Johnny Mathis

Johnny Mathis is a highly successful American singer. He is recognized as one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century.

While many people describe him as a romantic singer, his musical range is very wide. His recordings include traditional pop, soul, rhythm and blues, and soft rock. He has even recorded Latin American music, country, and disco. Mathis is known for his incredible longevity in the music industry. He has achieved gold or platinum status on several of his albums. His music has reached the Billboard charts 73 different times.

Mathis developed his vocal skills through disciplined study and early practice. He grew up in San Francisco and performed for classmates at George Washington High School. His father, Clem Mathis, supported his talent by purchasing an upright piano for $25. At age 13, Mathis began studying with a voice teacher named Connie Cox. He paid for these lessons by performing housework for her. For six years, he studied vocal scales, voice production, and classical singing. This formal training helped him build the smooth style critics call a "velvet voice."

Before focusing on music, Mathis was a standout athlete. He competed in basketball, hurdles, and the high jump. In 1954, he attended San Francisco State College on an athletic scholarship. He set a high jump record there that remains one of the top heights in the school's history. At the time, he was ranked as the number two high jumper in San Francisco. He was even invited to try out for the 1956 U.S. Olympic Team. However, he followed his father's advice and chose a professional singing career instead.

His professional breakthrough occurred after he was discovered at a jazz club.

A manager named Helen Noga saw him perform at the Black Hawk Club. She helped him secure a job at the 440 Club. While he was performing there, George Avakian from Columbia Records heard him. Avakian immediately sent a telegram requesting contracts for the "phenomenal 19-year-old boy." Mathis's second album was produced by Mitch Miller, who helped define his signature sound. Miller paired Mathis with arrangers like Ray Conniff to create soft romantic ballads.

Mathis achieved massive commercial success during the late 1950s. His album *Johnny's Greatest Hits* set a major record in the music industry. It stayed on the Billboard top 200 charts for 490 consecutive weeks. This is nearly nine and a half years on the charts. The album held the record for the most weeks on the chart for 15 years. It was eventually surpassed in 1983 by Pink Floyd's *The Dark Side of the Moon*. Mathis also saw great success with the single "Chances Are," which sold one million copies.

Even as musical trends changed, Mathis experienced a career renaissance. In 1978, he released the duet "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" with Deniece Williams. This song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. It was his first number one hit since "Chances Are" in the late 1950s. Throughout his career, he collaborated with many famous artists. These partners included Dionne Warwick, Natalie Cole, and Gladys Knight. He remained a consistent presence on television, making over 300 guest appearances.

Mathis's career is defined by his long-term loyalty to Columbia Records. He is one of the label's longest-tenured artists, alongside names like Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand. He is also one of only four singers to have five albums on the Billboard charts at the same time.

He continued to perform live for many decades. He was one of the last pop singers to tour with a full orchestra rather than a small band. Mathis officially retired from touring in May 2025. His 70-year career is being commemorated through special video projects and archival materials.