Such a wonderful evening with Mercer He was still at the top of his game - so engaging, voice so good, piano playing spakling(people forget that while he was just a lyricist, he was a fine piano player), and most of all humor, even self-deprecating, but always funny
Mercer wasn't playing piano on this recording... and, in fact, when he came home to Savannah he would engage the wonderful Emma Kelly, who he dubbed "the lady of 5,000 songs," to accompany him on piano
@@steveleverton757 Yes, Johnny could only play piano "one finger style". Emma did accompany him as well as his son in law, Bob Corwin and Savannah's own Ken Palmer, Jr.
Unlike the other lyricists who were recognized by Maurice Levine at the NYC YMHA; unfortunately Johnny's performance was not commercially filmed. Footage does exist that his son Jeff did.
It's astonishing to see how many standards he wrote. Imagine someone who wrote with Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, Harry Warren, Henry Mancini, so many others, even Jerome Kern. And 99% of people under 50 have never heard of him.
14 March 1971, to be exact. I was there. This is a degraded sounding recording. Do you want a digital x-fer of the original master? It's free -PD. -much better sound q.
Oh this is fantastic. Over the past 3 years I’ve become a fan of Mercer and he never ceases to amaze with the amount of great songs he wrote.
So basically this fellow wrote about 65% of the Great American Songbook ...!? AMAZING! RIP Mr Mercer
Been a fan for many
years. What a talent, great voice as well.
Such a wonderful evening with Mercer
He was still at the top of his game - so engaging, voice so good, piano playing spakling(people forget that while he was just a lyricist, he was a fine piano player), and most of all humor, even self-deprecating, but always funny
Mercer wasn't playing piano on this recording... and, in fact, when he came home to Savannah he would engage the wonderful Emma Kelly, who he dubbed "the lady of 5,000 songs," to accompany him on piano
@@steveleverton757 Yes, Johnny could only play piano "one finger style". Emma did accompany him as well as his son in law, Bob Corwin and Savannah's own Ken Palmer, Jr.
@@davidoppenheim3979 Yes, and he was hardly "just a lyricist"... pretty sure he provided both words and music on a number of tunes?
@@steveleverton757Precisely. Thank you.
@@davidoppenheim3979Kenny Palmer is a jazz legend here in Savannah
Genius poet
Unlike the other lyricists who were recognized by Maurice Levine at the NYC YMHA; unfortunately Johnny's performance was not commercially filmed. Footage does exist that his son Jeff did.
Any idea how to obtain the footage?
@@louisf7773 Email me at rolldoctor411@gmail.com. I will send you the DVD of that film footage.
It's astonishing to see how many standards he wrote. Imagine someone who wrote with Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, Harry Warren, Henry Mancini, so many others, even Jerome Kern. And 99% of people under 50 have never heard of him.
Sad commentary on the educational level of younger Americans now.
Yes, he is behind the Moss Curtain in Savannah, Ga
14 March 1971, to be exact. I was there. This is a degraded sounding recording. Do you want a digital x-fer of the original master? It's free -PD. -much better sound q.
Yes!
@@djworrell The beginning is kind of rough but the rest seems OK.