John Fogerty is this year’s recipient of the Johnny Mercer Award, the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s highest honor. The announcement, made on , recognizes Fogerty’s significant contributions to songwriting and his enduring impact on American music. He joins a distinguished roster of past recipients including Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Paul Simon, Stephen Sondheim, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Dolly Parton, Neil Diamond, Diane Warren, and Stephen Schwartz, who received the award last year.
But who was Johnny Mercer? For many contemporary music fans, the name might not immediately ring a bell. Yet, as the Songwriters Hall of Fame itself notes, the award is reserved for those whose work embodies the high standards set by Mercer – a lyricist who dominated the Great American Songbook and whose influence extends far beyond that era.
Born John Herndon Mercer in Savannah, Georgia, on , Mercer’s path to songwriting wasn’t straightforward. Initially aiming for an acting career, he arrived in New York City in the late 1920s, taking on bit parts and various jobs to make ends meet. His breakthrough came in 1930 with a lyric for a Broadway production, The Garrick Gaieties of 1930. A singing contest win in 1932 led to a stint with the Paul Whiteman Band, where he met Hoagy Carmichael, resulting in the hit song “Lazybones” in 1933.
Mercer’s move to Hollywood in 1933 marked the beginning of a prolific period for the lyricist. He continued to perform, singing duets with artists like Jack Teagarden and Bing Crosby, and even enjoyed a period with the Benny Goodman Band in the late 1930s. He also hosted his own radio show, “Johnny Mercer’s Music Shop,” further solidifying his presence in the entertainment world.
Mercer’s lyrical genius is evident in a catalog of over 1,500 songs. He wasn’t just a lyricist; he was a storyteller, capable of capturing a wide range of emotions and experiences. He won back-to-back Academy Awards in and for co-writing “Moon River” and “Days of Wine and Roses,” respectively. Composer Henry Mancini, recognizing Mercer’s talent, famously saluted him with a line from “Moon River” when they won for “Days of Wine and Roses,” calling him “my huckleberry friend.”
Beyond those iconic Oscar winners, Mercer’s repertoire includes a wealth of beloved standards. “Hooray for Hollywood” remains a staple of the Academy Awards ceremonies. “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)” is a quintessential saloon song, forever associated with Frank Sinatra. Sinatra also famously recorded “Summer Wind” in 1966. Rick Nelson revived “Fools Rush In” in 1963, while “Dream” became a poignant ballad during World War II. Even a memorable moment on I Love Lucy featured Lucy and Ethel singing “I’m an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande)” in . Louis Prima & Keely Smith’s rendition of “That Old Black Magic” won at the inaugural Grammy Awards, and Tony Bennett’s highest-charting Hot 100 hit was “I Wanna Be Around.”
The list doesn’t stop there. Mercer’s songwriting credits also include “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate-the-Positive,” “Autumn Leaves,” “Blues in the Night,” “Jeepers, Creepers!,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “I Remember You,” “Charade,” “Skylark,” and “Too Marvelous for Words.”
Mercer’s influence extended beyond songwriting and performance. He co-founded Capitol Records in with Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallichs, a label that would become home to legendary artists like Nat King Cole, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles. He was also a successful recording artist in his own right, with 23 hits on Billboard’s pop charts between 1938 and 1952.
His recording of “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate-the-Positive,” featuring The Pied Pipers and Paul Weston’s orchestra, became a signature tune and was inducted into both the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and the National Recording Registry in 2014. Other notable recordings included “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” (also a Grammy Hall of Fame inductee) and “On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe.”
Even decades after his death, Mercer’s work continued to resonate with new generations. Barry Manilow, a devoted fan, was entrusted with a collection of Mercer’s unreleased lyrics by Mercer’s widow, Ginger. Manilow set one of them, “When October Goes,” to music in 1984, achieving a Top 20 hit on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Mercer’s collaborative relationship with Henry Mancini was particularly fruitful, resulting in not only back-to-back Oscar wins for “Moon River” and “Days of Wine and Roses” but also a nomination for best original song score for Darling Lili in 1970. They were the first songwriting team to achieve consecutive Oscar wins in the best original song category, a feat later matched by Alan Menken.
In , Mercer and Mancini also made history by becoming the first songwriters to have two songs nominated for song of the year at the Grammy Awards – “Days of Wine and Roses” and “I Wanna Be Around.” The story behind “I Wanna Be Around” is particularly charming: the song originated from a letter and opening line sent to Mercer by Sadie Vimmerstedt, a grandmother and beautician from Ohio.
Mercer’s career continued to flourish until his death on , in Los Angeles, California. Remarkably, just two months before his passing, the Salsoul Orchestra’s disco rendition of his 1942 hit “Tangerine” reached No. 18 on the Hot 100, a testament to the enduring appeal of his songwriting.
In , the Recording Academy honored Mercer with a Trustees Award, recognizing his profound contributions to the music industry. As the Academy’s program book noted, Mercer was “the finest all-around lyricist of the 20th century,” a singer with “a lighthearted, devil-may-care aura,” and a “smart and successful businessman.”
The Johnny Mercer Award, bestowed upon John Fogerty this year, serves as a fitting tribute to a songwriter whose work continues to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide. It’s a reminder that great songwriting transcends generations and that the legacy of a true lyricist lives on through the songs they create.
