Johnny Mathis biography

 

John Royce "Johnny" Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American popular singer of multiracial heritage.

Born in Gilmer, Texas, and raised in San Francisco, California, Johnny Mathis began singing publicly at school and church events shortly after his father discovered his talents. His father found him a voice teacher when he was about thirteen years old. Johnny Mathis remains one of the very few popular singers who received years of professional voice training that included opera. Johnny Mathis also was an athletic talent, earning four athletic letters in high school and a subsequent athletic scholarship to San Francisco State College. Johnny Mathis also remains a large part of San Francisco State College's sports history—in 1954 he broke future basketball great Bill Russell's high jump record by jumping six feet five inches (1.96 meters). At the time only four Olympic athletes had managed to clear this height. While training to become a teacher, he was talent-spotted at a concert and signed by Columbia Records. Johnny Mathis`s most difficult decision was deciding whether to go to the Olympic tryouts, to which he had been invited, or to keep an appointment to make his first recordings which were released in 1956. While Mathis opted for a recording career, he has never completely abandoned his enthusiasm for sports. An avid golfer who has completed a minimum of five holes-in-one, and has hosted several tournaments in his name in the USA and the United Kingdom.

Although frequently described as a romantic singer, Johnny Mathis`s vast discography includes jazz, traditional pop, Brazilian and Spanish music, soul/R&B, soft rock, and Broadway/Tin Pan Alley standards. He enjoyed some early cinematic visibility when he sang one of his first hits, "It's Not for Me to Say", in the film, Lizzie, in which he also had a small acting role. Johnny Mathis also remains highly synonymous with holiday music, having recorded six Christmas albums. He has recorded over 100 albums and sold more than 100 million albums and singles worldwide. He has the distinction of having the longest stay of any recording artist on the Columbia Record label, having been with the label from 1956 to 1963 and from 1968 to the present. Johnny Mathis is one of only a few recording artist whose career has spanned six calendar decades.

Some of Johnny Mathis`s hit songs include "Chances Are, "It's Not for Me to Say," "Wonderful! Wonderful!," "The Twelfth of Never," "Wild Is the Wind," "Heavenly," "Misty," "Small World" "A Certain Smile," "Gina," "What Would My Mary Say," "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)," "I'm Coming Home," "When a Child Is Born," "Gone, Gone, Gone", "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" (with Deniece Williams), "The Last Time I Felt Like This" (with Jane Olivor), and "Friends in Love" (with Dionne Warwick).

Johnny Mathis has had much more success as an albums artist. His albums achieved success in part due to their reputation as an accompaniment to lovemaking. Some of his celebrated early albums include "Heavenly," "Faithfully," "Open Fire, Two Guitars," "Warm," "Swing Softly," "Johnny's Mood," and "I'll Buy You a Star."

Johnny Mathis continues to perform and record regularly and his latest album, 2005's Isn't It Romantic: the Standards Album, has been enthusiastically received by critics.

Johnny Mathis has the distinction of being the first recording artist to have a Greatest Hits album released. The album, simply titled Johnny's Greatest Hits was released in 1958 and peaked at number one in Billboard's Pop Album charts. It would stay on the charts for nearly ten years, a feat that was not equalled until 1983 by Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" album.

NPR : Singer Johnny Mathis's Long Career
Ed Gordon talks with balladeer Johnny Mathis about his long and storied career. we get into your latest project, Johnny Mathis really has crossed so many social.


Rolling Stone : Johnny Mathis
.Stone gives you total Johnny Mathis coverage including free music, videos. Beyond: Johnny Mathis. Related. No Projects. Influences. Billy Eckstine. Contemporaries.


Johnny Mathis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Johnny Mathis in concert at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California. Johnny Mathis has the distinction of being the first recording artist.


Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more.Discuss this name with other users on IMDb message board for Johnny Mathis.


Johnny Mathis Biography
.a Recording Artist in 2002, Johnny Mathis' phenomenal success story is without equal. came to the Mathis home, Clem would have Johnny sing for them.


Johnny Mathis.com
Official site. Features news, biography, tour information, discography, and fan club articles. 1956 - 2007 Celebrating 51 years since Johnny's first recording!.


Station Avenue Productions with Johnny Mathis
.of popular standards entitled: Johnny Mathis: A New Sound In Popular. synonymous with the name of Johnny Mathis, the Erroll Garner composition, "Misty".


Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis -- A Legacy of Names for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender. The Ultimate Hits Collection Johnny Mathis.


Johnny Mathis.com
.synonymous with the name of Johnny Mathis, the Erroll Garner composition, "Misty". available on DVD titled, Johnny Mathis - Gold: A 50th Anniversary.


Amazon.com: 16 Most Requested Songs: Music: Johnny Mathis
Amazon.com: 16 Most Requested Songs: Music: Johnny Mathis by Johnny Mathis. known successes for Mathis, remain great examples of how Johnny made a song so.


Amazon.com: Johnny Mathis Live: Music: Johnny Mathis
Amazon.com: Johnny Mathis Live: Music: Johnny Mathis by Johnny Mathis . Johnny Mathis is without a doubt one of the best examples of this type of performer.


The Johnny Mathis Archives
.website that is a tribute to the enduring and incomparable Johnny Mathis.