-by Lori Grisham-

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(Image Courtesy Special Collections and Archives, Georgia State University Library)

Johnny Mercer wrote lyrics to over a thousand songs — classics like “Moon River” and “Accentuate the Positive.” He performed many of the songs he wrote, won four academy awards and founded Capitol Records.

Born in 1909, this year marks the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Mercer’s hometown of Savannah, Ga., is observing the occasion with a year-long celebration. Mercer maintained close ties to his hometown and locals say they remember Mercer for more than just his musical talent.

Mercer’s music is infused with the culture of Savannah, according to Rob Gibson, the executive director of the Savannah Music Festival.

“[Mercer] loved the way people talked, southern accents, the way people said ‘you got to accentuate the positive’ or ‘anyplace I hang my hat is home,’” he says.

Dianne Thurman, vice president of the Friends of Johnny Mercer a local Mercer fan club, says Mercer was known for his generosity.

“He was a man that was brought up to believe that a good man does good deeds in the dead of night,” she says. Mercer helped put a roof on a local church, paid for a child’s operation and settled his father’s debt years after he died.

Nancy Mercer Keith Gerard is Mercer’s niece. She says he was like a father to her and even walked her down the aisle at her wedding.

One Christmas, he took her shopping and surprised her the next morning, Gerard says.

“I don’t know how he did this but that Christmas morning, every single thing that I admired or looked at was under the tree for me,” she says.

Nancy Gerard is paying tribute to her uncle by helping the city to host centennial events in his honor all year long — including concerts, a community picnic and art exhibits.