Johnny Mathis, 'The Voice of Christmas,' is Still Caroling
With his velvety vibrato, a youthful Johnny Mathis melted midcentury America with “Chances Are,” a feathery love ballad that rose to the top of Billboard’s pop charts in 1957. The singer from San Francisco notched a number of hit singles early on in his recording career and an appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” when he decided to take a chance of his own with Columbia Records.
A very merry Mathis wanted to record a Christmas album next for his loving mother and father.
“After I had success in the beginning of my career, all I ever wanted to do was to sing something for them,” Mathis said. “The only thing that came to mind was the fact that they made Christmas so special for me and my six brothers and sisters.”
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