Emma Kelly(1918-2001)
- Actress
Emma Kelly, the "Lady of 6,000 Songs" made famous by the book "Midnight
in the Garden of Good and Evil." John Berendt, author of the 1994 book
that was made into a motion picture, devoted an entire chapter to the
singer and pianist, describing Kelly as a teetotaling Baptist who
played cocktail lounges Saturday nights and Sunday schools on Sunday
mornings. The recognition made her Savannah nightclub act a must-see
for tourists. Kelly got her nickname from Savannah-born songwriter
Johnny Mercer, who, after challenging her to play numerous songs he
named, estimated she knew 6,000 songs from memory.
