2016 marked the 60th anniversary of Johnny Mathis’ debut album, Johnny Mathis (“A New Sound in Popular Song”) but it is 2017 that Columbia/Legacy are considering the real 60th for one of the great pop artists of the last seven decades.
It was in 1957 that Mathis became a huge star with six hit singles:
Wonderful Wonderful / When Sunny Gets Blue (1957 / #14)
It’s Not For Me to Say / Warm and Tender (1957 / #5)
Chances Are (1957 / #1)
The Twelfth of Never (1957 / #9)
No Love (But Your Love) (1957 / #21)
Wild is the Wind (1957 / #22)
Earlier this year, Columbia/Legacy released the four-disc collection Johnny Mathis: The Singles, the first salvo in what is planned as their 60th Anniversary Celebration. For 2017 and beyond, the labels intend to continue to work with Mathis on the curation of his Columbia Records catalogue, pouring through the label’s deep archive of his studio and live material and restoring and remastering tracks for digital release.
There is no definitive title list yet, but there is a lot to choose from. While The Singles gathered every one of Mathis’ songs to see a release on 45 along with tracks that only appeared on compilations, Johnny has a catalogue of 71 studio albums, all of which were recorded for Columbia except for eleven LPs on Mercury put out between 1963 and 1967.
Mathis, 81, is not just working on the re-release project. He is also out on the road with his 60th and, now, 61st Anniversary Tour.
The dates:
12/16 – Palm Desert, CA – McCallum Theatre
12/17 – Palm Desert, CA – McCallum Theatre
01/12 – The Villages, FL – The Sharon L. Morse Theater
01/14 – Lakeland, FL – The Lakeland Center
01/27 – Ft. Pierce, FL – Sunrise Theatre
01/29 – Sarasota, FL – Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
02/09 – Santa Ynez, CA – Chumash Casino Resort
02/11 – Santa Rosa, CA – Luther Burbank Center for the Arts
02/24 – Biloxi, MS – Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
02/26 – Naples, FL – Artis-Naples
03/31 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
04/02 – Richmond, VA – Altria Theater
04/27 – Boise, ID – Morrison Center for the Performing Arts
04/29 – Salt Lake City, UT – Eccles Theater – Delta Hall
05/13 – St. Charles, MO – Lindenwood’s J. Scheidegger Center
05/14 – St. Charles, MO – Lindenwood’s J. Scheidegger Center
06/01 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Theatre
06/03 – Westbury, NY – NYCB Theatre at Westbury
06/23 – Nashville, TN – Schermerhorn Symphony Center
06/25 – Memphis, TN – Orpheum Theatre
