"Georgia on My Mind" is a 1930 song written by Hoagy Carmichael (1899–1981), and Stuart Gorrell (1901–1963), and first recorded that same year by Hoagy Carmichael at the RCA Victor Studios at 155 East 24th Street in Manhattan of New York City. However, the song has been most often associated with soul singer Ray Charles (1930–2004), who was a native of the U.S. state of Georgia in The South of the United States, and recorded it for his 1960 album The Genius Hits the Road.

In 1979, the State of Georgia through its General Assembly of Georgia (state legislature), designated Ray Charles` version the official state song.[2][3] The song has become part of the Great American Songbook tradition.[4][5]

"Georgia on My Mind" has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame twice. The first induction was in 1993 for the 1960 recording on the ABC-Paramount label by Ray Charles. The second induction happened in 2014 for the earlier 1930 recording on the RCA Victor label by Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra.[6]

Background and original recording

It has been asserted by some that composer Hoagy Carmichael wrote the song about his sister, named "Georgia".[7][8] However, Carmichael wrote in his second published autobiography / memoirs Sometimes I Wonder (1976), that saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer (1901–1956), told him he should write a song about the state of Georgia. Trumbauer jokingly volunteered the first two words, "Georgia, Georgia...", which Carmichael ended up using while working later on the song with his roommate, Stuart Gorrell. Gorrell, who wrote the lyrics, stated however, that he wrote the lyrics about Carmichael’s sister.[4][9] Gorrell`s name was absent from the copyright application papers submitted to the U.S. Copyright Office, but Carmichael sent him royalty checks afterwards anyway.[4]

Carmichael first recorded "Georgia on My Mind", with Bix Beiderbecke (1903–1931), on cornet, in New York City on September 15, 1930.[4]

Ray Charles version

In 1960, Ray Charles, a native of Georgia, recorded a version of the song that went to No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot 100.[4][12] Charles` hit rendition would become the most widely-known version of the tune from this time on.[13][4][14][15] It would also be the song most associated with his musical career. The string intro was famously copied by the Eagles for their piano intro to "Desperado".[13]

In 1977, Robert Grossman, James Picker and Craig Whitaker created a clay animation short, Jimmy the C, in which U.S. President Jimmy Carter sings in Ray Charles` version of the song.[20][21][22]

In 1979, the song was designated the State Song of Georgia, and Charles was invited to perform it at the state capitol.[3][13]

The TV series Designing Women used an instrumental version of "Georgia on My Mind" as its opening theme. During the opening credits of the show`s sixth season in 1991, Charles performed his version of the song live on piano while the show`s cast watched him.

In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named the Ray Charles version of "Georgia on My Mind" the 44th greatest song of all time.[4][14]

The original lyrics, including the commonly excised introductory verse, are in the Georgia Code under license.[2][3]

Ella Fitzgerald version

In 1962, famed jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald released a rendition of the song, produced by Norman Granz, on the album Ella Swings Gently with Nelson.[23]

The Hawks/The Band version

The song was a standard at performances by Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks,[4] where it was sung by pianist Richard Manuel after 1964. When The Hawks broke up and formed The Band, they kept the song in their repertoire. They recorded a studio version of the song for Jimmy Carter`s presidential bid in 1976. It was released as a single that year as well as on their 1977 album Islands.[24]

Willie Nelson version

Willie Nelson recorded the song on Stardust, his 1978 album of standards.[4] It was released as single, peaked at No. 1 for a single week, and ranked for sixteen weeks on Billboard’s country charts.[25] Nelson`s version won him a Grammy Award in 1979 at the 21st Annual Grammy Awards for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male.[26]

See also

• List of 1930s jazz standards
• Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps
• Atlanta CV Drum and Bugle Corps