UMA VOZ DE BRASIL: Only a year ago I was continuing to write of my adventures in beautiful San Francisco, California as part of my odyssey to see Johnny Mathis in the land where he grew up. Earlier this summer, a friend of mine made an even longer trip for an experience of a lifetime.
Lindaura Raposo Del Carlo, from São Paulo is president of the Brazilian Johnny Mathis Fan Club and publisher of the Mathis Matters newsletter. (The newsletter is in Portuguese, only the title is English.) Her daughter had presented her with a gift of a trip to America to see Johnny Mathis and to attend a fan club convention held in celebration of Mathis' 45 years of recording success. It was a trip fraught with plane delays and interesting bus rides (much like my visit to San Francisco, in fact!); however, once the show began, all worries are over! Here, Lindaura describes for me her experience at the show that Friday night and the fan club event the following day before the next show:
"It's the night of the show, and before the show began I walked around the lobby introducing myself as president of the Brazilian Johnny Mathis Fan Club, because for the most part the American Chapter members knew me only by name. After the introductions, everyone was feeling as a family. My seat, reserved for me since December 2000, was a very good one at 3rd row at the right of the stage...
"Showtime! I stare starry-eyed at the stage...and out he comes dressed as for a summer's day party. He looks at himself as if to say, "it looks as if everybody is better dressed than I am!"
"So he started to sing ...and I started to cry! I should have been writing down the song sequence to put in our "Mathis Matters" newsletter, but who cares! I really just want to keep looking at him, hearing his voice, trying to capture every emotion...
"The first part of the show ended so quickly, and out comes Dick Hardwick with a strange sense of humor, making jokes of people from other states...I really didn't understand a lot of it.
"Johnny returns dressed in black... how handsome he looks now!!!! I can't believe he never made a record of "Why Did I Choose You"; it is something so intense, so great, and I couldn't help crying once again...
"Toward the end of the show...he calls Gil over to play the Brazilian Medley. Manhã tão bonita manhã...na vida uma nova canção... and the grande finale: Brazil.
"There's a party and another show the next day and the hope is to be very close to him, embrace him once more, feel the touch of his hand on mine...I can't accept that the first night has gone.
"Second night, I go to the party, and I have the jitters once again. My brand-new dress was chosen in Brazil, but will it fit? Finally, I'm ready, and this time Sandra, my 36-year-old daughter, is coming with me for the party and her first Johnny Mathis show! I introduced her to everyone; like her mother, she is not shy either, and in a few seconds she is talking with everybody...time passes and John is expected at any moment.
"Here he comes, once again dressed for summer...he was seated at the table next to mine. We were so close, if I extended my arm I could have touched him! I'm not feeling good about taking the photos too close, since I'm afraid to bother him...but I need to steal this precious moment and keep forever his adorable face!
"He went up to the stage to receive a trophy and say a few
words. When he got off the stage and came in my direction...I can't resist any longer, I almost jump from my chair, and ran up to him!
"I was the first to be close to him, so I gave him a gift from Brazil, saying, "This gift represents all the Brazilian Fans. They adore you, and I love you so deeply..." He kissed my mouth and my cheek and answered: "I love the Brazilians, too, and you...ohhh! I remember you from last year..."
"I believe that no one took a photo of this precious moment, but it is alive in my memory and no one can take it from me!
"The show was better than Friday's...my daughter said she liked the show, and she even sang along with him for some songs. I was hoping to talk with him after the show, but no luck. Now I'm thinking when will I see him again??? With any luck, in one year, maybe two..., who knows????"
BOXED SET, AGAIN: As mentioned before, Legacy Records is re-releasing "The Music of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection" (Legacy 85672) on Tuesday, September 11.
ON WITH THE SHOW: Three casino shows are set for the fall: Foxwoods Casino, run by the Black Pequots, in Mashantucket, Connecticut (about 50 miles SE of Providence, Rhode Island) on October 5th and 6th, at the Las Vegas Hilton in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19th and 20th, and at Caesars Atlantic City November 9th and November 10th.
Johnny Mathis will hopefully return to Long Island on March 8th and 9th, 2002, according to Pollstar, the best source for concert information.
MORE NEW CONCERTS FOR 2002! Looks like February 2002 is booked solid! I see he's spending a lot of time in South Florida, with dates for Fort Myers, Florida on the FIRST George W's birthday (22nd) at the Barbara B. Mann Hall, and Miami Beach, Florida (is this different from plain old Miami, Florida? I don't know!) at the wonderful Jackie Gleason Theater on the 24th. Earlier in the month shows a Feb. 7th concert in waterlogged Houston, Texas at Jones Hall, and a Feb. 9th show in Savannah, GA at the Johnny Mercer Theatre. Mathis returns to Caesars Atlantic City April 19th and 20th. Later in the year I see a show in Charlotte, North Carolina (watch out, Fab) at the Ovens Auditorium on May 4th. 2002 is looking wonderful (nope, won't do it) with Johnny Mathis is still very much in demand!
Unfortunately, still no Canadian or other foreign dates that I can see. Looks like he's left you guys for good. Let's hope he'll change his mind soon!
In the meantime, to those who have lived in the United States without having seen Johnny Mathis in concert, what's up with that? There is ample opportunity, so lose your mistrust of the flying machines and go.
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