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Released July 23, 2002

The finest singer from among the half-dozen songwriting giants of American popular music, Johnny Mercer sang "Personality" with an exhibition of same so smiling and exuberant it became one of the most familiar performances of the century. (Ironically, it's not one of his own songs; Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen actually wrote it.) During the war years, Mercer recorded dozens of crucial sides -- in the studio as well as on radio broadcasts -- along with his five other huge hits ("Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive," "Candy," "G.I. Jive," "Strip Polka," "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"). Still, compilations of his material have usually been either stringently brief hit collections that never range very far afield or "songwriter" collections that included other performers' versions of his songs. Sings Personality is easily the best single-disc compilation of Mercer's singing brilliance ever offered, including all of his hits as well as over 20 more intriguing songs. The Savannah native excelled in a duet setting, notching hits with his fawning, can't-miss performance of "Small Fry" with Bing Crosby and "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Margaret Whiting. ASV/Living Era goes even deeper into the vault with more obscure co-billings like "My Baby Likes to Be-Bop" with Nat King Cole, "Christmas Night in Harlem" with Jack Teagarden, and "Friendship" with Judy Garland. When major labels neglect the catalogues of traditional pop's most talented artists, specialty labels often gain an opportunity to present great music, and Sings Personality is one of the most splendid examples. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide

TRACKS

1. Lazy Bones
2. Christmas Night in Harlem
3. Small Fry
4. Mr. Crosby and Mr. Mercer
5. Cuckoo in the Clock
6. Show Your Linen, Miss Richardson
7. Friendship
8. Strip Polka
9. They Didn't Believe Me
10. The Old Music Master
11. G.I. Jive
12. Blues in the Night
13. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive
14. Candy
15. On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
16. A Gal in Calico
17. Personality
18. One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)
19. Winter Wonderland
20. Zip a Dee Doo Dah
21. Huggin' and a Chalkin'
22. Sugar Blues
23. My Baby Likes to Be-Bop
24. Hooray for Love
25. Baby, It's Cold Outside
26. She's Shimmyin' on the Beach Again

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