| Johnny "Country" Mathis | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 28, 1933 |
| Origin | Maud, Texas, US |
| Died | September 27, 2011 (aged 77) |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 1951–1999 |
| Labels | United Artists |
| Associated acts | Jimmy & Johnny |
Johnny "Country" Mathis (September 28, 1933 – September 27, 2011) was an American country singer and songwriter. He is credited with penning more than 500 tunes over the course of his long career.
Contents |
Mathis played on Louisiana Hayride from 1951 to 1960, as a solo artist and as a member of the hitmaking duo Jimmy & Johnny (with Jimmy Lee Fautheree). Mathis left the group to go solo in the middle of the 1950s, leaving Fautheree's brother Lynn to fill his shoes in the duo. Jimmy and Lynn nevertheless did not change the name Jimmy & Johnny; this would prove ideal for Mathis, who returned to the group from 1959 to 1961.
As a solo artist, he released several singles for D Records, Decca, United Artists, and Little Darlin. His final charting single was "Please Talk to My Heart," released in 1963. He also encountered significant success as a songwriter, penning songs for Johnny Paycheck, George Jones and Webb Pierce, among others.
Mathis suffered a stroke in February 1999, and was no longer able to perform. Johnny had been in poor health following a 1999 stroke, and prior to that he'd spent the last few decades singing gospel music and focusing on his family. He's survived by four children and Jeannie Mathis, his wife of 43 years. He died on September 27, 2011, one day prior to his 78th birthday.