WARNING! This is not your typical fan page. You won't find a lot of sappy talk about Johnny Mathis in the Chronicles. I am allergic to such talk. This is MY tribute, which investigates Mr. Mathis as a performing artist and an influence on my life; therefore I stay away from personal matters such as whom he may be dating (as if he'd tell me anyway), and crap about how beautiful he is and such. But you can't discuss Mathis without discussing feelings--strong ones. I present MY VIEWS ONLY in essay form and tuck them away in a separate section where nobody is forced to read them if they don't want to. The factual stuff is verifiable to the best of my ability. I discuss what I HATE as well as what I LIKE about Mathis from the point of view of someone who spends a lot of time in the cheap seats at his shows, and who has amassed a sizeable collection of his studio albums, as well as books and articles about the man. I also have several years worth of correspondence with the Johnny Mathis International Fan Club as one of many sources of the facts and figures; while it turns out that they are not as reliable a source as I had once believed, the letters do offer yet another point of view and are as such valid and valuable.
I mention this only because there may be those who may be disappointed with what I have to say. Well, I'm sorry. There are those older fanatics who would prefer Mathis just put on a shiny tux, smile complacently, be nonthreatening and sing "Chances Are" for the rest of his life. I reject this view vehemently. My idea of the perfect Mathis is one who would be allowed to grow as a person and as an artist, yet not be seen in ridiculous situations. If I think something is stupid, I'll say so. I consider my appreciation of with Mathis a mature and open-minded one, rather than one such as that which a teenager might have, and I am probably not the typical "fan" as in "fanatic". I am probably more of a "connaisseur" these days. Therefore, I feel I can offer a more realistic and well-rounded view of this legendary performer than either the "just do the hits and forget the rest" or the "I love everything he ever does and will do" approach. I'd like to call the Chronicles the "thinking person's" perspective of one of the longest-lasting musical icons of the music business.
For those who seek to control my words, or the content of the Mathis Chronicles, know that you are my worst enemy. The First Amendment is very important to me and I defend it vigorously. As a Sagittarian, I tend to speak my mind, and I'm not afraid to say so if I think Mathis has screwed up in my opinion. However, I'm working on HOW I communicate my displeasure. After all, I really do understand how it is to put something with your name on it out to the public and hope they like it. And I hope that my visitors enjoy the Mathis Chronicles and find it useful, even though not everything I say or show will be pleasant. Such is the way of the world, but I believe people of any age with a mature attitude can deal with it.
Maybe it's a reflection of the technology gap between generations, but I'm finding some people just don't get that as personal homepage, The Mathis Chronicles of course focuses on MY own personal interests and opinions. While most contact with "official" organizations connected with Johnny Mathis turned out to be only thinly-veiled attempts to try to push their own ideas of what should be contained on the the Mathis Chronicles, even though they had pages of their own, I think even they now understand that this is MY page, and editorial content remains MY decision. Of course, I tolerate some suggestions, such as what people would like to see on the Mathis Chronicles, for through these ideas the Mathis Chronicles has evolved to what you see today, without straying too far from the original focus. But those who try to suggest what I should and should not say are no friends of mine! I will not tolerate censorship. I WILL talk about race and homosexuality and the price of gas because that's what people do on their homepages. It's as simple as that. And sometimes, I even talk about Mathis, and every now and then, I like to let the people talk about Mathis, too, and they can say whatever they like. From the beginning, and unlike other sites for Johnny Mathis, I've always allowed people to communicate with me, because I feel that while I won't put up with stupidity, dialogue is very important to reaching new understanding. What good is it to be concerned with someone else's rights with no regard for your own? I've said it before elsewhere that the people who get along with me the best are the people who don't try to control me. I'm happy to have you stop by and join the fun. But if you can't or don't want to absorb my attempt to widen your horizons, then do us ALL favor and move on! NOBODY is making you bookmark my page, least of all, me!
Let me also add that the information contained in the Mathis Chronicles is intended for entertainment/educational/informational use only. No financial gain is made from this site. Images on these pages outside of the original productions of the author were reproduced from the author's personal files, and all rights are reserved and remain with their various copyright owners. Individuals may view these files for personal and or academic use only. Feel free to contact the author if there are any questions about this.
It seems the reason there are disclaimers, is due to a general lack of common sense among the masses. Luckily, they don't apply to everybody, though. The vast majority of those who visit the Mathis Chronicles understand the above principles and accept them. I'm appreciative of those who do so.
Thank you for your time!
