Born in 1937 in Chattanooga, Tennessee and educated at the University Of North Carolina and at the University Of California Berkeley, Coleman Barks has for the last thirty-one years collaborated with various scholars of the Persian language, to bring over into American free verse the poetry of Jelaluddin Rumi. This work has resulted in nineteen volumes culminating with the best selling "Essential Rumi" in 1995, two appearances on Bill Moyers public television specials, and inclusion in the prestigious Norton Anthology Of World Masterpieces. The Rumi tranlations have sold over a million copies. It is claimed that over the last ten years, Rumi has become the most read poet in the United States.

Dr. Barks taught American Literature and Creative Writing at various universities for thirty four years, and he has published five volumes of his own poetry. In 2004 he received the Juliet Hollister Award for his work in the interfaith area. In March 2005 the US State Department sent him to Afghanistan as the first visiting speaker there in twenty-five years. In May of 2006 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University Of Tehran. He is now retired Professor Emeritus at the University Of Geargia in Athens. He has two grown sons and four grandchildren, all of whom live near him in Athens, Georgia.

Coleman's debut album for Fast Horse features Tuatara as his back up band, with Coleman doing various spoken word pieces, both of his own composition and also of the great Rumi. Look for a late summer/early fall release.