Bill Coleman, born William Johnson Coleman on August 4, 1904, in Paris, Kentucky, was an influential American jazz trumpeter known for his mellow tone and lyrical style. His family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1909, where he began his musical journey on the clarinet and C melody saxophone before settling on the trumpet. He studied under Cincinnati trumpeter Theodore Carpenter and played in an amateur band with trombonist J.C. Higginbotham.

Coleman's professional career began in Cincinnati with bands led by Clarence Paige and Wesley Helvey. In 1927, he moved to New York City with the Scott brothers' band, making his recording debut. He joined Luis Russell's orchestra in 1929, recording his first solo on "Feelin' the Spirit." After various stints with New York bands, Coleman traveled to Europe with Lucky Millinder's band in 1933 and later recorded with notable artists like Fats Waller and Django Reinhardt.

Coleman spent significant time in Europe, performing with Willie Lewis and his Entertainers, and even ventured to Bombay and Egypt. Returning to the U.S. in 1940, he played with top bands led by Benny Carter, Teddy Wilson, and others, recording with jazz legends Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins.

In 1948, Coleman moved permanently to France, where he found greater recognition and continued to perform and record until his death on August 24, 1981, in Toulouse. His autobiography, "Trumpet Story," published posthumously, details his extensive career and travels. Despite never achieving widespread fame, Coleman's contributions to jazz, particularly his recordings in Paris from 1936 to 1938, remain significant.