Larry Lehmer

Larry Lehmer is founder and president of When Words Matter, Ltd., a company specializing in preserving personal, business and organizational histories. It is located in Des Moines, Iowa.

Larry has over 30 years of writing experience, including 24 years as a senior editor, reporter and newsroom manager at the prestigious Des Moines Register, winner of 15 Pulitzer Prizes, the top award in journalism.

A current member of the Association of Personal Historians, Larry is a past member of the Society of Professional Journalists and Investigative Reporters & Editors, Inc.

Larry is also the author of The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens (Schirmer Books), which was nominated for the Gleason Music Book Award. As a result of the book’s success, he worked with the E! cable television network in producing an episode of its Mysteries and Scandals series and was a contributor to a VH1 documentary on Buddy Holly.