Georgia on My Mind - The Life and Music of Hoagy Carmichael

Jazz pianist Hoagy Carmichael's story is one of awhere many composers were experiencing
musician overcoming the odds. For Hoagyunprecedented success. Over the subsequent
Carmichael, life started with a succession ofdecade, picking out a tune on a piano earned him
homes across the Midwest as his father movedsuccess that his mother could never have
their family around looking for steady work,forseen when warning him against a musical
returning always to Bloomington, Indiana. While hiscareer path many years earlier. During this period,
mother would play piano for the local movieHoagy Carmichael worked alongside lyricists such
houses and at dances, Carmichael would standas Mitchell Parish, Frank Loesser and Johnny
beside her. He later reflected on this time, stating,Mercer.
"Ragtime was my lullaby."By the late 1940's, the musician had achieved
Lida Carmichael, Hoagy's mother, dreamed ofalmost unparalleled success. Hoagy Carmichael
seeing her son become the president of a railroad.was a household name with hits on the radio,
Railroad work wasn't in the future for Carmichael.record deals and appearances in movies such as
With his mother's musical ear and a burning"To Have and Have Not" and "The Best Year of
ambition to become a jazz musician, Hoagy wentOur Lives." In 1946, three of four songs on the
to hear Louie Jordan playing with an early jazzHit Parade were written by Hoagy Carmichael. In
ensemble in 1919. The performance convinced him1951, Hoagy won an Oscar along with Johnny
to become a musician.Mercer for 'In the Cool, Cool, Cool of Evening."
The final piece of his future destiny fell into placeHoagy was even host of his own TV show, "The
when Hoagy Carmichael played an improvisedSaturday Night Review."
piano tune for coronet player and fellow jazzThe charm of Carmichael as an entertainer was in
enthusiast Bix Beiderbecke. Bix asked Hoagy whyhis ability to remain the kind of person that the
he didn't write music himself, and thereafterpublic felt they could have a drink with or a share
Hoagy decided to become a musician, songwritera joke over dinner. Hoagy Carmichael was an
and entertainer for a living.entertainer that the average person felt they
As with many artists, the road to success andcould identify with easily. He was someone who
fame wasn't always smooth. After initial successshared the same hopes and dreams they did.
with the celebrated "Washboard Blues" andBeneath his easy going exterior, the musician
"Riverboat Shuffle," Hoagy moved to New Yorkretained an intensity of emotion which powered
City.his music and desire to produce quality work. To
Finding that his initial success faded, Hoagysee Carmichael late in his career at his piano
eventually had to work a job selling bonds with aperforming songs like "Lazybones" and "Ole
Wall Street broker to make ends meet. He choseButtermilk Sky" with his unique style and
to produce music he believed in rather thandistinctive voice made it hard to imagine that he
succumb to growing pressure to produceever struggled to achieve success.
commercial songs.Carmichael's tale of himself as a young kid going
The conviction and desire to remain true to thecrazy for jazz music and making the piano his
music he loved finally yielded results with thelife's work is the story of a triumph of the human
release of songs like "Rockin' Chair," "Georgia onspirit. Hoagy Carmichael's journey from humble
My Mind" and "Lazy River." Alongside artists suchmusical beginnings wasn't always smooth, but his
as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, the newdevelopment as a musician and entertainer gave
medium of radio quickly thrust Hoagy Carmichael,many popular and highly regarded songs to the
the pianist from Indiana, into the spotlight.public during his long and successful career.
In 1936, Hoagy made the move to Hollywood,