John Mathis was born to Clement and Mildred Mathis, the fourth of seven children, in a family that fostered a deep appreciation for music. His father, a vaudeville performer, introduced the siblings to the world of music, and young John began receiving vocal lessons from Connie Cox in exchange for performing chores around her home. Before entering his teens, Mathis had already developed his singing skills and was performing at local bars and clubs.
As he entered San Francisco State College, Mathis initially planned to pursue a career in physical education, but he soon discovered his true passion lay in music. He broke the high jump record held by his classmate and basketball great Bill Russell, and began performing at a small local bar called The International Settlement, where he met notable performers Maya Angelou and Joan Weldon.
Mathis's talent did not go unnoticed, and he was soon approached by Columbia Records producer George Avakian to make his first recording. However, he was faced with a difficult decision: whether to record or try out for the 1956 Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia. Mathis chose to make his first single "Wonderful, Wonderful," and went on to record over 80 albums, selling millions of copies worldwide.
More than 60 of his albums have been certified gold and/or platinum, with "Heavenly" remaining on the pop charts for an impressive 295 weeks. His 1958 album "Johnny's Greatest Hits" pioneered the "Greatest Hits" tradition, which has been adopted by every record company since then. The album spent an unprecedented 490 continuous weeks on the Billboard Top Albums Chart, earning a notation in the Guinness Book Of World Records.
For over six decades, Mathis has continued to record, musically evolve, and perform at the world's most prestigious venues, solidifying his place in American music history.
