Emma Kelly

For the English footballer, see Emma Kelly (footballer).
Emma Kelly
Kelly (at the piano) and Nancy Hillis in 1994
Background information
Born(1918-12-17)December 17, 1918
Statesboro, Georgia
DiedJanuary 17, 2001(2001-01-17) (aged 82)
Savannah, Georgia
OccupationMusician
InstrumentPiano
Years active1940s–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, directed by Clint Eastwood. In 1997, Kelly had played in 39 of the 50 United States.[2]

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.[3]

Early life

Kelly was born in 1918 in Statesboro, Georgia,[4] where she became known as "Mrs. Emma".[5] She began dabbling on the piano at the age of three.[5] When her mother heard her trying to play "Jesus Loves Me", she taught it to her.[2] During her childhood, Kelly attended New Hope Methodist Church, on Georgia State Route 24.[6]

Career

During World War II, Kelly played events for United Service Organizations at Fort Stewart in southeast Georgia.[5]

For most of her life, Kelly drove around southern Georgia to play piano at various events,[7] including daily visits to Savannah. On Sunday mornings, she was guaranteed to be found attending her church, First Baptist in Statesboro, even if she had returned home from an event in the early hours. Kelly played the piano for the Sunday school and sang in the church choir.[5] In September 1985, she became co-owner, with Joe Odom, of Emma's Piano Lounge in an old cotton warehouse on River Street in Savannah. She held her 70th birthday party there in 1988.[8] The bar was forced to close in 1991 after Odom squandered its earnings. Odom died that November, aged 43. "He could do you wrong. And he did me wrong," Kelly said in 1997. "But I miss Joe. I get a little teary-eyed thinking about him. He had a flair for coming up with good ideas."[2]

In the fall of 1987, John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, accompanied Kelly to a Sunday church service in Vidalia, Georgia. Berendt recounted the day in a chapter of the book dedicated to Kelly.[6]

Upon the release of Berendt's book, in January 1994, Kelly played the piano aboard the Savannah River Queen ferry, in the presence of the author, in a feature for Good Morning America. She was shown performing Johnny Mercer's "Pardon My Southern Accent".[9] Clint Eastwood rewrote the script for the book's screenplay to include a scene with Kelly.[5]

In 1994, she was performing weekly sittings at Hard Hearted Hannah's East, above the Pirates' House in Savannah.[10] The bar was named for "Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah)",[11] a 1924 song by Jack Yellen, Bob Bigelow and Charles Bates.[12]

Personal life

Kelly was married to George Ross Kelly, a sign painter, for 47 years — from 1936 until his death from a heart attack in 1983 at the age of 70.[3] Together, they had ten children.[1] G. Ross Kelly, one of her sons, released a book titled What's Your Favorite Song? about his mother in 2015.[5]

Death

Kelly died in 2001 from a liver ailment. She was 82.[1]

Accolades and legacy

Kelly was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1998.[13] She performed at the event.[14] The Emma Kelly Theater, on Main Street in Statesboro, is named for her.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Emma Kelly, 82, 'Lady of 6,000 Songs'" - New York Times, January 29, 2001
  2. ^ a b c DEAN, SUELLEN E. "An evening with EMMA KELLY Savannah songbird to sing for Spartanburg benefit The Lady of Six Thousand Voices from the 'Garden of Good and Evil'". Spartanburg Herald Journal. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
  3. ^ a b "Our 'Mrs. Emma'" - Statesboro Herald, October 18, 2015
  4. ^ "'Midnight' at 30: My look at The Book from the time and place it was written". The Savannahian. 2024-01-22. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Our 'Mrs. Emma'". www.statesboroherald.com. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  6. ^ a b "Interview with Emma Kelly (March 30 and April 20, 1988)". digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu. 2022. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  7. ^ Payne, Benjamin (2024-01-17). "'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' turns 30: How the book left a lasting mark on Savannah". Georgia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
  8. ^ Eskew, Glenn T. (2013-11-15). Johnny Mercer: Southern Songwriter for the World. University of Georgia Press. p. 380. ISBN 978-0-8203-3330-4.
  9. ^ John Berendt (2024-08-14). John Berendt on Good Morning America - Jan 12, 1994 - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Retrieved 2026-01-01 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ Tryggestad, Erik (2025-04-25). "'Statesboro Blues'". The Christian Chronicle. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
  11. ^ Byrd, Georgia (1999). Romantic Days and Nights in Savannah: Romantic Diversions in and Around the Port City. Globe Pequot Press. p. 29. ISBN 978-0-7627-0292-3.
  12. ^ "Oct 26, 1994, page 41 - The Atlanta Constitution at Atlanta Journal Constitution". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  13. ^ Georgia Music Hall of Fame inductee list
  14. ^ "Emma's acceptance piano speech Emma Kelly Ga Music Hall of Fame" - YouTube, October 26, 2014
  15. ^ "Fox funds light up Emma Kelly". www.statesboroherald.com. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
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