You may know of the legendary songwriter-lyricist, Johnny Mercer. Johnny was one of the great lyricists of all time, he wrote “Moon Rover”, “The Days of Wine and Roses ” and “Autumn Leaves”.

Johnny Mercer was a giant in the songwriting world.

One day in 1957 a woman named Sadie Vimmerstadt, a grandmother and beautician, from Youngstown , Ohio upon hearing that Ava Gardener left Frank Sinatra, (after Sinatra left his first wife), Sadie exclaimed “Boy, I want to be around to pick up the pieces…When somebody breaks your heart”

Sadie’s daughter said “Mom, thats a pretty good line for a song”.

Sadie had to be coaxed into believing it was.

Sadie took a paper bag…wrote that line on it,,and put a stamp on it.

She didnt know anybody in the music business but in pen she wrote “To Johnny Mercer”…New York, N.Y.

Thats was all she wrote.

Somehow that paper bag found its way to Johnny Mercer’s songwriting office in Manhattan.

Mercer reads the line and says…”Hey,Thats not a bad opening line for a song”…Mercer finds Sadie Vimmerstadt and calls her up.

“Sadie”, said Mercer. “You gave me a great line for a new song…if it sells I’ll cut you in on the profits and give you co-songwriting credit for publishing.

Sadie Vimmerstadt was stunned and quickly said yes.

“I Wanna Be Around” was recorded by Tony Bennett in 1962. and the song became a huge hit for him.

Sadie Vimmerstadt put all three of her kids through college because of that one line she came up with….And she never wrote another line or wrote another song in her life.