Emma Kelly
Emma Kelly | |
|---|---|
 Emma Kelly (at the piano) and Nancy Hillis in 1994 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | December 17, 1918 Statesboro, Georgia |
| Died | January 17, 2001 (aged 82) Savannah, Georgia |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Piano |
| Years active | 1940s–1980s |
Emma Thompson Kelly (December 17, 1918 – January 17, 2001) was an American musician. Known as the "Lady of 6,000 Songs",[1] she appeared in both John Berendt's 1994 book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and its 1997 movie adaptation.
Her nickname was given to her by Johnny Mercer, who — after challenging her to play numerous songs he named — estimated she knew 6,000 songs from memory.[2]
Personal life
Kelly was married to George Kelly for 46 years — from 1936 until his death from a heart attack in 1982.[2] Together they had ten children.[1] Her youngest son, Ross, tried unsuccessfully to commit suicide after breaking up with his girlfriend. He fired a rifle at himself, but it punctured his lung instead of his heart. It left his mother with a hospital bill of $40,000, which meant she had to work day and night towards paying it off.[3]
Death
Kelly died on January 17, 2001, from a liver ailment. She was 82.[1]
Accolades
Kelly was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1998.[4] She performed at the event.[5]
References
- ^ a b c "Emma Kelly, 82, 'Lady of 6,000 Songs'" - New York Times, January 29, 2001
- ^ a b "Our 'Mrs. Emma'" - Statesboro Herald, October 18, 2015
- ^ Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (Random House, 1994, John Berendt)
- ^ Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee list
- ^ "Emma's acceptance piano speech Emma Kelly Ga Music Hall of Fame" - YouTube, October 26, 2014
External links
- Emma Kelly at IMDb
- Emma Thompson Kelly at FindAGrave.com
- Emma Kelly - Statesboro - YouTube, May 7, 2010