David Ritz

David Ritz (born December 2, 1943, in New York City) is an American author.

He has written novels, biographies, magazine articles, and over a hundred liner notes for artists such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Nat King Cole.

He has coauthored 36 autobiographies, including some celebrities' autobiographies.

Ritz graduated from the University of Texas in Austin in 1966 (Magna Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa), and received a Masters of Arts from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1970, where he studied with literary critic Leslie Fiedler.

He has been married to Roberta Michele Ritz since 1968.

“Happy Song: Soul Music in the Ghetto,” Ritz's first critical essay, was published in Salmagundi (1970).

Dozens of other articles have followed, including “History of the Jews of Dallas,” D Magazine (1974); “Kids’ Stuff: Jackson Pollock, Jimmie Vaughan and the Architecture of Las Vegas,” Art Connoisseur (1998); “Show and Tell,” introduction to Rolling Stone's Tattoo Nation (2002); the forward to Lady Sings the Blues, the 50th-anniversary edition of the autobiography of Billie Holiday (2006); and “The Last Days of Brother Ray,” included in Da Capo's Best Music Writing of 2005.

They have two children, twins Alison and Jessica, born in 1974.

Ritz's first collaboration was Brother Ray (1978), the autobiography of Ray Charles.

Ritz has said that his initial intention was to write a biography until becoming intrigued by the idea of rendering the book entirely in Charles' voice.

Ritz's fiction ranges from sports fantasies--The Man Who Brought the Dodgers Back To Brooklyn (1981)-- to jazz fantasies--Blue Notes Under a Green Felt Hat (1989) and Barbells and Saxophones (1989).

The platinum-selling song "Sexual Healing" was written in Ostend, Belgium in April 1982 and is credited as a collaboration between Marvin Gaye, Odell Brown, and Ritz.

Ritz was not originally credited as songwriter.

Ritz sued Marvin Gaye for songwriting credit; Ritz received credit only after settling with Marvin Gaye's estate after the singer's death.

Ritz claims that the lawsuit was settled because he had interview tapes with Marvin Gaye in which Gaye says, "These are great lyrics you wrote."

Ritz’s songs have also been recorded by Smokey Robinson, the Isley Brothers and Kem.

Ritz co-wrote “Brothers in the Night,” theme song for the 1983 film Uncommon Valor.

Messengers, a portrait of African-American gospel singers and ministers, was published in 2006, as well as memoir, The God Groove, in 2019.

Ritz collaborated with Mable John on three Christian novels: Sanctified (2006), Stay Out of the Kitchen (2007) and Love Tornado (2008).

He has also collaborated with rapper T.I. on two novels— Power and Beauty (2011) and Trouble and Triumph (2012).

"That's when I discovered I had a gift for channeling voice", Ritz told the L.A. Times' Patrick Goldstein in 2012.

"That discovery changed the course of my literary life."

Other autobiographies co-written by Ritz include:

Ritz has also written an inspirational book.

In 2016, Ritz collaborated with Willie Nelson on the novel Pretty Paper.

Brayden Speaks Up: How One Boy Inspired America (2021) with Brayden Harrington.

Jason Goes For It (2023) with Brayden Harrington

David Ritz co-wrote three songs including the title track from Guy King's 2016 album Truth.