PRESENTS

Welcome to my op-ed page, The Grapevine News & Views. I started this section in 2002 so that I'd have a place to air my views on my own website. (Go figure.) Who knew blogging would become such a phenomenon! If you've sought this page out, here you will find 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. I also find Mathis connections, people, places, and events that have been touched by the influence of Johnny Mathis, and oftentimes I simply ramble. So thanks for reading what I have to say, and thanks for coming by.

VOL. 6 NO. 2 - OCTOBER 2007

DEATHS IN THE FAMILY This summer I was saddened to learn of the death of Johnny Mathis' oldest brother, Clem on June 12th. On July 2nd there was the passing of a great friend of Johnny Mathis, opera singer Beverly Sills. In August TV show host Merv Griffin passed away. Most recently, on September 6 we lost one of the greatest voices of all time, Luciano Pavarotti. Mathis, having been a frequent guest on the Griffin talk show, paid homage to his friend Griffin, saying he was "never intimidated by life", and noting how "we'd sit around on the floor and play those games. Little did we know that they'd become a part of American culture."

Beverly Sills had a pristine soprano voice, and Mathis listed her as one of the operatic voices he listened to when he was starting out, and keeps her in his iPod. Mathis' affinity for opera leads me to the logical conclusion that he was probably as appreciative of the talent of the late Luciano Pavarotti as I was. I was very sad to learn that he lost his fight with cancer. Pavarotti was not a snob for snobbery's sake. It's amusing, or would be if it weren't so sad, that people will diminish an artist's work because he brought his work to the masses instead of keeping it "elite".

Pavarotti took a lot of heat for demystifying operatic-style music. If you go to YouTube, you will find not only clips of Pavarotti in actual operas, but you will find clips of his wonderful "Pavarotti & Friends" series of benefit concerts, held in his hometown of Modena, Italy. The great James Brown, only ten months gone himself, performed what is, in my view, the most stunning duet of "It's A Man's World" with Pavarotti and full orchestra and background singers. It's just extraordinary, and the audience were clearly overjoyed by it as well.

"Bubbles" Sills, too, brought opera to the masses, and was known by some as the "diva who made opera cool". Ms. Sills wasn't too proud to sing a duet with the Muppet, Miss Piggy, and she was an occasional guest host on Carson's Tonight Show, so countless millions knew of her in that capacity. Both singers were referred to as the two of the most recognizable opera singers since Caruso. Both realized that you could achieve more by reaching out than by staying in one's own little corner with upturned nose at the rest of the world. Johnny Mathis knew and practiced this lesson with his music, refusing to simply just do the ballads that made him famous, but reaching out and performing the music of good songwriters no matter what their genre.

Of course, no July goes by for me without thinking of the other people important to me that I lost. My beloved Luther Vandross was lost July 1st of 2005, an incredible two years ago, followed by my beloved aunt a week later. Two years before that on the fourth of July 2003 we lost the great Barry White. I'll never forget any of those hot July days the rest of my life. Summer 2006 wouldn't have been very happy for me if I hadn't spent some part of it in the Boston area surrounded by my adopted family and friends. It's odd, but when you're grieving, you kind of don't want people to bother you, and yet isolation sucks, too. All I know is that when you're raw, just give the scab time to form. Even afterwards, after you thought you've healed, something will rub up against that spot and the hurt comes back, and you cry. I think it's always going to be like that no matter how much time goes by. Another year, 2007, has come and almost gone, and there are still wounds yet to heal.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER Birthday boy Johnny Mathis' new CD is due to release December 4, as of this writing. It can be pre-ordered now at your favorite music outlet. There are, of course, no pre-orders for digital downloads. Looks like Thom Bell will indeed have his hand in it at least partially, like he suggested on the Fresh Air NPR show a year ago as reported here. The interesting part will be, which "Night to Remember" will he be covering: Shalamar, or Engelbert?? Hmmm....You should be able to find the track list at JohnnyMathis.com.

In the meantime, the original Johnny Mathis debut album was re-released in May with a FABULOUS new cover photo, albeit 4.25" square. An odd development is that there's also another re-package called A New Sound in Popular Music, which was, of course, the original title of the Johnny Mathis debut album. Lord knows what's on it. Anyway, if you want to spend $10-$16 for the new photos, these are available through Sony BMG as an import, for those who prefer the Johnny Mathis of the past.

By the time I've uploaded this, Johnny Mathis will have turned 72 on September 30. I wish him all the best.

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