Cel e b ra t i n g Me rce r
Near t h e Mo o n R ive r
By L es l ey Fr a n c i s
Even the aftermath of hurricane Matthew can’t stop the residents of Skidaway Island from a great party at the Plantation Club
– especially when that party celebrates the life and music of Johnny Mercer. The second annual “birthday party” takes place on the
evening of Friday, November 18, which would have been Mercer’s
107th birthday (he died in 1976).
The evening – “Hooray for Hollywood” (after Mercer’s
1938 hit song) – will feature a glamorous, Hollywood ‘30s
art deco theme, and attendees are encouraged to dress elegantly. Plans for the evening include dinner, dancing, entertainment, a 50/50 raffle and a member/cash bar. Kim
Michael Polote, winner of the 2001 American Traditions Vocal Competition (ATVC) Gold Medal, 2006
Gold Medal winner and ATVC Artistic Consultant
Vale Rideout, and 2014 Gold Medal winner Mikki Sodergren will delight attendees by performing some of Mercer’s classics.
Mercer resonates with many of us who
reside on Skidaway Island, so close to
the Moon River which inspired him to
write one of his most famous songs.
Mercer wrote “Moon River” (music by Henry Mancini) in 1961 for
the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,”
winning his third Academy Award.
Aside from this obvious connection,
many of Mercer’s songs and lyrics
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speak to the Southern way of life, its geography, nature, climate and manners. He peppered his songs with mockingbirds and meadowlarks, describing opossums in the pines and singing crickets. During his 50-year
career, the legendary lyricist, songwriter and singer often cited Georgia
as his source for artistic inspiration. Mercer’s work helped put the Peach
State on the “musical map,” setting the scene for his native city of Savannah to become a hub of cultural and musical entertainment.
bankruptcy, his father dedicated the rest of his life to paying off that debt,
and suddenly young John Mercer, no longer able to attend college, was
on his way to New York City, hoping to make good as an actor. As we
now know, this was not his destiny. After beginning his career as a lyricist, he ended up in Hollywood writing songs for the movies, lyrics for
musicals, and hosting his own radio show before founding the extremely
successful Capitol Records in 1942.
The genius of Mercer’s lyrics ensures that his work still speaks to us today – particularly to those of us beguiled by Savannah’s Southern charms
and way of life. Anyone who has enjoyed a refreshing beverage at the end
of a hot summer day in Georgia cannot help to relate to Mercer’s “In The
Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening.”
Within four years, Capitol was responsible for almost 20 percent of
all records sold in the U.S. As well as writing hit songs for four decades
– from the ‘30s through the ‘60s – Mercer was the founding president of
the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The lyricist was born John Herndon Mercer on November 18, 1909,
into an old Southern family. His father was a wealthy attorney with a
flourishing real estate business, and Johnny’s well-connected family led to
an excellent education and access to many of the cultural institutions in
the city. He was a choirboy at Christ Church and a student at Chatham
Academy, and his teenage years exposed him to influences that remained
with him throughout his life.
At the DeSoto Hotel and Barbee’s Pavilion on Isle of Hope, Mercer
danced the Charleston while drinking bootleg liquor with older brothers
and cousins. On Tybee Island, he played the ukulele and sang at Savannah’s Little Theater.
Johnny was 17 when his father’s business collapsed, along with the end
of the Florida real estate boom, and he found himself a million dollars in
debt (the equivalent of around $13 million today). Rather than declare
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He often returned to Georgia, and in later life purchased a house near
Vernon View on Burnside Island as his Savannah retreat. Mercer’s father
had died in 1940, having paid off $700,000 of the million he owed. In
1955, Mercer sold his share in Capitol records and surprised his father’s
creditors by using $300,000 of the proceeds to pay off the remainder of
the debt.
The American Traditions Vocal Competition (ATVC), is deeply connected to Johnny Mercer and offers a special award presented by the
Friends of Johnny Mercer, Inc. and Armstrong State University. The contestant who is judged to give the best performance of a Johnny Mercer
song in the quarter- or semifinals wins the honor and a cash prize of
$750.
Turning back to the November 18 party at the Plantation Club, the
three ATVC Gold Medal winners shared some of their memories of the
inaugural Mercer birthday bash in 2015 and what Johnny Mercer’s music
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The American Traditions Vocal Competition proudly presents the second annual Johnny Mercer Birthday Bash, “Hooray for Hollywood”
on Friday, November 18, from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Landings
Plantation Club. Space is limited, and last year’s Birthday Bash sold
out, so anyone interested in attending is urged to reserve a space
soon. Tickets are $85 per person. To purchase tickets, please contact Maddie Harwood at 912.508.1133 or maddie@cemamerica.
com. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the American Traditions
Vocal Competition. The ATVC’s next season runs from Feb. 20-24,
2017. Please visit www.americantraditionscompetition.com for more
information.
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means to them.
Vale Rideout: “Last year’s Johnny Mercer
celebration was one of my favorite events of the
ATC – outside the competition itself. Celebrating Johnny Mercer with as passionate a crowd
as we had last year was so very exciting. The
audience was in a dancing and singing mood and we were there in a way that Johnny would
have loved: a jubilant celebration of American
music and everything that is great about it!
Johnny Mercer was a man who expressed our
common humanity in a true American Way. He
was a man of ALL the people through his music
and life. Savannah should always celebrate his
music. My favorite Johnny Mercer song is due
to the birth of my baby girl. Every night that
I get to put her to bed, I sing ‘Hit The Road
to Dreamland’ for her - and ever since she has
been able to talk, she will still ask for daddy
to sing, ‘Bye, Bye, Baby.’ I simply love singing
that fabulous Mercer song for her as she goes to
sleep. It is the most important moment of my
singing every day.”
Kim Michael Polote: “I think Johnny Mercer and his music are very important to Savannah because he’s the man behind the music
that the greatest generation grew up to, went
off to war to, and returned home to! Writing
more than 1,700 songs, he was one of the most
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prolific and successful songwriters in the 20th
century. Tourists not only embrace but celebrate this native son! Yes...he is a great tourist
attraction! My trio and I have been performing
a “Jumping with Johnny Show” for the past
11 years. My favorite songs are “Skylark” and
“Moon River.” I sang “Skylark” for my friend
and Johnny Mercer’s niece, Nancy Mercer
Gerard, at her Bonaventure gravesite farewell
service. “Skylark” is on her tombstone. As a
native daughter of Savannah, it is my joy to be
a part of keeping the legacy of Johnny’s music very much in the main stream. I enjoyed
last year’s celebration for Johnny very much,
and working with Mikki and Vale was fun. I’m
looking forward to sharing more about Johnny
Mercer’s family history as well as Johnny Mercer the man, in addition to his music at this
year’s event.
Mikki Sodergren: “Last year’s Johnny Mercer birthday celebration was full of happy faces. I love seeing how music can bring people
together for a common cause, and what better
cause than to celebrate Savannah’s own great
lyricist Johnny Mercer? I chose “Skylark” when
I entered the ATVC and I really love this song
because it talks about wanting to be somewhere
that you are not, seeking someone who is out of
your grasp. My favorite Johnny Mercer song is
“Moon River.” I know this sounds cliché, but
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As one of the founders of Capitol Records, Johnny managed to pay off much of the debt
incurred when his father’s business collapsed in the 1920s.
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I think Mercer is important to Savannah because he was able to take his unique cultural
experiences of the Southern way of life and
make them universal through song lyrics. His
music is important because it’s a time capsule to
the golden age of American music; it’s honest,
accessible, and continues to bring joy to people.
S
it’s true. Firstly, Henry Mancini wrote a gorgeous melody that is very simple. The simplicity of this matches Johnny’s elegant yet tangible
lyrics, which leads to a great song. Secondly,
this song has become like a sensory memory
to me. All of the memories from years of performances in Savannah are wrapped up in this
song, and imbued into it. Whenever I sing this
anywhere else, I am filled with those memories.
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