Ray Coleman

Ray Coleman (15 June 1937, Leicester – 10 September 1996, Shepperton) was a British author and music journalist.

Career Coleman was the former editor-in-chief of Melody Maker known for his biographies of The Beatles.

Coleman 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.

Ray Coleman died of kidney cancer on 10 September 1996 at his home in Shepperton, near London. He was 59.

Coleman as biographer Coleman wrote or co-wrote the biographies of at least a dozen famous musicians. They include the following:

Gary Numan: The Authorised Biography (1982) 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 I'll Never Walk Alone (co-written with Gerry Marsden) Phil Collins: The Definitive Biography