Here are just some of the albums that contained a song (or two) written by ‘Country’ Johnny Mathis. Many of these were Billboard Charting albums, several were Gold Records.
Webb Pierce, Porter Wagoner, Johnny Horton, Jimmy Dean
George Jones / Margie Singleton, George Jones, Ray Price, Wanda Jackson, George Jones, Margie Singleton, Country Johnny Mathis
The Osborne Brothers w Red Allen, George Jones, George & Melba Montgomery
George Jones, Charley Pride
George Jones and Melba Montgomery, George Hamilton IV
Johnny Paycheck, George Jones & Tammy Wynette
Doug Kershaw, Freddy Fender, The Whites, Elvis Costello
May 2020, Rolling Stone Magazine. Top 50 Country Albums Every Rock Fan Should Own
‘Country’ Johnny Mathis had 10 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees record his songs. he also received two BMI Citations of Achievement.
A few concert playbills, pictures, news articles.
Jimmy and Johnny (‘Country’ Johny Mathis) toured with Elvis during the mid-50’s.
Jimmy and Johnny on The Louisiana Hayride
Louisiana Hayride Playbill
Newspaper article ‘Mathis to Sing on Wilburn Brothers Show’
Louisiana Hayride Playbill
Concert advertisement, Jimmy and Johnny with Elvis Presley
Johnny Horton signing, ‘Country’ Johnny Mathis on the right.
Promotional letter to a radio station.
On October 3, 1955, Elvis, Scotty and Bill started a four day tour of Texas that would hit five cities that included Jimmy and Johnny.
Cashbox announcement of Elvis and Jimmy & Johnny show in Memphis.
An early Johnny Mathis recording on J-B Records (Jim Bulleit), from 1951. J-B Records only lasted a year or two as Jim left to help his friend Sam Phillips start Sun Records in Memphis.
1972, Country Johnny Mathis
Country Johnny Mathis, early 50’s
Some of the Elvis and Jimmy and Johnny concert announcement in 1954 and 1955
One of the last times Johnny was on the Grand Ole Opry, 1972.
This picture is probably around 1950 (maybe 1951), possibly a New Year’s Eve celebration. Johnny is the second from the left. This was taken at Jack Ruby’s club in Dallas, probably the Silver Spur. Johnny and Jimmy Lee Fautheree would occasionally sing at Jack Ruby’s club. Around this time Johnny was also performing on the Big D Jamboree in Dallas before making the trip over to Shreveport, LA in 1951 to begin performing on the Louisiana Hayride.
Promotional material for Country Johnny Mathis from the Hubert Long Agency, circa 1971.
Hubert Long was an American music executive known for his promotion of country music artists from the early 1950s to his death in 1972. Among the stars under his agency included Skeeter Davis, Ray Price, Chet Atkins, Little Jimmy Dickens, Ferlin Husky, Don Gibson, Bill Anderson, Jan Howard, Mel Tillis, and Brenda Lee.
Long worked for Decca Records in the late 40’s and eventually for RCA records. While at RCA, Long would meet Colonel Tom Parker, who hired him to do publicity work for Eddy Arnold. It was while he was managing Arnold that Long would move to Nashville and get into the promotional business.
Long also managed the Louisiana Hayride in the early 50’s.
Country Johnny Mathis performing on KWKH’s Louisiana Hayride in the 1950’s (Tillman Franks on the upright bass).
Johnny loved performing!
