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Johnny Mathis | |
|---|---|
 Mathis in 1960 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | John Royce Mathis (1935-09-30)September 30, 1935 (age 90) |
| Origin | San Francisco, California, U.S |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1956–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | johnnymathis |
John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer. Starting his career with singles ofstandard music, Mathis is one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century[2][3] and became highly popular as an album artist, with several of his albums achievinggold or platinum status and 73 making theBillboard charts.
Mathis has received theGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award and has been inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame for three recordings. Although frequently described as a romantic singer, his discography includestraditional pop,Latin American,soul,rhythm and blues,show tunes,Tin Pan Alley,soft rock,blues,country music, and even a fewdisco songs for his albumMathis Magic in 1979. Mathis has also recorded seven albums ofChristmas music. In a 1968 interview, he citedLena Horne,Nat King Cole, andBing Crosby among his musical influences.[4]
Mathis was born inGilmer, Texas, on September 30, 1935,[5] the fourth of seven children of Clem Mathis and Mildred Boyd, both domestic cooks.[6][7] Mathis is African-American[8] and has said that he has Native American ancestry on his mother's side.[9] The family moved to San Francisco when Mathis was five,[10] settling on 32nd Avenue in theRichmond District, where he grew up to be an active member of the student body at George Washington High School. Mathis would perform for his classmates, already a clear vocal talent.[11]
Clem Mathis worked invaudeville as a singer and pianist, and on realizing his son's talent, bought an oldupright piano for $25 (equal to $447 in 2024[12]) and encouraged Mathis' musical pursuits. He began learning songs and routines from his father, and his parents also ran his fan club. Mathis' first song was "My Blue Heaven",[13] and he started singing and dancing for visitors at home, school, and church functions.[14]
When Mathis was 13, voice teacher Connie Cox accepted him as her student in exchange for housework.[15] Mathis studied with Cox for six years, learning vocal scales and exercises, voice production, and classical and operatic singing. The first band he sang with was formed by his high school friendMerl Saunders. Mathis eulogized Saunders at his funeral in 2008, thanking him for that first chance to be a singer.[16]
Mathis was a star athlete atGeorge Washington High School in San Francisco. He was a high jumper, hurdler, and basketball player. In 1954, Mathis enrolled atSan Francisco State College on an athletic scholarship, competing in both basketball and track and intending to become an English and physical education teacher.[15][17] There, he set ahigh jump record of 1.97 m (6 ft5+1⁄2 in), still one of the college's top jump heights and only 7 cm (3 in) short of the 1952 Olympic record of2.04 m (6 ft8+1⁄2 in). Mathis and futureNational Basketball Association starBill Russell were featured in a 1954 sports section article of theSan Francisco Chronicle demonstrating their high-jumping skills; at the time, Russell was No. 1 while Mathis was No. 2 in the city of San Francisco.[18]
While singing at a Sunday afternoon jam session with a friend's jazz sextet at theBlack Hawk Club in San Francisco, Mathis attracted the attention of the club's co-founder, Helen Noga. She became his music manager and found Mathis a job singing weekends at Ann Dee's 440 Club. In September 1955, Noga learned thatGeorge Avakian, head of Popular Music A&R atColumbia Records, was on vacation near San Francisco. After repeated calls, Noga persuaded Avakian to hear Mathis at the 440 Club. After hearing Mathis sing, Avakian sent his record company a telegram reading: "Have found phenomenal 19-year-old boy who could go all the way. Send blank contracts."[14]
At San Francisco State, Mathis became noteworthy as a high jumper, and he was asked to try out for the U.S. Olympic Team that traveled toMelbourne in November 1956.[5] However, on his father's advice, Mathis opted to embark on a professional singing career.
Mathis' first album,Johnny Mathis: A New Sound In Popular Song, was a slow-selling jazz album, but he stayed in New York City to sing in nightclubs. His second album was produced byColumbia Records vice president and record producerMitch Miller, who helped to define the Mathis sound. Miller preferred that Mathis sing soft, romantic ballads, pairing him with conductor and music arrangerRay Conniff, and laterRay Ellis,Glenn Osser, andRobert Mersey. In late 1956, Mathis recorded two of his most popular songs: "Wonderful! Wonderful!" and "It's Not for Me to Say".[4] That same year,Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer signed him to sing the latter song in the movieLizzie (1957).
In June 1957, Mathis appeared on the TV programThe Ed Sullivan Show, which helped increase his popularity. Later that year, Mathis released his second single to sell one million copies, "Chances Are".[19] In November, he released "Wild Is the Wind", which featured in thefilm of the same title and was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Original Song. Mathis performed the song at the ceremony in March 1958.
The week before Mathis appeared at the Academy Awards,Johnny's Greatest Hits was released. The album spent an unprecedented 490 consecutive weeks (nearly nine and a half years) on theBillboard top 200 album charts,[20] including three weeks at number one. It held the record for the most weeks on the topBillboard 200 albums in the U.S. for 15 years, untilPink Floyd'sThe Dark Side of the Moon (March 1973) reached 491 weeks in October 1983.[21]
Later in 1958, Mathis made his second film appearance for20th Century Fox, singing the song "A Certain Smile" in thefilm of that title. The song was also nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Original Song. By the end of the year, Mathis was set to earn $1 million a year.[19] Critics called him "the velvet voice".[13] In 1959, Mathis released his albumHeavenly, which topped theBillboard album chart for five weeks during its historic 295-week run.[22]
In 1962,Ebony magazine listed Mathis as one of 30-35 millionaires on its list of "America's 100 Richest Negroes".[23][24] He had two of his biggest hits in 1962 and 1963, with "Gina" (number 6) and "What Will Mary Say" (number 9).
In October 1964, Mathis sued Noga to void their management arrangement, which Noga fought with a countersuit in December. After splitting from Noga, Mathis established Jon Mat Records, incorporated in California on May 11, 1967, to produce his recordings, and Rojon Productions, incorporated in California on September 30, 1964, to handle all his concert, theater, showroom, and TV appearances, and all promotional and charitable activities. (Previously, Mathis had founded Global Records to produce his Mercury albums.) Mathis' new manager and business partner was Ray Haughn, who helped guide Mathis' career until his death in 1984.
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While Mathis continued to make music, the ascent of the Beatles and early 1970s album rock kept his adult contemporary recordings off the pop singles charts until he experienced a career renaissance in the late 1970s. Mathis had the 1976Christmas number one single in the UK with the song "When a Child Is Born", and two years later, he recorded "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" with singerDeniece Williams. Nat Kipner and John McIntyre Vallins arranged its lyrics and music. Released as a single in 1978, it reached number one on the U.S.Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, number nine on the Canadian Singles Chart, and number three on the U.K. Singles Chart. It also topped the US R&B and adult contemporary charts. "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" was certified gold and silver in the U.S. and the U.K. by the RIAA and the British Phonographic Industry, respectively. It was his first number one hit since "Chances Are".
The duo released a follow-up duet, their version of "You're All I Need to Get By", that peaked at number 47 on theBillboard Hot 100. In 1983, they were credited with performing "Without Us", the theme song for the American television sitcomFamily Ties from its second season onward. The success of his duets with Williams prompted Mathis to record duets with various partners, includingDionne Warwick,Natalie Cole,Gladys Knight,Jane Olivor,Stephanie Lawrence, andNana Mouskouri. A compilation album, also calledToo Much, Too Little, Too Late, was released by Sony Music in 1995 and featured the title track among other songs by Mathis and Williams.
From 1980 to 1981, Mathis recorded an album withChic'sBernard Edwards andNile Rodgers,I Love My Lady, that remained unreleased in its entirety until its 2017 appearance in the 68-disc collectionThe Voice of Romance: The Columbia Original Album Collection. (Three tracks appeared on a Chicbox set in 2010 and a fourth, the title track, on Mathis'sUltimate Collection in 2011 and the Chic Organization'sUp All Night in 2013.)
Mathis returned to the British Top 30 album chart in 2007 with the Sony BMG releaseThe Very Best of Johnny Mathis; in 2008 with the CD "A Night to Remember"; and in 2011 with "The Ultimate Collection".[25]
Mathis continued to perform live until 2025. Starting in 2000, he limited his concert performances to about 50 to 60 per year. Mathis was one of the last pop singers to travel with his own full orchestra, as opposed to a band. Mathis frequently collaborated with comediansGary Mule Deer andBrad Upton, who provided stand-up comedy routines in between his sets.[26]
On January 14, 2016, Mathis performed to a sold-out audience inThe Villages, Florida, as part of his 60th Anniversary Concert Tour.[27]
On March 26, 2025, it was announced that Mathis would be retiring from touring in May 2025 due to "age and memory issues". He committed to performing all scheduled dates up to that point and canceled the rest of his previously planned concerts.[28] On May 18, Mathis performed his final concert at theBergen Performing Arts Center.[29]
Mathis,Bob Dylan,Barbra Streisand,Tony Bennett,Billy Joel, andBruce Springsteen are Columbia Records' longest-tenured artists. With the exception of a four-year break to record forMercury Records in the mid-1960s, Mathis has been with Columbia throughout his career, from 1956 to 1963 and since 1968.
Five of Mathis' albums have been on theBillboard charts simultaneously, an achievement equaled by only three other singers:Frank Sinatra,Barry Manilow, and (posthumously)Prince. Mathis has released 200 singles and had 71 songs chart worldwide.
Mathis has taped 12 of his own television specials and made over 300 television guest appearances, 54 of them onThe Tonight Show.Tonight Show hostJohnny Carson said, "Johnny Mathis is the best ballad singer in the world." On March 29, 2007, Mathis appeared on the show with Carson's successor,Jay Leno,[30] to sing "The Shadow of Your Smile" with saxophonistDave Koz. Through the years, Mathis's songs (or parts of them) have been heard in more than 100 TV shows and films around the globe. His 1998 appearance on theLive by Request broadcast onA&E had the largest television viewing audience of the series. In 1989, Mathis sang the theme for the ABC daytime soap operaLoving.
Mathis served as narrator for'51 Dons, a 2014 documentary film about theintegrated and undefeated1951 San Francisco Dons football team.[31] The team was denied a chance to play in abowl game because it refused to agree not to play its two African-American players,Ollie Matson andBurl Toler, who were childhood friends of Mathis.[32]
Mathis appeared in the Season 14 finale ofCriminal Minds, "Truth or Dare", playing himself. He also played himself in the 2017 filmJust Getting Started.
Despite missing the Olympic high-jump trials, Mathis retains enthusiasm for sports. He is an avidgolfer, with nineholes-in-one to his credit. Mathis has also hosted several Johnny Mathis Golf Tournaments in the U.K. and the U.S. Since 1985, he has hosted a charity golf tournament inBelfast sponsored byShell,[33] and the annual Johnny Mathis Invitational Track & Field Meet has continued at San Francisco State University since it started in 1982. Mathis also enjoys cooking, and published a cookbook,Cooking for You Alone, in 1982.[34]
Mathis has undergone rehabilitation for alcoholism and prescription drug addiction,[15] and has supported many organizations, including theAmerican Cancer Society, theMarch of Dimes, theYWCA andYMCA, theMuscular Dystrophy Association, and theNAACP.
Mathis is a convert toCatholicism.[35][36]
In a 1982Us magazine article,[37] Mathis said, "Homosexuality is a way of life that I've grown accustomed to."[38] He later said the comment was supposed to have been off the record[39] and did not publicly discuss his sexual orientation for many years. In 2006, Mathis said that his silence had been due todeath threats he received as a result of that 1982 article.[40][41] In April 2006, he addressed the subject again on the podcastThe Strip and said his reluctance to speak about it was partly a generational issue.[42] In a 2017 interview withCBS News Sunday Morning, Mathis discussed theUs magazine article and confirmed that he is gay, saying: "I come from San Francisco. It's not unusual to be gay in San Francisco. I've had some girlfriends, some boyfriends, just like most people. But I never got married, for instance. I knew that I was gay." Mathis spoke to many news sources, including CBS, about his sexuality and hiscoming out story.[43][39]
In November 2015, Mathis returned home from a concert inOhio to find his Hollywood house destroyed by a fire. Mathis had owned it for 56 years.[44] On January 17, 2023, a series of powerful storms drenched the hillside in front of his rebuilt home in Hollywood Hills, causing the hillside's collapse and crushing a silver Jaguar with debris and mud. The landslide cut off utilities, exposing water pipes and infrastructure to the elements. The ground had given way in the 1400 block of Sunset Plaza Drive during the storm, taking out landscaping and terrain next to the home. It remained unclear at the time when Mathis, aged 87, and still performing concerts, would be able to return and reoccupy his home, as its structural stability was uncertain given surrounding terrain damage.[45]
The character Shy Baldwin fromThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is acomposite character based on several different singers, butRachel Brosnahan said that she most strongly associated Mathis with the character.[46]
In 2003, the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences awarded Mathis theLifetime Achievement Award. This Special Merit Award is presented by vote of the Recording Academy's National Trustees to performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artist significance to the field of recording.[47]
Mathis has been inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame for three separate recordings: in 1998 for "Chances Are", in 2002 for "Misty", and in 2008 for "It's Not for Me to Say".[48][49]
| Grammy Hall of Fame Awards | ||||
| Year Recorded | Title | Genre | Label | Year Inducted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | "It's Not for Me to Say" | Traditional Pop (Single) | Columbia | 2008 |
| 1959 | "Misty" | Traditional Pop (Single) | Columbia | 2002 |
| 1957 | "Chances Are" | Traditional Pop (Single) | Columbia | 1998 |
On June 21, 2014, Mathis was inducted into the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame along withLinda Ronstadt,Shirley Jones, andNat King Cole (whose daughterNatalie Cole accepted the award on his behalf). Center for the Performing Arts artistic directorMichael Feinstein presented the awards. According to its website, "Conceived as an enduring testament to the Great American Songbook, the Hall of Fame honors performers and composers responsible for creating America's soundtrack."[50]
On June 1, 1972, Mathis was awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to music. Six years later, his hit duet "The Last Time I Felt Like This" from the filmSame Time, Next Year was nominated for anAcademy Award for Best Original Song. Mathis and Jane Olivor sang the song at the Academy Awards ceremony. It was his second performance at the Oscars; his first was in 1958, when he sang "Wild Is the Wind" by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington from the movie of thesame name. Mathis was also awarded theSociety of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.[51] In 2007, he was inducted into theHit Parade Hall of Fame. In 1988, Mathis appeared as a guest vocalist, accompanied byHenry Mancini, onLate Night with David Letterman to sing Mancini's theme to the "Viewer Mail" segment. In 2011, Mathis received the Golden Plate Award of theAmerican Academy of Achievement, presented by Awards Council member GeneralColin Powell.[52][53]
In 2017, San Francisco State University awarded Mathis an honoraryDoctor of Fine Arts degree. He attended San Francisco State for three semesters before withdrawing in 1956 to pursue his music career.[54]
Johnny Mathis concentrates on romantic readings of jazz and pop standards ... from the '70s onwards Mathis began incorporating more varied styles of music into his recordings, including soft rock, R&B and country.[permanent dead link]
