Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award

Johnny Mathis

In early 1956, a 21-year-old english and physical education major at San Francisco State University was confronted by one of life's major choices: let his high-jumping and track skills carry him to trials for the Olympic Summer Games in Australia later that year, or turn to New York and Columbia Records, which was already beckoning with promises of a great recording career. With encouragement from his father, Clem Mathis, the young man chose music, and a career soon developed which was to become a lifetime of music making. And he is still making that familiar soft and easy balladry that has been his trademark for the past four decades!

Mathis, the fourth in a family of seven children, was born in September 1935 in Gilmer, Texas, a state which has contributed its share of stars to the music business. Early in his life, the family moved on to San Francisco, another source of great popular music in the years to come. It was here that the young Mathis, encouraged and coached by his father, first gave voice to a song, one of the elder Mathis' favorites. "My Blue Heaven." At age 13, the youngster began a six-year run of singing lessons from a prominent vocal coach, Connie Cox. The father was to pay for the lessons by doing odd jobs around Ms. Cox's house.

Progressing on to George Washington High School, Mathis became equally well known for his track and field prowess as for his singing, and eventually, entering San Francisco State University, he set a high jump record, only two inches short of the Olympic record of the time. At the same time, Mathis' singing was also attracting a share of attention around the Bay Area and one guest shot at The Black Hawk night club, singing with a school friend's band, resulted in his being signed to a career management deal with the club's owner, Helen Noga.

Later the same year, during an appearance at the 440 Club, Noga persuaded the prominent jazz producer, George Avakian, from Columbia Records, to have a look and listen to Mathis. It was then that Mathis, already being encouraged to participate in the Olympic trials, heard from Avakian, back in New York, that Columbia Records was ready to sign him. He chose this course and has never looked back.

Following an initial jazz-flavored album which met with moderate success, the then renowned Columbia artist and repertoire man, Mitch Miller, took over and an almost unbroken string of record hits followed. His first two single titles: "Wonderful, Wonderful" and "It's Not For Me To Say," became two of his most popular all-time recordings. With both these singles reaching the top 10 of the Billboard Magazine charts in mid-1957, another single was quickly issued, the phenomenally successful "Chances Are." which became Mathis' first number one single.

As his career progressed and expanded a "Greatest Hits" album was produced which was to spend an unprecedented 490 continuous weeks on the charts (that's almost 10 years), a fact which was noted in the Guinness Book Of World records.

Mathis is believed to be one of only five artists of record to have enjoyed top 40 hits in each of the four decades since the '50s. His second number one, "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late," (recorded as a duet with Deniece Williams) came 21 years after his first.

Over the years, Johnny Mathis has performed for the British Royal Family at a Royal Command Performance at The London Palladium, and for Presidents Reagan, Bush and Clinton at various White House affairs of state.

The proud owner of his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Mathis has participated in various motion pictures, including a performance of "It's Not For Me To Say," in the MGM film, "Lizzie," and he played himself singing "A Certain Smile," in the 20th Century Fox film of the same name. His voice has also been heard in the background theme music of many other films.

Mathis is also an avid golfer during his free moments and at one time sponsored his own Johnny Mathis Seniors PGA Classic in Los Angeles. Another favorite occupation, cooking, takes up the moments when golf is finished for the day. His mother taught him to "cook up a storm and do it very well," and he's been doing it that way, just like his singing, for most of his adult life.