Coleman was born the middle of three children in Los Angeles, California. Her mother was Mexican-American visual artist Marylou Ynda-Ciletti. Coleman's father, Gary L. Coleman, is an Anglo-American session musician, who in the 1960s and 1970s was part of the collective The Wrecking Crew and formed a friendship with fellow musician Mike Melvoin. Their families became close with each other and often played and recorded music together. Lisa Coleman formed a close relationship with Melvoin's daughter Wendy Melvoin, saying once "we've been familiar with one another since we were in diapers".
Musical career
At age 12, Coleman got her professional start as a keyboardist in the bubblegum pop band Waldorf Salad. The band, which also featured her siblings and Jonathan Melvoin, was signed to A&M records in 1973. In 1975, Coleman played a small role as a high school pianist in the Linda Blairmade-for-TV film Sarah T. – Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic. Coleman was 19 years of age when one of her good friends, Niki Yoergler, who was working as a secretary for Prince's personal manager, Steve Fargnoli, brought her to the attention of Prince. After some convincing on both ends, Yoergler got Coleman an audition and she was hired as part of Prince's backing group in 1980 for his Dirty Mind album and tour. Before being so recruited, she had been working as a shipping clerk and teaching piano. She replaced keyboardist Gayle Chapman. Coleman played keyboards for Prince on his Controversy and 1999 albums and the three albums as a member of The Revolution, which were Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day and Parade, and she was also a session player for recordings by The Time and Vanity 6, two side projects of Prince. Coleman was in a long-term relationship with her musician friend Wendy Melvoin, with whom she collaborated frequently. In an interview Coleman states that in 1983, one night when guitarist Dez Dickerson did not show up at soundcheck, Prince asked Melvoin to play his guitar; that same night, Prince invited Melvoin to join the band. Coleman and Melvoin became members of the newly designated The Revolution. Shortly after the completion of Prince and The Revolution's Parade project, Coleman and Melvoin started their own musical duo, which they called the Wendy & Lisa partnership. The Wendy & Lisa musical partnership released 5 full-length albums for various labels, including Columbia/Sony and Virgin, as well as their own independent imprint. Coleman and Melvoin continued to work together as film and television composers, and they provided the musical scores for television shows including Crossing Jordan and Heroes, both created and produced by Tim Kring under his Tailwind Productions banner, Nurse Jackie, which won them an Emmy for Outstanding Main Title Theme, Prime Suspect, No Tomorrow, Witches of East End, and Touch which they were nominated for an Emmy. They currently compose the music for NBCs Shades of Blue. In 2009, Coleman played vibraphone on the Alice in Chains' song "Black Gives Way to Blue", from the album of the same name. In 2019, Coleman self-released her first solo instrumental album titled, Collage.
In April 2009, Coleman gave an interview with Out magazine declaring that she is a lesbian and had a past romantic relationship with Wendy Melvoin. Coleman has been married since 2004 to Renata Kanclerz. The couple has one child together.
Awards and recognition
Coleman and Melvoin were awarded with an Emmy for Outstanding Original Main Title in 2010 for their theme to Nurse Jackie. Coleman also share the honor of winners of a Grammy and Oscar for being part of The Revolution, as Purple Rain won two Grammys, and the Oscar for Best Original Score. Coleman received the inaugural ASCAP Shirley Walker Award in 2014. The Shirley Walker Award honors those whose achievements have contributed to the diversity of film and television music.
