Len Boone
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Len Boone (a.k.a. Leonard Boone C Coleman II) is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was a singer/songwriter for Chrysalis Records and Love-Zager Productions and many of his songs charted on Billboard.[1] While still an intern at Chrysalis, he wrote the international hit single "You Made Me Believe in Magic" (Arista Records) for the album It’s a Game by the Scottish Pop band, the Bay City Rollers.[2] In 1977, the song reached number 10 on the US Hot 100 in Billboard magazine and number 7 on the Cash Box Top 100 charts.[3][4] In Canada, “You Made Me Believe in Magic” peaked at number 5, and still ranks as their 68th greatest hit of 1977.[5] The song also charted in Germany, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.[6] "You Made Me Believe in Magic" also won Boone a plaque from ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers).[2]
Boone grew up in Fieldsboro, New Jersey and attended Bordentown Regional High School.[7] He was a standout athlete for both his track and football teams and received several mentions in the local newspapers.[8][9][10][11] While in high school, Boone started taking drum lessons and joined a musical group called Inturnal Revenue. He continued to perform and compose music with this band through his sophomore year in college. Inturnal Revenue found local success and recorded an original song called, “Love Theme For” which received air time from Len Murray, a disc jockey at WTTM radio in New Jersey.[2] Later in college, he headed the band, Piecemeal, a four-piece musical group for which he composed and played piano and drums.[12]
Boone attended Rutgers University and majored in political science and history. He played cornerback and defensive halfback for the Rutgers football team, the Scarlet Knights and local newspapers regularly reported his success. .[13][14][15][16][17] In 1972 he won The George T. Cronin Trophy[18] for most improved player. As a student he was passionate about the needs of inner city kids and pushed for Rutgers to participate in the Urban Classic Benefit game to raise money for underprivileged youth.[12]
After college, Boone worked as a substitute teacher at Franklin High School in New Jersey and had offers to teach history. He played rugby with an alumni squad from Rutgers called "The Old Boys" and coached the newly-established Rutgers women's rugby team.[19] However, his goal was to work in the music business.