Christmas and Johnny Mathis
Writers can be lonely hunters in their pursuit of stories. As I searched for one for this column it was imperative that it reference with relevance the Christmas season upon us. We know the story – it is spiritual and about the birth of Christ. Proper elements are gratitude, appreciation, and love. As I searched for a topic, one was found while attending the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the Village. Although it is 2024, memories returned from attending the same event in 1954. It was like yesterday, yet it was today. I was eight years old in 1954. Now I’m approaching 80 years old. Memories marched through my mind.
As I appreciate the present and reflect on the past, a story comes to mind that is perhaps worthy of sharing. It is about a famed and favorite singer from the Bay Area. His name is Johnny Mathis. His voice and music have flowed mellifluously throughout my life. Love songs and Christmas music have been a special focus for him. From everything I had learned of him as a person, he was known as a sensitive and kind man. From interviews, he credited his mom and dad for enabling him to find true meaning in his life.
In December of 1974 I was living in Reno. An invitation was extended by friends to go to Lake Tahoe to have dinner and see a show. Our dinner was to be at the North Shore Club. It was a place of elegance with coat and tie required. Afterward, we were going to see a performance by Johnny Mathis and the Henry Mancini Orchestra. A heavy snowstorm fell that afternoon on Mt. Rose. Despite the impediment, we proceeded ahead.
After dinner we went to the showroom. The storm had significantly reduced the size of the audience. Despite that, Johnny Mathis and the Mancini Orchestra put on a spirited performance. The audience was appreciative. The performers were proud.
Twenty years later I was invited to attend a private dinner party at a famed restaurant in Beverly Hills (Chasen’s). There would be 279 of us there to have dinner with Ronald and Nancy Reagan. It was a tuxedo and gown event. Hollywood celebrities were abundant among us. As a surprise, Johnny Mathis showed up with a couple of musicians. Unknown to me, he was a close friend of the Reagans. After dinner he informally performed for us. It was a special evening. As the evening was ending, I decided to have a glass of wine at the bar. As I approached the bar, I noticed that Mathis was sitting there alone. I said hello and introduced myself and asked if I could join him. He welcomed me to do so.
For the next 15 minutes we sat alone and engaged in conversation. I had read that he was a shy man. He was. Although our conversation was sweet, it was also awkward. His shyness dominated our discussion. His personality and talent came alive only on the stage.
A few years later I was visiting with President Reagan’s Chief of Staff in his office in Century City. Reagan had already entered the domain of Alzheimer’s. She stressed the importance of routine for the President as the disease matured. Once a week he would be brought into his office to sit and read. She showed me what he read. It was the Bible. She then shared that Johnny Mathis would often come with him and read from the Bible with him.
With these stories shared, I realize that I must go see Johnny Mathis perform once more. Despite approaching ninety years of age, he still periodically performs. He’s a bit slower, just as I am as I approach eighty years of age. His next performance in our region is May 10th in Santa Rosa. My ticket is purchased and a hotel room reserved. As I sit in the audience and watch him perform, I will appreciate his amazing grace. I will also appreciate my life here in Castro Valley and the goodness it has gifted me with.