PRESENTS

Welcome to the Grapevine News. This section of the Mathis Chronicles contains my views about anything I find or am sent about Johnny Mathis on the Internet and elsewhere, that had been overlooked by the "official" sites. Occasionally, I report on things not directly related to Mathis but have a connection, may even make up a question to ask myself and try to answer. Readers are welcome to share their experiences here also. So enjoy and thanks for coming.

VOL. 4 NO. 2 - JANUARY 24, 2005

CARSON THE MAGNIFICENT: It would be unthinkable not to acknowledge the role the late comedian Johnny Carson played in the long career of Johnny Mathis.

I believe it could be said that Carson's importance in the careers of comedians, many of whom accompanied Johnny Mathis in concert, as well as recording and performing artists such as Mathis himself, grew substantially once The Ed Sullivan Show was gone. Variety shows hosted by Merv Griffin and Mike Douglas catered to the American housewife; but The Tonight Show was accessible to anyone who was allowed to stay up past nine o'clock. Due in no small part to frequent exposure on NBC's Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson in the sixties, seventies, eighties, and early nineties, audiences of all demographics could see for themselves that Johnny Mathis was more than his "Greatest Hits" package would suggest. To those of us who knew better, however, The Tonight Show afforded us the opportunity not only to gaze upon him lovingly and to hear his wonderfully resonant speaking voice but also to simply see a beloved master of song in an environment that was the next best thing to a live concert.

When I discovered Johnny Mathis in the mid-80s, it was The Tonight Show that I would seek whenever I learned of a new album coming out, because I knew that Mathis would be there. How sad it is that this is not the case today. I remember the funky white jogging suit-type get-up he wore singing "Hooked on Goodbye" shortly after Right From the Heart came out, the short haircut and simple black attire with open shirt when Once in a While came out. These days, it's no longer a guarantee that Mathis will be on either Letterman or Leno to promote his music, and I think that's a damn shame.

I could count on Carson, though, not to let me down. Johnny Carson was a HUGE fan of Johnny Mathis, and, unlike Leno, afforded Mathis every opportunity to come on his show. Mathis was obviously very comfortable in Carson's company. Well, it stands to reason; if there was anything the guest didn't want to discuss, that was negotiated beforehand, and Carson respected that decision, thus gaining trust. This trust meant you oftentimes didn't get very deep banter between the host and his guest, and where Mathis was concerned, he never was one to chitchat for long. The formula was sing a song, cut to commercial, chat a little, then do another song. That's it. Well, that was plenty for most of us. The fan club made sure plants were there to scream their heads off for Mathis, but they really weren't necessary. In fact, there are those who recall that Carson once announced on his show that they surveyed the audience who said their number one favorite guest on The Tonight Show was Johnny Mathis.

I want to thank my brother Jon-Daniel Durbin for hooking me up with this next information. You can do your own research on the many appearances Johnny Mathis on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. (I was going to list them all here, but decided it best to respect the terms of the website until I have a chance to ask if it's OK. I hate "borrowers", too.) The last couple of these are Leno shows, and don't include the most recent ones. However, as far as the Carson shows go, they give a good sense of the decades-long impact Carson has had on Mathis' career: Mathis: the Carson Years. By the way, here and there you'll see the initials "CS". That means "center stage".

So, I want to thank Johnny Carson for helping keep the interest in Johnny Mathis alive, and for making Mathis accessible to those of us who could not see him on a regular basis. Carson was an irreplaceable figure in the career of Johnny Mathis, and an irreplaceable figure in my musical education. He was also the best comedian in the world, and like Mathis, a totally classy guy. May he rest in peace.

UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME: The Lord chose not to take Luther Vandross for reasons only He knows, and I'm thankful. Aa new biography is in the stores, called simply "Luther" by Craig Seymour. Authorized biographies tend to be boring as hell and basically worthless, but I skimmed it and it looked pretty good. I hope you'll join me in continuing to send love and encouragement to Luther. He believes in the power of love, as well as the power of prayer, and so do I! I'm thinking of you, Luther! Keep fighting!

TOUR BUS: The bus stops next in Santa Rosa, California, Greenville, South Carolina, and Sarasota, Florida. Visit See Mathis Live! for details.

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