Chances are that Johnny Mathis will be singing until the twelfth of never.
Excuse the song-title puns, but Mathis is 81 and judging by his performance Thursday in The Sharon, he shows few signs of slowing down.
Mathis scored his first hits in 1956 with “Wonderful Wonderful” and “It’s Not For Me to Say.” That year, Dwight Eisenhower was president; Marilyn Monroe starred in “Bus Stop” and Mickey Mantle played centerfield for the New York Yankees.
Times change and legends come and go. One musical force has remained constant for the past 60 years – Johnny Mathis.
Tony Bennett, 90, and Mathis are the reigning icons of American popular music. Longevity has its place and Mathis, like Bennett, proves that age is just a number when it comes to vocal quality and selling a song.
Mathis, wearing a grey suit with a white shirt open at the collar, kicked things off with a lively, “Life Is a Song Worth Singing.” He was joined by a nearly 25-piece orchestra on stage, which included about 10 members in the string section and another dozen in the horn section.
Put that rich and vibrant musical backing with the smooth and elegant vocals of Johnny Mathis and you have a winning combination.
Mathis dipped into some latter-day pop with a gorgeous versions of “Stone Love” and “I’m On the Outside Looking In.” Then he turned back the clock with a stirring, “When I Fall In Love.”
Mathis has always been able to create a warm and romantic mood. His vocals have a tender edge, to go along with glowing emotional impact.
On stage, Mathis doesn’t waste movements. For much of the concert, he stood center stage, taking a few steps to his left and right while singing.
It’s not the physical moves that matter for Mathis; it’s the vocals and atmosphere. Few singers can match him for creating romantic ambience.
Mathis took the Everly Brothers’ standard, “Let It Be Me,” and stamped the ballad into his own vocal mark.
That was nice, but nothing quite matches Mathis singing Mathis.
And that’s what happened on a shimmering medley of his standards: “It’s Not For Me to Say,” “Chances Are,” and “Gina.”
Then, Mathis talked about “my pal, Henry Mancini. He used to write beautiful music for the movies.” Mathis looked up at the ceiling and said to his late friend, “thank-you Henry.”
Mathis offered a journey through Mancini’s songbook. The songs included “Two For the Road,” “Charade,” and “The Days of Wine and Roses.”
Mathis closed the tribute with a dreamy and poignant “Moon River,” and you could almost see water rippling in the moonlight.
For many in the packed Sharon audience, Mathis’ songs are remnants of another time and place. The singer is able to transport people to that more tranquil, youthful period of their lives.
It’s more than nostalgia –it’s the magic of music and Johnny Mathis.
