[78-L] Happy 100th, Johnny Mercer

[Cary Ginell]

Just finished watching a splendid 90-minute documentary on Johnny Mercer that was produced by Clint Eastwood. An amazingly good job, well-annotated, terrific video clips, and a fitting tribute to one of the most prolific and stylish lyricists of the century. Mercer's 100th birthday is coming up in a few weeks, so it would behoove every one of us to pull out a Mercer record (or one on Capitol at least) and play it. Wouldn't be hard to find one, either. 

 

Funny - coincidentally, I had just found a copy of Mercer's first solo record - a 1934 pairing on Decca 142 of "Lord, I Give You My Children" (a relative of "Mama Don't Allow" as he introduces members of his band: Jack Teagarden, Dick McDonough, Sterling Bose) backed with "The Bathtub Ran Over Again!" Mercer did a few vocals prior to that with the Whiteman and Dorsey Bros. orchestras, but this was his first disc done under his own name.

 

Cary Ginell
 		 	   		  
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