Mathis’ team explained that the legendary singer would retire due to “accelerated age and memory issues.”
Legendary singer Johnny Mathis revealed that he is retiring from performance. The 89-year-old pop singer stated in a Facebook post on March 26 that he will no longer do live performances after actively touring for nearly seven decades due to accelerating “age and memory issues.”
It continued, “So, it’s with sincere regret that due to Mr. Mathis’ age and memory issues which have accelerated, we are announcing his retirement from touring & live concerts.”
Mathis’ newly dubbed farewell show has third-party tickets selling for $474 on the low end.
Mathis’ announcement concluded, “Johnny Mathis and his entire staff send their heartfelt gratitude to all Mathis fans worldwide for your continued love and support of his music! It’s truly been ‘Wonderful, Wonderful.’”
There was still, however, some good news for fans of Mathis’ music, according to the New York Post, as someone hinted beneath the post that new music could still “potentially” be in the works despite his standard tour career coming to an end.
He made the decision to fully pursue his career as a singer when he had to choose between recording in New York City after being invited by an A&R executive at Columbia during the same month he was invited to participate as a high jumper in the US Olympic team trials.
Mathis chose to pour himself into music, recording his 1956 album, “Johnny Mathis: A New Sound In Popular Song,” before going on in 1957 to release his popular singles “Wonderful, Wonderful” and “It’s Not For Me To Say.”
Mathis is currently the longest-running Columbia Records artist, and has released famous songs such as “Misty,” “It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas,” “We Need a Little Christmas,” and “Winter Wonderland.”
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Source: Black Enterprise
