HAPPY BIRTHDAY Johnny Mercer!
Accentuate the Positive
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Hank Ballard, Brand X’s 1977 LP LIVESTOCK, Jake Brockman (Echo & the Bunnymen), Carter Burwell, Michael Carabello (Santana), trumpeter-bandleader Don Cherry, Imogene Coca, John Nelson Darby, Linda Evans, Fabolous, composer-violist Lillian Fuchs, Kirk Hammett, Mexican Golden Age actor-singer Pedro Infante, Amanda Lear, Cherokee activist Wilma Mankiller, Paul McCartney’s 1985 single “Spies Like Us,” Metallica’s 1997 RELOAD album, Eugene Ormandy, Graham Parker, John Parr, Herman Rarebell (Scorpions), Cindy Blackman Santana, Rudy Sarzo, Compay Segundo, Duncan Sheik, astronaut Alan Sheperd, the 1930 Fred Astaire/Bob Hope musical SMILES, Howard Thurman, Shania Twain’s 2002 UP! album, Brenda Vaccaro, J.C. Watts, Kim Wilde, Owen Wilson, and the Great American singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer.
Among his many hit songs are now-standards such as “Autumn Leaves” and “Moon River”—all told he wrote lyrics for 1500 published songs. Besides winning many awards, he co-founded Capitol Records, the first “indie label” of the 20th Century not dependent on the film industry or other corporate interests. Mercer was one of those fabled “napkin writers,” meaning he’d grab any scrap of paper handy, throw down lyrics, then have a demo ready within hours. “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” was inspired by a sermon he heard on the radio. Normally he’d pitch the song to other singers but it was perfect for his voice. His recording was a Top 10 hit and has been used in several films. Here’s my take—It’s a touchstone of my “assisted living home set.”
#johnnymercer #positive #accentuate #singersongwriter #greatamericansongbook #napkin #film #soundtrack #assistedlivinghome #carehome #johnnyjblair #singeratlarge