Our Story
The mission of The Johnny Mercer Foundation (JMF) is to support the discipline of songwriting in the tradition of the Great American Songbook as exemplified by the life and work of Johnny Mercer: lyricist, composer, performer, collaborator, and producer. The Foundation continues Johnny’s legacy by partnering with individuals and organizations dedicated to celebrating and nourishing the disciplines he mastered, and the causes he and Ginger Mercer championed.
To that end, we have created a number of creative joint ventures with several institutions to facilitate our goals, including:
Accentuate The Positive
Accentuate the Positive in New York, Atlanta, and Southern California as well as other educational initiatives with the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and the Kaufman Music Center in New York City.
The Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project at Belmont University
The Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project at Belmont University to nurture and encourage young talent in the field of songwriting.
The Johnny Mercer Collection at Georgia State University
The Johnny Mercer Collection at Georgia State University, where Johnny’s many works, personal papers, and memorabilia are housed. We also support Georgia State University in a fellowship program to facilitate music education through the development of a K-12 curriculum that focuses on, but is not limited to, songwriting and the Great American Songbook.
The JMF Young Songwriters Intensive at Snow Pond Center for the Arts
The Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriting Intensive at Snow Pond Center for the Arts to mentor young artists and equip them with the skills and tools to pursue professional songwriting careers.
The Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals
The Johnny Mercer Writers Grove at Goodspeed Musicals for emerging and professional writers to research, develop, and create new musicals.
Help us carry out Johnny’s legacy
