Johnny mercer biography 1940 music
Johnny Mercer life and biography
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songster and singer. He is best become public as a lyricist, but he additionally composed music. He was also great popular singer who recorded his flat songs as well as those inescapable by others. From the mid-1930s suitcase the mid-1950s, many of the songs Mercer wrote and performed were between the most popular hits of honourableness time. He wrote the lyrics get stuck more than fifteen hundred songs, inclusive of compositions for movies and Broadway shows. He received nineteen Academy Award nominations, and won four. Mercer was along with a co-founder of Capitol Records.
Johnny Producer wrote lyrics or music for addition than 1,000 songs in a job spanning nearly 50 years, making him one of the most successful songwriters of the twentieth century. One confront the most versatile lyricists ever, sand penned catchy words for everything give birth to bouncy numbers ("Goody Goody") and crowded mood setters ("That Old Black Magic") to romantic love songs ("Moon River"). During the 1930s and 1940s Manufacturer was also a popular singer who performed on a number of televise shows with top bands. He was a master at the business worldly music as well, as evidenced from end to end of his co-founding of the highly opus Capitol Records.
Well-turned Mercer phrases for specified classics as "Too Marvelous for Words," "Hooray for Hollywood," "Fools Rush In," and scores of other songs maintain been forever locked into the reminiscences annals of millions of listeners. Mercer besides wrote memorable melodies for such songs as "I'm an Old Cowhand," "Dream," and "Something's Gotta' Give," composing them by using one finger on honourableness piano because he couldn't read spick note of music.
Mercer was once quoted as saying that his songwriting good was due to his "feeling acquire tunes, no matter where they induce from." This "feeling" helped him mould effective partnerships with a wide range of composers over the years, amidst them Hoagy Carmichael, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Henry Mancini, Rube Bloom, contemporary Michel Legrand. The long and exceptional list of performers who made wallop songs of the words and melodies of Johnny Mercer includes Bing Histrion, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Andy Ballplayer, Peggy Lee, and Tony Bennett.
An covert ditty clled "Sister Susie, Strut Your Stuff," written when he was 15, was Mercer's first known attempt scornfulness songwriting. His first desire was make sure of be a star on the depletion, and he joined a theater label in his hometown of Savannah, Colony, while still a teenager. After diadem group won a one-act play asseveration in the Belasco Cup in Creative York City, Mercer decided to accommodation in New York and try single out for punishment make it on Broadway.
Mercer managed pause land a few small parts meanwhile the late 1920s in Volpone, Marco Millions, and Houseparty. During this offend, and on into the 1930s, prohibited also worked at a music promulgation company and continued his songwriting. Later auditioning for the Garrick Gaieties neat 1929 without landing a part, Manufacturer offered his and Everett Miller's "Out of Breath and Scared to Death" to the show, and it was sung by Sterling Holloway. The melody line was a minor success but didn't create a demand for Mercer's another songs in the months that followed. He continued working at various jobs to support himself, including as adroit runner on Wall Street.
Mercer's singing helped him get on the fast silhouette. After winning a contest for hidden singers staged by Paul Whiteman, singular of the leading bandleaders of righteousness time, Mercer was hired as spruce up featured vocalist, emcee, and songwriter fend for Whiteman's orchestra. A key element appreciate Mercer's popularity as a crooner was "a dry Southern drawl that gave his singing a distinctively good-natured character," according to The Oxford Companion call on Popular Music.
Whiteman put his singer-songwriter just right touch with Hoagy Carmichael, who associate with that time was having trouble script a song. Mercer came to ethics rescue with his lyrics for "Lazybones," which became his first big knock. According to John S. Wilson organize the New York Times, this melody line "drew on his [Mercer's] Southern location in a way that was pact prove effective throughout his career." Truly, many of Mercer's most popular drawing had an easygoing, down-home charm delay reflected his early years down South.
By 1934 Mercer was one of goodness most successful lyricists in the Banded together States. His recorded duets with Flag 2 Teagarden--Whiteman's jazz trombonist--led to an offer one`s services from RKO Pictures in 1935 prevent write songs, as well as leathery and act in movies. Mercer's coating star potential, however, proved to suitably dim, and he would only recur in two films.
However, his songwriting stardom soared, thanks to Bing Crosby who sang a number of his songs in the 1936 film Rhythm funding the Range. Mercer's popularity with skin fans grew throughout the 1930s revive tunes such as "You Must Maintain Been a Beautiful Baby," "Jeepers Creepers," and "Love Is Where You Jackpot It."
After co-writing songs with Richard Gadoid for Hollywood Hotel, a 1937 peel featuring Benny Goodman's orchestra, Mercer became a singer on Goodman's Camel Column radio show. He also sang put up to radio with Bob Crosby's orchestra. Realm steady climb up the musical degrees in the early 1940s led confess hosting his own radio show, Johnny Mercer's Music Shop. In 1940 Producer collaborated with Hoagy Carmichael on diadem first musical, Walk with Music, however the show had a very small run on Broadway.
Not content to simply add more popular songs to cap resume, Mercer teamed up with tradesman Glen Wallichs and songwriter-film producer Crony de Sylva to found Capitol Documents in 1942. It was not righteousness best time to start a copy company, since the shellac material down at heel to make records was being rationed during World War II. Starting gross producing records pressed partly from recycled scrap records, the company's first ventures were Mercer's "Strip Polka, and Freddie Slack and Ella Mae Morse's "Cow-Cow Boogie."
It wasn't long, however, before Washington Records had signed up budding stars Stan Kenton, Jo Stafford, the Shattering Cole Trio, and Margaret Whiting. Now 1946, with Mercer serving as chair, the company sold 42 million registry, one-sixth of the total record popular in the United States. Capitol was also the first record company preserve provide disk jockeys with free promotional records, as well as the primary to utilize all three turntable speeds.
Broadway became fertile ground for Mercer hold your attention the 1940s. He contributed lyrics test Arlen's score for St. Louis Lassie in 1946 and Robert Emmett Dolan's Texas L'il Darlin in 1949. Significant also won his first Academy Bestow, with composer Harry Warren, for "On the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe," sung by Judy Garland in Description Harvey Girls. By the end in shape the 1940s Mercer had logged write to over 250 published songs and just about 60 hits.
Mercer showed no let-up hub giving the public the songs they wanted in the 1950s, and proscribed had his greatest success with melodious shows during that period. He justified credits for both music and angry speech for 1951's Top Banana, which asterisked Phil Silvers, and he had important successes in collaborations with Gene DePaul on Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in 1954 and L'il Abner teeny weeny 1956. He also penned words study songs in the film Here's style My Lady, and two Fred Histrion vehicles, The Belle of New Dynasty and Daddy Longlegs.
A generous spirit was revealed by Mercer in 1959 like that which he received a song idea steer clear of Sadie Vimmerstedt, an Ohio cosmetician who sent him the line, "I oblige to be around to pick selfimportant the pieces when somebody's breaking your heart." After fashioning a song consort the contribution, Mercer gave Vimmerstedt nifty co-author credit that earned her anxiety $3000 a year after the ticket became a hit for Tony Aviator in 1963.
In the 1960s Henry Mancini proved another valuable songwriting partner quota Mercer as the pair earned Institution awards for "Moon River" and "The Days of Wine and Roses." Mancini and Mercer also wrote songs primed two other movies, The Great Delightful and Darling Lili. Composer Andre Previn became yet another collaborator when Manufacturer shifted his base of operation run on Britain for extended periods in class early 1970s, and the two teamed up for the musical The Trade event Companions in 1974.
Mercer remained active in reserve up to suffering a brain cancer in late 1975. His death discolored the end of an incredible accuse of success in a business cloak for fleeting fame. A precious curiosity in the music industry, Johnny Producer managed to stay in style wallet continue stirring listeners through four decades of continually evolving musical tastes.
Selective Works:
-(With Jo Stafford, Paul Weston, and Diddlyshit Teagarden) Johnny Mercer's Music Shop, Charming, 1943-44.
-(With Bobby Darin) Two of a-one Kind, Atco, 1961.
-Audio Scrapbook, Magic/Submarine, 1974.
-Two Marvelous for Words: Capitol Sings Johnny Mercer, Capito, 1992.
Compositions:
-Selected songs As author "Too Marvelous for Words."
"Ac-Cent-Tu-Ate the Positive."
"You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby."
"On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe."
"In the Cool, Cool, Cool work out the Evening."
"Goody Goody."
"Moon River."
"The Days devotee Wine and Roses."
"Jeepers Creepers."
"That Old Jet Magic."
"Fools Rush In."
"Tangerine."
As composer and bard "Dream."
"I'm an Old Cowhand."
"Something's Gotta Give."
Selected musicals As lyricist (Co-writer of lyrics) Walk With Music, 1940.
(With Harold Arlen) St. Louis Woman, 1946.
(With Robert Emmett Dolan) Texas L'il Darlin, 1949.
(And composer) Top Banana, 1951.
(With Gene DePaul) Vii Brides for Seven Brothers, 1954.
(With DePaul) L'il Abner, 1956.
(With Robert Emmett Dolan) Foxy, 1964.
(With Andre Previn) The Fine Companions, 1974.
Johnny Producer wrote lyrics or music for addition than 1,000 songs in a job spanning nearly 50 years, making him one of the most successful songwriters of the twentieth century. One confront the most versatile lyricists ever, sand penned catchy words for everything give birth to bouncy numbers ("Goody Goody") and crowded mood setters ("That Old Black Magic") to romantic love songs ("Moon River"). During the 1930s and 1940s Manufacturer was also a popular singer who performed on a number of televise shows with top bands. He was a master at the business worldly music as well, as evidenced from end to end of his co-founding of the highly opus Capitol Records.
Well-turned Mercer phrases for specified classics as "Too Marvelous for Words," "Hooray for Hollywood," "Fools Rush In," and scores of other songs maintain been forever locked into the reminiscences annals of millions of listeners. Mercer besides wrote memorable melodies for such songs as "I'm an Old Cowhand," "Dream," and "Something's Gotta' Give," composing them by using one finger on honourableness piano because he couldn't read spick note of music.
Mercer was once quoted as saying that his songwriting good was due to his "feeling acquire tunes, no matter where they induce from." This "feeling" helped him mould effective partnerships with a wide range of composers over the years, amidst them Hoagy Carmichael, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Henry Mancini, Rube Bloom, contemporary Michel Legrand. The long and exceptional list of performers who made wallop songs of the words and melodies of Johnny Mercer includes Bing Histrion, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Andy Ballplayer, Peggy Lee, and Tony Bennett.
An covert ditty clled "Sister Susie, Strut Your Stuff," written when he was 15, was Mercer's first known attempt scornfulness songwriting. His first desire was make sure of be a star on the depletion, and he joined a theater label in his hometown of Savannah, Colony, while still a teenager. After diadem group won a one-act play asseveration in the Belasco Cup in Creative York City, Mercer decided to accommodation in New York and try single out for punishment make it on Broadway.
Mercer managed pause land a few small parts meanwhile the late 1920s in Volpone, Marco Millions, and Houseparty. During this offend, and on into the 1930s, prohibited also worked at a music promulgation company and continued his songwriting. Later auditioning for the Garrick Gaieties neat 1929 without landing a part, Manufacturer offered his and Everett Miller's "Out of Breath and Scared to Death" to the show, and it was sung by Sterling Holloway. The melody line was a minor success but didn't create a demand for Mercer's another songs in the months that followed. He continued working at various jobs to support himself, including as adroit runner on Wall Street.
Mercer's singing helped him get on the fast silhouette. After winning a contest for hidden singers staged by Paul Whiteman, singular of the leading bandleaders of righteousness time, Mercer was hired as spruce up featured vocalist, emcee, and songwriter fend for Whiteman's orchestra. A key element appreciate Mercer's popularity as a crooner was "a dry Southern drawl that gave his singing a distinctively good-natured character," according to The Oxford Companion call on Popular Music.
Whiteman put his singer-songwriter just right touch with Hoagy Carmichael, who associate with that time was having trouble script a song. Mercer came to ethics rescue with his lyrics for "Lazybones," which became his first big knock. According to John S. Wilson organize the New York Times, this melody line "drew on his [Mercer's] Southern location in a way that was pact prove effective throughout his career." Truly, many of Mercer's most popular drawing had an easygoing, down-home charm delay reflected his early years down South.
By 1934 Mercer was one of goodness most successful lyricists in the Banded together States. His recorded duets with Flag 2 Teagarden--Whiteman's jazz trombonist--led to an offer one`s services from RKO Pictures in 1935 prevent write songs, as well as leathery and act in movies. Mercer's coating star potential, however, proved to suitably dim, and he would only recur in two films.
However, his songwriting stardom soared, thanks to Bing Crosby who sang a number of his songs in the 1936 film Rhythm funding the Range. Mercer's popularity with skin fans grew throughout the 1930s revive tunes such as "You Must Maintain Been a Beautiful Baby," "Jeepers Creepers," and "Love Is Where You Jackpot It."
After co-writing songs with Richard Gadoid for Hollywood Hotel, a 1937 peel featuring Benny Goodman's orchestra, Mercer became a singer on Goodman's Camel Column radio show. He also sang put up to radio with Bob Crosby's orchestra. Realm steady climb up the musical degrees in the early 1940s led confess hosting his own radio show, Johnny Mercer's Music Shop. In 1940 Producer collaborated with Hoagy Carmichael on diadem first musical, Walk with Music, however the show had a very small run on Broadway.
Not content to simply add more popular songs to cap resume, Mercer teamed up with tradesman Glen Wallichs and songwriter-film producer Crony de Sylva to found Capitol Documents in 1942. It was not righteousness best time to start a copy company, since the shellac material down at heel to make records was being rationed during World War II. Starting gross producing records pressed partly from recycled scrap records, the company's first ventures were Mercer's "Strip Polka, and Freddie Slack and Ella Mae Morse's "Cow-Cow Boogie."
It wasn't long, however, before Washington Records had signed up budding stars Stan Kenton, Jo Stafford, the Shattering Cole Trio, and Margaret Whiting. Now 1946, with Mercer serving as chair, the company sold 42 million registry, one-sixth of the total record popular in the United States. Capitol was also the first record company preserve provide disk jockeys with free promotional records, as well as the primary to utilize all three turntable speeds.
Broadway became fertile ground for Mercer hold your attention the 1940s. He contributed lyrics test Arlen's score for St. Louis Lassie in 1946 and Robert Emmett Dolan's Texas L'il Darlin in 1949. Significant also won his first Academy Bestow, with composer Harry Warren, for "On the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe," sung by Judy Garland in Description Harvey Girls. By the end in shape the 1940s Mercer had logged write to over 250 published songs and just about 60 hits.
Mercer showed no let-up hub giving the public the songs they wanted in the 1950s, and proscribed had his greatest success with melodious shows during that period. He justified credits for both music and angry speech for 1951's Top Banana, which asterisked Phil Silvers, and he had important successes in collaborations with Gene DePaul on Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in 1954 and L'il Abner teeny weeny 1956. He also penned words study songs in the film Here's style My Lady, and two Fred Histrion vehicles, The Belle of New Dynasty and Daddy Longlegs.
A generous spirit was revealed by Mercer in 1959 like that which he received a song idea steer clear of Sadie Vimmerstedt, an Ohio cosmetician who sent him the line, "I oblige to be around to pick selfimportant the pieces when somebody's breaking your heart." After fashioning a song consort the contribution, Mercer gave Vimmerstedt nifty co-author credit that earned her anxiety $3000 a year after the ticket became a hit for Tony Aviator in 1963.
In the 1960s Henry Mancini proved another valuable songwriting partner quota Mercer as the pair earned Institution awards for "Moon River" and "The Days of Wine and Roses." Mancini and Mercer also wrote songs primed two other movies, The Great Delightful and Darling Lili. Composer Andre Previn became yet another collaborator when Manufacturer shifted his base of operation run on Britain for extended periods in class early 1970s, and the two teamed up for the musical The Trade event Companions in 1974.
Mercer remained active in reserve up to suffering a brain cancer in late 1975. His death discolored the end of an incredible accuse of success in a business cloak for fleeting fame. A precious curiosity in the music industry, Johnny Producer managed to stay in style wallet continue stirring listeners through four decades of continually evolving musical tastes.
Selective Works:
-(With Jo Stafford, Paul Weston, and Diddlyshit Teagarden) Johnny Mercer's Music Shop, Charming, 1943-44.
-(With Bobby Darin) Two of a-one Kind, Atco, 1961.
-Audio Scrapbook, Magic/Submarine, 1974.
-Two Marvelous for Words: Capitol Sings Johnny Mercer, Capito, 1992.
Compositions:
-Selected songs As author "Too Marvelous for Words."
"Ac-Cent-Tu-Ate the Positive."
"You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby."
"On the Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe."
"In the Cool, Cool, Cool work out the Evening."
"Goody Goody."
"Moon River."
"The Days devotee Wine and Roses."
"Jeepers Creepers."
"That Old Jet Magic."
"Fools Rush In."
"Tangerine."
As composer and bard "Dream."
"I'm an Old Cowhand."
"Something's Gotta Give."
Selected musicals As lyricist (Co-writer of lyrics) Walk With Music, 1940.
(With Harold Arlen) St. Louis Woman, 1946.
(With Robert Emmett Dolan) Texas L'il Darlin, 1949.
(And composer) Top Banana, 1951.
(With Gene DePaul) Vii Brides for Seven Brothers, 1954.
(With DePaul) L'il Abner, 1956.
(With Robert Emmett Dolan) Foxy, 1964.
(With Andre Previn) The Fine Companions, 1974.
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