Talk:Johnny Mathis
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[edit] Birth place
Several sources, including Answers.com/Wikipedia, and Mathis' own website, show his birthplace as Gilmer, Texas. Yet for years, The World Almanac has shown his birthplace as San Francisco, California. Clearly, he was raised in the Bay Area, but is Texas indeed his birthplace?
- RESPONSE: Mathis' birthplace
Gilmer, Texas is indeed Johnny Mathis' birthplace as he has publicly acknowledged this on several occasions on television and in interviews. His family relocated to San Francisco from Gilmer, Texas when Mathis was around four or five years of age. Please see biographical book enclosed in the compilation, The Music of Johnny Mathis (Columbia/Legacy Records, Catalog No. 48932, released in 1993). el jay
[edit] Net Worth?
I'd love to see some sourcing for the statement that he is one of the wealthiest entertainers. Also, if such a statement could be made then there is likely a figure for his net worth? The reason that I am sceptical is that it seems odd for one of the wealthiest entertainers to still be playing no-name casinos in 2006.
RESPONSE Mathis plays anywhere people want to see him and not for the money anymore,its been like that for years except he has reduced his concerts as he gets older, I did read some 15 years ago he had amassed several hundred million dollars with shrewd investments, for example in real estate in NewYork in the early 60s.It wouldnt surprise me if he was one of the wealthiest, hes been perfroming over 50 years and hes always been one of the worlds highest paid performers.
[edit] First black millionaire?
This article incorrectly states that Johnny Mathis became America's first black millionaire in 1960. William Alexander Leidesdorff (1810-1848) holds that distinction, and a more popular figure, Madame C.J. Walker (1867-1919) was America's first FEMALE millionaire.
RESPONSE: William Alexander Leidesdorff was the first black BUSINESSMAN to become a millionare. Madame C.J. Walker was America's first FEMALE millionaire from hair products manufacturing. Johnny Mathis is the first black ENTERTAINER to become a millionare. All three statements are correct because of their specific distinctions
It is only correct if it says Mathis was "the first black entertainer to become a millionaire", without the world "entertainer" in the wording, it is not correct.
[edit] Russell and Mathis went to different schools
Bill Russell and Johnny Mathis attended different colleges. Bill Russell attended USF, University of San Francisco, a private Jesuit Catholic school. Johnny Mathis attended San Francisco State University, a public school which is part of the California State University system. Therefore Russell and Mathis were never teammates on the same college basketball team.
RESPONSE: Mathis never said he and Bill Russell played on the same basketball team. He has, however, played basketball with Russell and K. C. Jones. Russell is a friend of Mathis' from high school. el jay
RESPONSE: In the Wikapedia bio for Mr. Mathis it orginally stated that he and Mr. Russell played basketball in college, since I wrote the fact that they attended different schools, the bio was changed to reflect that they did not play together in college.
[edit] Mathis's ethinicity
Whether Mr. Mathis is "African-American" or of both African-American and Caucasian ancestry is not encyclopedic. You won't find ethnic distinctions of any sort in the introduction of any article in Compton's or Encarta. Mathis's achievements throughout his life are top priority to be considered encyclopedic. Marcus2 12:41, 4 January 2006 (UTC)
RESPONSE: so are you going to alter EVERY SINGLE entry on Wikipedia that describes someone as African-American? i don't think so. Drmagic 06:29, 31 January 2006 (UTC)
RESPONSE: Well, he may be new to Wikipedia. Wiki clearly has a strange fixation with ethnicity and race: e.g. Andy Garcia is described as a "Cuban-American actor." I don't know about you, but if I lived in China, or India, or France, or Israel, and I wanted to learn about Andy, I think he would be more accurately described as an "American actor." But Wiki almost always mentions someone's ethnicity, no matter how irrelevant. I'm surprised we don't see Bill Clinton described as a "Baptist President of the United States." It's not quite the same as saying Barbra Streisand is a "Jewish-American entertainer," although I think that is troublesome as well. Her faith or ethnicity can always be mentioned in the article, but in the opening sentence of identification, strange... 66.108.4.183 09:49, 17 August 2006 (UTC) Allen Roth
[edit] Mathis' Career
In your article about Johnny Mathis you say that he did not start his recording career until 1956. Yet, I vividly recall, while I was in Basic Training at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas, going to the service club on Sundays and dancing with the local girls. One of the most memorable recordings we danced to was from Johnny Mathis. This was the first time I had ever heard of him, but his voice captivated me. I am fairly positive that the song was "Chances Are." The song I am not 100% on -- Johnny Mathis in 1955, I am 1000% sure.
I graduated from high school June 5, 1955 and one week later went into the Air Force. I was in Basic Training from June through August, 1955. And that is when I first danced to a Johnny Mathis recording. How could this have happened if he did not start recording until 1956?
Appreciate your help on this. Thank you and God bless,
Bill Gray Southern California
RESPONSE: Mathis' debut album was released in 1956. Allmusic.com confirms this. Drmagic 07:01, 11 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Mathis's sexuality
The only source claiming that Mathis is gay is a 1982 article in Us Magazine. This is about 1 step above a supermarket tabloid. There are many other, more lengthy articles and interviews by and about Mathis (e.g., Current Biography, The New Yorker) and they either claim he is heterosexual or make no reference to his sexual preference. At the very least, Mathis should be removed from the gay/lesbian categories on Wikipedia. My version of the article includes reference to the Us Magazine article and qualifies it with what I just said. Perhaps even this is going too far and there should be no reference at all to sexual preference unless the claimants can come up with more evidence. I would like to hear what others think.Bellczar 01:50, 19 December 2005 (UTC)
- Tend to agree. I think you've phrased it decently in the article but I can see the argument for removing it entirely and keeping it to this Talk page until/unless other sources become available. I definitely agree that he should be removed from the Gay Musicians category. Cheers, Ian Rose 00:51, 25 February 2006 (UTC)
On Sept 14, 2006 edition of "The Insider", Pat O'Brien commented on the 1982 report outing Johnny Mathis. O'Brien also had a soundbite from Mathis'impromptu performance at an engagement with Whitney Houston and Clive Davis. In another soundbite Mathis responded that his fans had accepted him, regardless of what's published.
- For years it has been suspect that Johnny Mathis may be bi-sexual. He has fathered a few children from his relationships with women in the late 1950s and 1960s. In the seventies he publicaly admitted in an interview of having been involved with the mistress of the Chicago mafia boss. That relationship lasted just over two years till 1978. His advisors suggested he end the nvolvement because of dangers that could arise due to her conection to the crime world.
- Mathis has stated on Entertainment Tonight in 2000, "I'm fortunate to have lots of fans around the world that know me and the quality of my music, they don't care much about what's written or said."
I have shuffled around to add back in a paragraph to the Personal life section, which was well referenced (Us magazine may be "about 1 step above a supermarket tabloid", but it was a direct interview which he again later comments on) on this subject. However, I noted that it was removed from 16 August on wards in this version by annonymous user 67.70.63.167 - as were the first two para's above removed by 81.132.41.113. I think Johnny has a right to privacy, and the paragraph makes it clear that he's happy with his situation - and that after he made the first comment, he was attacked. I find it implausable not to include a series of good references in an article about Johnny, but being encyclopedic we can't say therefore he is of any particular orientation - just as the man himself wants it, apparently! Rgds, - Trident13 23:15, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
- US magazine is barely above the tabloids as far as credibility goes. This is suppose to be an encyclopedia and therefore should deal with his achievements. I think sexual references should be removed from the personal section and be discussed in this section for those who want to. Giving people their privacy is the decent thing.
I realize that 'US' magazine isn't necessarily the NYTimes, but (my recollection is that) Mr. Mathis commented openly about this. Treating it as a somewhat disreputable piece of gossip (as opposed to the discussion of his heterosexuality) is in fact disreputable and venal. This issue ABSOLUTELY should be put back in the biography. Anything less shows the writer's hypocracy and prejudice and nothing else, Gay isn't gossip or bad. Simple as that.
Categories: Biography articles of living people | Musicians work group articles | B-Class biography (musicians) articles | Unknown-priority biography (musicians) articles | Musicians work group articles needing infoboxes | Biography articles needing infoboxes | B-Class biography articles | Unassessed Texas articles | Unknown-importance Texas articles | B-Class LGBT articles
