QUEEN LODGING. A beautiful view and a mood for swooning are mandatory with the Johnny Mercer name affixed. Located on the parlor level with multiple 12 foot window views, one could croon a Mercer tune while viewing Johnny Mercer's hometown of Savannah through the west courtyard of the luxury mansion inn. The rich burgundy bedroom features a queen walnut Renaissance Revival bed and fine bedding. The bath includes a vintage boudoir chest sink, claw foot tub and brass ring shower. Contact Savannah's family-friendly luxury inn
Tariff: $250
(click the photos for a larger view)
About John Herndon Mercer (1909-1976). Paul McCartney called Johnny Mercer, "The greatest lyricist on the planet," in "The Beatles Anthology." Johnny Mercer's presence is still felt in his hometown of Savannah . We drive along Johnny Mercer Boulevard on Wilmington Island . Head out toward Skidaway Island and you will pass over the stunning Moon River, known as the Back River until Mercer wed his unforgettable “ Moon River” lyrics to Henry Mancini's sweeping melody featuring Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffanys.” Above all, though, Mercer (1909-1976) lives through his numerous songs. Each November, the Friends of Johnny Mercer (email fjmsav@webtv.net) and The City of Savannah Cultural Affairs stage a musical tribute to the lyricist/composer at (where else?) the Johnny Mercer Theatre in the Savannah Civic Center .
Lovingly called “Savannah 's native son” and “Huckleberry Friend,” Johnny Mercer penned more than 1,500 songs, wrote songs for 90 films, won 4 Academy Awards®, was nominated 17 times for an Oscar®, and became one of the foremost figures of 20th century American popular music.
Savannah native Johnny Mercer had an ear for music and was often found writing lyrics and singing, but he refused to take piano lessons, afraid of what the other boys might think. As a teenager he sang in the choir at St. John's Episcopal Church on Madison Square, and by age fifteen had written his first song. As president and co-founder of Capitol Records, Mercer also helped launch the recording careers of such stellar performers as Peggy Lee, Margaret Whiting, and Nat King Cole. He was also an accomplished pop vocalist, performing with the Benny Goodman and Paul Whiteman orchestras.
Mercer House, located on the southwest corner of Monterey Square, was built in 1860 by Johnny Mercer's great grandfather, General Hugh Mercer. Restored by antique dealer and preservationist Jim Williams, the mansion and the Mercer name found a different kind of news prominence as the central crime scene of John Berendt novel, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story,” published in 1999.
Johnny Mercer died in June 1976. Shadowed by mammoth live oaks and the haunting grace of Spanish moss, the Johnny Mercer's grave is among those of many of Savannah's most illustrious citizens found in this Victorian-era Bonaventure cemetery. A permanent Johnny Mercer exhibit is located on the second floor of The University Library South on the Georgia State University campus. To learn more about Johnny Mercer and hear Mr. Mercer sing, click here. |
