Kal Mann facts for kids

Kal Mann, born Kalman Cohen (May 6, 1917 – November 28, 2001), was a talented American lyricist. A lyricist is someone who writes the words for songs. He became famous for writing the lyrics for many popular songs. These include Elvis Presley's hit "Teddy Bear" and "Let's Twist Again" sung by Chubby Checker. "Let's Twist Again" even won a Grammy Award in 1962! He also wrote "Butterfly", which was a big hit for both Charlie Gracie and Andy Williams.

Kal Mann's Story

Kal Mann was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He started his career writing funny jokes and stories for comedians like Danny Thomas. Later, his friend Bernie Lowe, who was also a songwriter, suggested he try writing song lyrics.

Kal Mann teamed up with Bernie Lowe and Dave Appell to write many popular rock and roll songs. Some of their big hits include:

• "Butterfly" for Charlie Gracie. This song sold over two million copies! It was also a huge hit for Andy Williams.
• "Teddy Bear" for Elvis Presley.
• "Wild One" and "The Cha-Cha-Cha" for Bobby Rydell.
• "Let's Twist Again" and "Limbo Rock" for Chubby Checker.
• "Bristol Stomp" for The Dovells.

He also wrote other songs for Chubby Checker, such as "Popeye the Hitchhiker". Another famous song he wrote was "Fabulous" for Charlie Gracie. This song sold nearly a million copies!

Sometimes, Kal Mann used a different name, called a pseudonym, for his songs. He used the name Jon Sheldon for songs like "Limbo Rock". This allowed him to work with different music organizations.

Starting a Record Company

In 1956, Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe decided to start their own record company. They called it Cameo-Parkway Records. This company helped many artists release their music.

His Later Life

Kal Mann passed away in 2001 at the age of 84.