starr, which hit #7 in the U.S. and #4 in the U.K. (co-written by Joe Darion). Covers of the song have charted an additional four times. Other hits include "Ricochet (Rick-O-Shay)" (co-written again by Darion plus Norman Gimbel), "Tennessee Wig Walk" (co-written by Gimbel) and "Just as Much As Ever" (co-written by Charles Singleton).

Born 1923. Married singer [a=Lynn Warren] in 1948.

Coleman began in the music industry as a jazz pianist and composer. One of his first recorded songs was "My Sleepy Head" by Etta Jones in 1947. He worked for a music producer at the famous Brill Building at 1619 Broadway, where a multitude of composers and record labels gathered. His two biggest hits came in 1953, "Changing Partners" & "Ricochet (Rick-O-Shay)". Hit songs kept coming for Coleman in the early parts of the 1950's.

In the late 1950s after being a very successful songwriter, Coleman moved into the business side of music. Coleman worked in publishing and personal management for a number of companies. These included E. B. Marks, Joy Music, The Richmond Organization (TRO), The Columbus Circle Group, and more. He was a co-founder of the Kingston Trio publishing operation and vice-president of Balliston Music Corp. Coleman was also active in personal management with clients including singers Lonnie Sattin and Jack Scott, trumpeter Bobby Hackett and others.

Coleman continued to write songs, collaborating with jazz pianist/composer [a=Bill Evans], including composing the songs [i]Only Child[/i] (1966) & [i]Funny Man[/i] (1967). Coleman also wrote with composer Julie Mandel.