Emma Kelly

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.