Sweet Georgia Brown's

Not to be confused with the song "Sweet Georgia Brown".
Sweet Georgia Brown's
Sweet Georgia Brown's was located in this building in Savannah's City Market
Map
General information
LocationSavannah, Georgia, U.S.
Address312 West St. Julian Street
Coordinates32°04′52″N 81°05′43″W / 32.0810°N 81.0952°W / 32.0810; -81.0952

Sweet Georgia Brown's was a piano bar in Savannah, Georgia.[1] Located at 312 West St. Julian Street, on Franklin Square in Savannah's City Market,[2] the bar was co-owned by musicians Joe Odom[3] and Nancy Hillis,[4][5][6] real-life characters in John Berendt's book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1994).[7][8] "For over two years, it was the place everyone wanted to be in Savannah and everyone partied there until the wee hours," said Kathryn Gifford, a Savannah tour guide in 1997.[7] Emma Kelly, dubbed the "Lady of 6,000 Songs" by Johnny Mercer, regularly played at the bar.

The bar was named for "Sweet Georgia Brown", a song released in 1925 by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard, with lyrics by Kenneth Casey.

A branch of Savannah's Candy Kitchen occupies the bar's former location today.

  1. ^ Gianetti, Candice; Russell, Jacqueline (1989). The American South '89. Fodor's Travel Publications. p. 110. ISBN 978-0-679-01696-0.
  2. ^ Williams, John C. (1989-02-12). "WHAT'S DOING IN: Savannah". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  3. ^ Russell, Shawndra. "Music Matters: Savannah's Jeff Beasley got his start at Sweet Georgia Brown's". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  4. ^ Porter, Darwin; Prince, Danforth (1998-04-17). Frommer's Portable Charleston & Savannah. Wiley. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-02-862445-7.
  5. ^ "Nancy Hillis, ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’s’ Mandy, passes away" - Savannah Morning News, August 9, 2016
  6. ^ "'This is the real me'; 'Midnight' star Nancy Hillis shines light on her life in new book" - Bluffon Today, January 20, 2016
  7. ^ a b By (1997-03-16). "MIDDAY IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL: FANS OF BOOK FLOCK TO GEORGIA". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  8. ^ Berendt, John (1994-01-13). Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Random House Publishing Group. p. 183. ISBN 978-0-679-42922-7.