| Johnny Mathis | |
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 Johnny Mathis in concert at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California, on May 25, 2006. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Royce Mathis |
| Born | September 30, 1935 |
| Origin | Gilmer, Texas, USA |
| Genre(s) | Pop, Jazz, Latin |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1956–present |
| Label(s) | Columbia, Mercury |
| Website | www.JohnnyMathis.com |
John Royce Mathis (b. September 30, 1935), known popularly as Johnny Mathis, is an American Grammy Award-winning singer of popular music. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
One of the last in a long line of traditional male vocalists who emerged before the rock-dominated 1960s, Mathis concentrated on romantic jazz and pop standards for the adult contemporary audience through to the 1980s. The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. Starting his career with a standard flurry of singles, Mathis was far more popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums receiving gold and platinum status and seventy-three making the Billboard charts to date. The Billboard charts are music sales airplay and digital ranking reports distributed to the general public by Billboard magazine Mathis has sold more than 350 million records and albums. [1]
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Early life
Mathis was born fourth of seven children in Gilmer, Texas to Clem and Mildred Mathis. Gilmer is also the name of a county in West Virginia. Gilmer is a city in and the County seat of Upshur County The family moved when he was young to San Francisco, California on Post Street, in the famous Fillmore district where he was raised. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city The Fillmore District, also called The Fillmore, The Lower Fillmore, or Fillmo is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California. His father worked for a time in vaudeville, and when he saw the budding talent in his son, the elder Mathis bought an old upright piano for US$25 to encourage his efforts. Vaudeville was a Genre of variety entertainment prevalent on the stage in the United States and Canada, from the early 1880s The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Mathis began learning from his father songs and routines–his first song being, "My Blue Heaven. "[2] Mathis started out singing and dancing for visitors at home, and later publicly, at school and church events. [3]
At thirteen, Mathis was taken to Connie Cox, a San Francisco Bay Area voice teacher, who accepted him as a student in exchange for work he would do around her house. The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, or the Bay, is a geographically and ethnically diverse metropolitan region that surrounds the He studied with Cox for six years, learning vocal scales and exercises, voice production, classical and operatic skills. [4] He remains one of the few popular singers who has received years of professional voice training that included opera.
At George Washington High School, Mathis was well known, not only for his singing abilities, but also as a star athlete. George Washington High School is a public high school in San Francisco California. On the track and field team, he was a high jumper and hurdler, and on the basketball team, he earned four athletic letters. A varsity letter (or monogram) is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities In 1954, Mathis enrolled at San Francisco State University on a scholarship with the intention of becoming an English and physical education teacher. San Francisco State University (informally referred to as San Francisco State, SF State, State and SFSU) is a public University Mathis remains an important part of San Francisco State University's sports history—in 1954 he broke future basketball great Bill Russell's high jump record by jumping 6 ft 5 in (1. William Felton "Bill" Russell (born February 12 1934 in Monroe, Louisiana) is a retired American professional Basketball 96 meters).
Music career
He was spotted by Helen Noga, owner of The Black Hawk club, at a jam session and she became his manager. In September 1955, after Noga landed Mathis a job singing weekends at Ann Dee’s 440 Club, she ruthlessly pursued jazz producer George Avakian, who she found out was on vacation in the Bay Area. George Avakian (Георг Авакиан born Armavir, Russian Federation, March 15, 1919) is an American Record producer Avakian came to see him sing, and sent the now famous telegram to Columbia Records: Have found phenomenal 19-year old boy who could go all the way. Columbia Records is an American Record label founded in 1888 Columbia is the oldest surviving Brand name in pre-recorded sound being the first record company Send blank contracts. [3]
Mathis now had to decide whether to go to the Olympic tryouts, to which he had been invited, or to keep an appointment in New York to make his first recordings, which were subsequently released in 1956. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous With his father's advice, Mathis opted for a recording career and the rest is history. He has never completely abandoned his enthusiasm for sports and today is an avid golfer who has achieved five holes-in-one, and has hosted several Johnny Mathis Golf Tournaments in the USA and the United Kingdom. In Golf, a hole in one or hole-in-one (also known as an ace, mostly in American English) is when a player hits the ball directly from the Since 1985 he has been hosting a charity golf tournament in Belfast sponsored by Shell corporation, and the annual Johnny Mathis Invitational Track & Field Meet has continued at San Francisco State College since it started in 1982.
His first album Johnny Mathis: A New Sound In Popular Song was a slow selling jazz album, but Mathis stayed in New York to play the clubs. His second album was produced by Columbia records vice-president and producer Mitch Miller, who defined the Mathis sound - he preferred him to sing soft, romantic ballads. Mitchell William Miller (born July 4, 1911) is an American Musician, Singer, conductor, Record producer, In late 1956, Mathis recorded two of his most popular songs - "Wonderful! Wonderful!" and "It's Not For Me To Say. " It's Not for Me to Say " is a 1957 popular Song with music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman. " That year MGM signed Mathis to sing the latter song in the 1957 film Lizzie, and shortly afterward he made his second film appearance for 20th Century Fox singing the song A Certain Smile in the film of the same name. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Lizzie is a 1957 Drama film directed by Hugo Haas. The movie is based on the novel The Bird's Nest by Shirley Jackson and stars " A Certain Smile " is a popular Song. The music was written by Sammy Fain, the lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. He had small acting roles in both movies as a bar singer. This early cinematic visibility in two successful movies gave him mass exposure. Next was his appearance on the very popular Ed Sullivan Show in 1957 and this helped to seal his stardom. The Ed Sullivan Show was an American television Variety show that ran from June 20, 1948 to June 6, Critics called him the velvet voice. [2]
In 1958, Mathis left San Francisco with the Nogas, and moved to Beverly Hills where he shared a home with them. In 1964, there was a severe downturn in sales for many artists due to The Beatles and the British invasion of the early 1960s, around the time Mathis and the Nogas ended their business relationship. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 The British Invasion was the term applied by the news media — and subsequently by consumers — to the influx of Rock and roll, beat and pop performers Mathis purchased a mansion in the Hollywood Hills, that was originally built by billionaire Howard Hughes, and where he still maintains a residence. The Hollywood Hills, an unofficial designation of part of Los Angeles, California, United States, are part of the eastern section of the low transverse Howard Robard Hughes Jr (December 24 1905 – April 5 1976 was an American Aviator, Industrialist, Film producer / director, Philanthropist
Mathis established Jon Mat Records, Inc. to produce his recordings, and Rojon Productions, Inc. to handle all of his concert, theater, showroom and television appearances, and all promotional and charitable activities. His new manager and business partner was Ray Haughn, who helped guide his career until his death in September 1984. Since that time, Mathis has taken sole responsibility for his career, operating from office suites in Burbank. Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County California, United States. With the exception of a three-year break with Mercury Records in the mid-1960s, he has been with Columbia Records throughout his recording career. Mercury Records is a Record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Music Group in the US and are both subsidiaries of
Although he is frequently described as a romantic singer, his vast discography includes jazz, traditional pop, Brazilian and Spanish music, Soul, R&B, soft rock, Broadway, Tin Pan Alley standards, some blues and country songs, and even a few disco tunes for his album Mathis Magic (1979). The article is about sound recordings For the Pet Shop Boys album see Discography The Complete Singles Collection. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Traditional pop or Classic pop or Standards music denotes in general Western (and particularly American popular music that either wholly predates the advent of The Music of Brazil encompasses various regional Music styles influenced by African European and Amerindian forms Spanish music is often considered abroad to be synonymous with Flamenco, an Andalusian musical genre which contrary to popular belief is not widespread outside that region Soul music is a Music genre that combines Rhythm and blues and Gospel music, originating in the United States. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Tin Pan Alley is the name given to the collection of New York City -centered music publishers and Songwriters who dominated the popular Disco is a Genre of dance-oriented music whose origins are hard to define Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) In 1980/81 Mathis recorded an album with Chic's Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, I Love My Lady, which remains unreleased. Chic ( pron. ˈʃiːk ("sheek" sometimes fully capitalized as CHIC is an American Disco and R&B band that was formed in 1976 Bernard Edwards ( October 31 1952 – April 18 1996) born in Greenville North Carolina, was a Bass guitar player and Nile Gregory Rodgers (born September 19 1952, in New York City) is an American musician Composer, Arranger, and Guitarist Mathis also remains highly associated with holiday music, having recorded nine Christmas albums. According to British recordings chart historian and Guinness Book of Records Music writer Paul Gambaccini, Mathis has recorded over 110 albums and sold more than 350 million records worldwide. His Merry Christmas album of 1958 has made the American charts almost every year since its release and is now approaching 6 million unit sales. [5] this makes Mathis the third most successful male recording artist ever. [6] He was given the title The Voice Of Romance. Mathis 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.
In 1958, Johnny’s Greatest Hits was released and was the first ever Greatest Hits album in the music industry. It began the Greatest Hits tradition copied by every record company. Johnny's Greatest Hits spent an unprecedented 490 consecutive weeks (nine and a half years) on the Billboard album chart, a feat earning him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records and not broken until the 1980s by Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard The Dark Side of the Moon (titled Dark Side of the Moon in the 1993 CD edition is a Concept album by the British Progressive He has had five of his albums on the Billboard charts simultaneously, an achievement equaled by only two other singers, Frank Sinatra and Barry Manilow. He released 200 singles and had 71 songs charted around the world. He is the third largest album seller and Frank Sinatra's main rival in sales from 1957 to 1987. Mathis is one of only a few recording artists whose career has spanned six decades and selling over 350 million records worldwide.
He has received three Grammy awards. The Grammy Awards (originally called the Gramophone Awards)—or Grammys —are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences In 1979, his hit duet "The Last Time I Felt Like This" from the film Same Time, Next Year was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Same Time Next Year is an award-winning play from 1975 written by Bernard Slade, that was adapted into a Hollywood film in 1978 The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Mathis and Jane Olivor sang the song at the Oscar ceremony televised to over two billion people around the world. Jane Olivor (born May 18 1947) is an American Cabaret Singer. This was his second performance at the Academy Awards - another historic achievement. He has taped twelve of his own television specials and made over 300 television guest appearances with 33 of them being on The Tonight Show. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as appropriate --> The Tonight Show is a long-running Through the years his songs (or parts of them) have been heard in 100 plus television shows and films around the globe. His appearance on the Live by Request broadcast in May 1998 on the A&E Network had the largest television viewing audience of the series. Also in 1989, Johnny sang the opening theme for the ABC daytime soap opera Loving. Loving is an American television Soap opera which aired on ABC 's daytime lineup from June 27, 1983 to November
Mathis continues to perform but from 2000 onwards has limited his concert engagements to fifty to sixty appearances per year. In 2006, he was scheduled for a UK tour that includes his annual Scottish Golf vacation and attendance at the 2006 Ryder Cup, two stints at his favourite Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas. The Ryder Cup is a Golf trophy donated by Samuel Ryder, which is awarded Biennially in an event called the "Ryder Cup Matches" between teams from UH Hilton Hoteljpg|thumbnail|right|The Hilton University of Houston in Houston Texas, located on the campus of the University of Houston, contains the Hilton College of Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally He still records occasionally and his latest album Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album (2004) has been enthusiastically received by critics and music buyers. Tonight Show host Johnny Carson, who heard over 2000 singers on his show, said: "Johnny Mathis is the best ballad singer in the world. John William “Johnny” Carson ( October 23, 1925 &ndash January 23, 2005) was an American Television host and " He appeared on the NBC Tonight Show with Jay Leno[7] as a guest on March 29, 2007 performing the classic "Shadow of Your Smile" with saxophonist Dave Koz. James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno (born April 28 1950 is an Emmy Award -winning American Stand-up comedian and Television host Events 1461 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Towton - Edward of York defeats Queen Margaret to become King Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Dave Koz ( March 27, 1963) is an American saxophonist. Because they look and sound similar Koz often draws comparisons to another well-known
Personal life
A 1982 Us Magazine article quoted Mathis as having said, "Homosexuality is a way of life that I've grown accustomed to. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Us Weekly is a celebrity magazine originally founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, and acquired by Wenner Media in 1986 " He further confirmed a sexual relationship with a male saxophonist. [8] After more than twenty years of silence on the subject, in 2006, Mathis revealed in an interview his silence was due to death threats he received as a result of that 1982 article. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. A death threat is a threat, often made anonymously, against a person to kill him or her [9][10] On April 13, 2006 Mathis granted a podcast interview with The Strip in which he touched on the subject once again. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. [11]
Mathis enjoys cooking, which he learned from his mother. He likes family gatherings with his six brothers and sisters and their families. In 1982 he published a cookbook, Cooking for You Alone.
He is an avid golfer, and in his earlier years he excelled at other sports including high jumping, tennis, and basketball.
Among the many organizations that have benefited from his generosity through the years are the American Cancer Society, the March of Dimes, YWCA, YMCA, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and NAACP. The American Cancer Society ( ACS) is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to March of Dimes is the name of a United States health charity, whose mission is to improve the health of babies. For other uses see Young Women's Christian Association The World YWCA is the umbrella organization of the global network of the YWCA - a movement of women working for The Young Men's Christian Association (" YMCA " or " the Y " was founded on June 6, 1844 in London England by a young man The Muscular Dystrophy Association ( MDA) is an organization founded in 1950 which combats Muscular dystrophy and diseases of the Nervous system The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is one of the oldest and most influential Civil rights organizations
Grammy history
Mathis received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, by the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded by the Recording Academy to "performers who during their lifetimes have made creative contributions of outstanding Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. 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. [12]
Grammy Hall of Fame
Johnny Mathis was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, which is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old, and that have "qualitative or historical significance. The Grammy Hall of Fame Award is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old and that have "qualitative Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. "[13][14]
| 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 |
Discography
Selected Hit Singles
The following songs reached either the top 50 on the US Billboard Hot 100 or the top 10 on the Adult Contemporary singles chart. " It's Not for Me to Say " is a 1957 popular Song with music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman. " Misty " is a Jazz standard written in 1954 by the pianist Erroll Garner. " Chances Are " is a popular Song with music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman. Adult contemporary music, frequently abbreviated AC, refers to styles of popular music that ranges from "lush Sixties pop often vocal -based and rooted in Billboard began publishing AC singles charts in 1961.
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Each of the above were issued on the Columbia Records label with the exception of the duet with Dionne Warwick, "Friends In Love," which was released on Warwick's label, Arista Records. " It's Not for Me to Say " is a 1957 popular Song with music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman. " Chances Are " is a popular Song with music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman. " The Twelfth of Never " is a popular song recorded by Johnny Mathis and later by Donny Osmond. " Misty " is a Jazz standard written in 1954 by the pianist Erroll Garner. This article is about the stage play For the 1970 film adaptation see On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. " Stardust " is an American Popular song composed in 1927 by Hoagy Carmichael with the lyrics added in 1929 by Mitchell Parish. Arista Records (ˈɛərɪstə is an American Record label. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operates under the
Other Noteworthy Songs
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Mathis has had much more success as an album artist. "Maria" is a Song from the Broadway musical West Side Story, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by "Fly Me to the Moon" is a Pop standard song written by Bart Howard in 1954 " The Impossible Dream (The Quest " is a Popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. Jane Olivor (born May 18 1947) is an American Cabaret Singer. " Begin the Beguine " is a song written by Cole Porter and introduced by June Knight in the Broadway musical Jubilee ( 1935 Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) " Sleigh Ride " is a popular light Orchestral piece composed by Leroy Anderson His albums achieved success in part due to their reputation as an accompaniment to lovemaking. Some of his celebrated early albums include:
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Bibliography
- Mathis, Johnny; Brash, Peter; Birch, Marge (1982). Cooking for You Alone. Pasadena, CA: Tech. Educ. Co. . ISBN 0939402009.
References
- ^ RIAA: Gold & Platinum
- ^ a b Johnny Mathis. Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide (2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor
- ^ Maria Niemela (2002). Johnny Mathis Biography. members. aol. com. Retrieved on 2007-02-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor
- ^ Johnny Mathis Recordings. JohnnyMathis. com (2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor
- ^ Johnny Mathis doing first UK dates in 12 years. MusicPortal. com (14 April 2006). Retrieved on 2007-02-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor
- ^ NBC Tonight Show with Jay Leno. NBC. com (2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor
- ^ Gold, Plunkett & Sneed. "Inc. ", Chicago Tribune, 1982-06-11, p. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. A20.
- ^ "Report on interview with the Daily Express", New York Daily News, 10 March 2006. Retrieved on 2007-02-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor
- ^ "Johnny Mathis In Death Threats", FemaleFirst. co. uk, 26 February 2006. Retrieved on 2007-02-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor
- ^ Johnny Mathis (. MP3). The Strip. Retrieved on 2007-02-02. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 962 - Translatio imperii: Pope John XII crowns Otto I Holy Roman Emperor, the first Holy Roman Emperor
- ^ Lifetime Achievement Award
- ^ Grammy Hall of Fame Database
- ^ 2008 Grammy Hall of Fame List
External links
- Johnny Mathis Official website
- Johnny Mathis at Sony website
- Mathis, Johnny-AMG discography — All Music Guide
- Johnny Mathis at The Mathis Chronicles
- Johnny Mathis NPR Audio: with Ed Gordon
- Dave Koz f/ Johnny Mathis "The Shadow of Your Smile" NBC Audio: The Tonight Show
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| Preceded by Queen Bohemian Rhapsody |
UK Christmas Number One Single When a Child Is Born 1976 |
Succeeded by Wings Mull of Kintyre |
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