Abstract:
This collection consists of research materials used by Gene Lees when he was writing his Johnny Mercer biography, Portrait of Johnny: The life of John Herndon Mercer. The papers include the correspondence files of both Gene Lees and Johnny Mercer, Mercer family biographical information, page proofs of Portrait of Johnny, as well as an unpublished manuscript entitled Song Lake Summer. Other...
Dates:
1808-2004; Majority of material found within 1990 - 2004
Abstract:
John Herndon Mercer (1909-1976), 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 a period of nearly five decades. The Johnny Mercer papers consist of biographical materials (including an unpublished autobiography), correspondence, drafts...
Abstract:
Leonora Gidlund conducted extensive research on resources relating to the life and career of Johnny Mercer while pursuing an M.A. degree in History at Georgia State University, resulting in a thesis in 1984. Her papers consist of correspondence with educational institutions, archives, historical societies, book dealers, radio stations and private collectors holding research materials relating to Johnny Mercer, and include a number of copies of original materials (including draft lyrics and...
Abstract:
A Savannah, Georgia businessman, Nick Mamalakis was associated with lyricist Johnny Mercer's family and its businesses from 1930, and was the primary advocate of plans to bring the papers of Johnny Mercer to the archives at Georgia State University. His papers include articles, newsclippings, correspondence and printed material relating to Johnny Mercer and to the acquisition of the Johnny Mercer Papers by Georgia State University, and brief manuscript by Nick Mamalakis describing the events...
The Ober family lived near Johnny Mercer and his family on Lido Isle (Newport Beach, California) in the 1950s and 1960s. The two families became close friends. The collection contains correspondence, photographs, and other printed and manuscript materials, documenting the long relationship between the families, as well as collected material relating to Johnny Mercer, 1976-2000.
Sadie Vimmerstedt, who was a resident of Youngstown, Ohio, wrote a letter to Johnny Mercer in February of 1957 suggesting that Mercer write a song entitled "When Somebody Breaks Your Heart." Mercer wrote the song, ultimately sharing authorship with her on a 50/50 basis. Mrs. Vimmerstedt's collection includes Mercer's first letter to her, a few Christmas cards from Mercer, and photographs taken at the 1963 Grammy Awards banquet.