JOHNNY MATHIS
“There are a number of good singers, a smaller handful of truly great singers, and then there’s Johnny Mathis.”—Barbra Streisand
The fourth of seven children, John Royce Mathis was born on September 30, 1935, in Gilmer, Texas to Clem and Mildred Mathis. As a small boy, the family moved into a basement apartment on Post Street in San Francisco. At age eight, his father Clem purchased an old upright piano for $25, which wouldn't fit through their apartment’s front door. So that evening, he stayed up to watch his father dismantle the piano, move the pieces into their small living room, and then reassemble it. It was there that he learned an appreciation of music from his father who taught him his first song, “My Blue Heaven.” Clem, who worked briefly as a musician back in Texas playing the piano and singing on stage, would continue to teach his son many songs and routines. He had proven to be the most eager of the children to learn all about music. He sang in the church choir, school functions, community events, and amateur shows in the San Francisco area. He was also a successful track & field athlete and was offered a chance to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials. In that same week Columbia Records called, so Mathis chose to go to New York to record his first album, which released on July 16, 1956. A year later with his first TV appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show Mathis’ career was truly launched into stardom.
Best-known for his supremely popular hits like “Chances Are,” “It's Not For Me To Say,” and “Misty,” Mathis has recorded close to 80 albums, six Christmas albums, and has sold millions of records worldwide. During his extensive career he has had three songs inducted into the Grammy® Hall of Fame, achieved 50 Hits on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart, and ranks as the all-time #6 album artist in the history of Billboard’s pop album charts. He has received five Grammy® nominations, and in 2003 was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. His 1958 album Johnny’s Greatest Hits started the music industry tradition of “Greatest Hits” albums, which is noted in Guinness Book Of World Records for a nearly 10-year run on the Billboard Top Albums Chart.
In addition to all this Mathis and his music have appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including The Tonight Show, Silver Linings Playbook, Family Ties, Criminal Minds, Gremlins, Mad Men, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, just to name a few. In 2017, he released his 78th studio album titled Johnny Mathis Sings The Great New American Songbook, and debuted his two “lost” albums—I Love My Lady produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the pivotal group CHIC; and The Island with Sergio Mendes. He also recorded new musical collaborations with other artists up to and through 2021. Mathis continues to be Columbia Records longest signed recording artist.
Despite a very busy tour schedule and many charity events, Mathis still finds time to enjoy a little free time. He was an avid tennis player until the late 1960s, when a good friend turned him on to his now life-long love of golf. He plays golf almost every day when he's not traveling, and has even hosted his own golf tournament, The Johnny Mathis Seniors PGA Classic. He is also quite the gourmet chef thanks to his parents, who taught him how to cook at an early age.
After 66 years as a Recording Artist, what’s next for Johnny? “I don’t think about retiring. I think about how I can keep singing for the rest of my life. I just have to pace myself.”
GARY MULE DEER
Gary Mule Deer’s comedy and music have set him apart as one-of-a-kind. He has performed on nearly every major concert stage in the country and made over 360 television appearances, with many on both The Tonight Show and David Letterman. He was one of six comedians, along with Jay Leno, to star on the first HBO® Comedy Special, was the comedy host of Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert for four years on NBC, and a series regular on Make Me Laugh. He is currently featured on the DVDs Jeff Foxworthy’s Comedy Classics and The World’s Greatest Stand-up Comedy Collection. He is one of the most played comedians on Sirius XM’s Laugh USA.
Deer appears regularly on the Grand Ole Opry. And in a career spanning over five decades, he has shared the stage with more than a hundred music legends. He has performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to Royal Albert Hall and has been part of the Johnny Mathis show as Special Guest since 1994 in major venues across the country.
In addition to his well-known comedy, Deer is a talented singer and musician, performing classic country, including the music of Johnny Cash in his show since the ‘60s. The popularity of Gary Mule Deer’s comedy and music cuts across all ages and demographics.
Johnny Mathis – Singer
John Scott Lavender – Musical Director/Piano/Keyboards
Kerry Marx/Steve Peavey* – Guitarist
Ken Wild - Bass
Joe Lizama – Drums
Gil Reigers – Tour Manager/Production Manager
Stacey Westbrook – Lighting Director /Stage Manager
Eric Hatcher – Sound Engineer
Carrie Reigers – Merchandise Manager & Souvenir Program Coordinator
*Only at select dates.
Len Littman, in memory of his beloved wife, Barbara Kagan Littman
