Image Courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library

Perhaps one of the best stories about Johnny involves his father’s business, which lost so much money for his investors when Johnny was in high school. In 1955, Capitol Records, in which Johnny still owned stock though he wasn’t involved in day-to-day operations, was sold to EMI Records. Johnny was a millionaire from the sale, and he knew immediately where he wanted to put the money. Thirty years earlier his father’s business had lost nearly two million dollars of his investor’s money. George Mercer labored the remainder of his life repaying that money. Even after his death, payments were still made though not for several years. Johnny took his profits from the Capitol sale, and cleared his father’s debt.

Acts such as these, of generosity and honor, reached a smaller audience than his songs, but were just as meaningful and moving. Johnny left an impressive legacy for anyone seeking to find success in a new life. He lived until 1976. Several years earlier he began experiencing dizziness, sometimes stumbling or hitting a wall as he lost his equilibrium. Johnny, with a fear of doctors, put off seeing a specialist for some time, but he was finally diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. The tumor was inoperable by most doctors’ standards, except for one. Dr. Ted Kurze was known to be very aggressive in treatment, and he agreed to operate. The operation, however, did not go well. Johnny was left in a semi-comatose state, unable to communicate. He lived this way for eight months, passing away on Ginger’s birthday, June 25, 1976.

Mercer's tombstone at Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery

In losing Johnny Mercer, the world was left the poorer. His childhood in the south exposed Johnny to a rich verbal history and beautiful imagery both of which he carried with him his whole life, always returning “home” to Savannah when he needed to return to his roots. His ability to perform acts of generosity and kindness, and his lyrical genius to bring new emotions and experiences to his audience affected millions of people around the world.

Vocabulary

Benign – a type of tumor that is not cancerous, but may still threaten someone’s health by its growth

Comatose – a state of unconsciousness

Equilibrium – a state of balance that allows people to walk without falling

Legacy – a gift left by someone to the world; something that is handed down or remains from a previous generation or time

Stock – a supply of capital, or money, invested in a company

Teaching Tips

Johnny lived up to his father’s expectations and repaid the business’s investors, even though it was 30 years later. Have students write an essay about how they have done something honorable or helpful that lived up to their parent’s expectations of them.

Sources

Philip Furia, Skylark: The Life and Times of Johnny Mercer (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003), 204-209, 255-268