Johnny mercer biography 1940 music
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Johnny Mercer
While Johnny Mercer had the talent, Georgia provided the inspiration that made him one of Americas most popular and successful songwriters of the twentieth century. Between and Mercer penned lyrics to more than 1, songs, received nineteen Academy Award nominations, wrote music for a number of Broadway shows, and cofounded Capitol Records.
Perhaps best known for the Academy Award–winning song Moon River, Mercer also took Oscars for Days of Wine and Roses, In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening, and On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe. These movie hits reflected Mercers ties to the Hollywood studios, but the lyricist also wrote songs that became popular because of their commercial appeal, including Jeepers Creepers, Accentuate the Positive, Glow-Worm, Goody Goody, and Hooray for Hollywood. Time and again Mercer drew upon his Georgia heritage for song ideas.
Early Life
John Herndon Mercer was born int
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John Herndon Mercer (), a native of Savannah, Georgia, began writing songs at the age of fifteen and eventually became one of the foremost figures of 20th-century American popular music. His catalog includes many numbers that have become American classics, and his activities as lyricist, composer, performer, and businessman span nearly five decades.
Mercer was born on November 18, , to real estate investor George A. handlar i textilier, Jr. and his wife Lillian (Ciucevich). He spent his childhood and youth in Savannah, growing up in a household where music was much in bevis (even though no one in the family was especially "musical") and in a region where the local culture combined the rich literary and language traditions of both white and black Southerners. In later years, fans and observers noted the traces of this Southern heritage still evident in his writing. In he continued the family educational tradition by joining his brothers at Woodberry Forest School in Virginia. Mercer
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Johnny Mercer
Even if you’re not aware of it, you’re probably already familiar with the music of Johnny Mercer.
From the light-hearted “You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby” and “Jeepers Creepers” to the romantic “Laura,” “Dream” and “I Remember You”…from the big band “And The Angels Sing” to the dramatic “Blues In The Night,” “Come Rain Or Come Shine” and “One For My Baby”…from the sassy “Satin Doll” and “Tangerine” to the cinematic “Hooray for Hollywood” and “On The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe”…not to mention the timeless standards of “That Old Black Magic,” “Glow Worm,” “Days Of Wine And Roses,” and “Moon River.” These songs, with their wide range of musical styles, have been heard by millions of people all over the world on recordings, radio, films, television programs and Broadway shows over the past century.
“Moon River” house on Burnside Island
Johnny Mercer mids.
This is Johnny Mercer’s legacy.
Throughout his acclaimed career, Johnny:
- Wrote ov