“When I was 13, I used to go to a jazz club. The owner of the club became my first business manager. She was very gutsy and had a lot of friends, one of whom happened to be the head of jazz at Columbia at the time. That's how it all began.”

American singer

Johnny Mathis is an American singer best known for a long recording career that began with singles of standard music. Born John Royce Mathis, he became a major popular vocalist of the 20th century and is counted among its best-selling recording artists. He later gained particular success as an album artist. Several of his albums earned gold or platinum status, and 73 reached the Billboard charts, reflecting the steady commercial reach of his work over many years.