Jazz Articles about Gene Lees

Portrait Of Johnny: The Life Of John Herndon Mercer

by David Rickert
July 5, 2006

Gene Lees Portrait Of Johnny: The Life Of John Herndon Mercer Pantheon Books ISBN: 0-634-09929-9 384 pages 2004

When it comes to songwriting, lyricists don't get much credit. While many people may know, for instance, that Henry Mancini wrote the music for “Moon River, many fewer are likely to know that Johnny Mercer wrote the lyrics. Great lyrics can make a song, but lyric writing is an art that's largely ...