Echos of Black Voices || In honor of Black History Month

Born in 1947 in Paris. As hinted at by the “B.B.” moniker added to his name Coleman was an admirer of B.B. King, but more so Albert King (who he mostly resembled as a guitar player) and of course Freddie King. When he was 15, he was working with Freddie King and later supported Lightnin’ Hopkins and formed his own band, which played around Texas.

Gary also began booking blues musicians into clubs in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. He continued to play gigs and book concerts for nearly two decades. In 1985, he formed Mr. B’s Records, his own independent label. Coleman released his debut album, “Nothin’ But The Blues” the following year. The album was popular and gained the attention of Ichiban Records, who signed Coleman and re-released the record in 1987, which managed a #74 place on Billboard’s R & B Albums chart. A fruitful relationship ensued with the label.

He subsequently worked with Lightnin’ Hopkins and later formed his own band in which he sang and played keyboards, guitar, and bass for many years in Texas and Oklahoma. He did not begin his recording career until 1986 when he recorded his debut album, Nothin’ but the Blues, on his own label, Mr. B’s Records. In 1987 Coleman joined Ichiban Records as a recording mainstay and producer.

He became a major promoter of blues musicians, booking blues performers into clubs throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado and producing more than thirty albums for such artists as Clarence Carter, Chick Willis, Little Johnny Taylor, Buster Benton, Travis Haddix, Blues Boy Willie, Vernon Garrett, and the Legendary Blues Band. Besides Ichiban’s re-release of Nothin’ but the Blues, Coleman released six albums between 1988 and 1992, including If You Can Beat Me Rockin’ (1988), One Night Stand (1989), Dancin’ My Blues Away (1990), Romance Without Finance Is a Nuisance ((1991), The Best of Gary B. B. Coleman (1991), and Too Much Weekend (1992). While working with Ichiban, Coleman continued to tour and play his own songs and popular blues tunes in clubs, colleges, and resort towns across the nation. He achieved national recognition just before his death on February 14, 1994, the same year that he recorded his last release, Cocaine Annie. Ichiban subsequently released two more albums, Retrospectives (1998) and American Roots: Blues (2002).

In addition to his own records, he began producing albums for a number of other artists, as well as writing songs for other musicians and acting as an A&R scout for Ichiban. Between 1988 and 1992, he released six records and produced another 30. Some of his productions include albums by Little Johnny Taylor, Blues Boy Willie, Chick Willis, Vernon Garrett and Buster Benton. Coleman died in 1994.