Johnny Mathis

What more can you say ? I have said this all before and will again if I am lucky !

Johnny would be the penultimate example of born genius (voice) and doing everything possible to enhance the gift....he delivers the lyrics as if forcing you to believe every note is perfectly tuned, arranged and made special for you.....AND IT IS ! Sixth row....perfect view (he is still beautiful) and the instrument still exists today as good as ever at 72...still at the peak of his powers.

I have wished for this event (Johnny's Christmas show at the Las Vegas Hilton) for two years since I last saw the same show in an almost identical foremat....I left that one thinking nothing could be that perfect and this one wasn't...but boy it was close and I refuse now to deny myself the four star pleasure of this master talent.

Again following Frankie Valli's guideline theme...all the good music has already been written...Johnny did Chances Are, Misty, 12th of Never, 99 miles from LA, and a dozen Christmas standards.....We Need a Little Christmas which I have been singing for a month and will for another month.

35 piece orchestra...strings, harp, horns and absolutely finite arrangements...35 pieces and never too loud or in the way... only backing up this national treasure. I was thinking, would not this be the prototype example for young musicians instead of what we have had the last 30 years...of course you will never have another voice like Johnny Mathis nor many writers to do Chances Are or Misty either.

Thanks to the Las Vegas Hilton....nice 1500ish crowd for this two nighter at the lovely current home to Barry Manilow...sensational full stage rural christmas backdrop with alternating lights in the window and smoke in the chiminey. Nice crowd....no cell phones, everyone sucking it up (to their credit) and only one assholette arriving late...in front of me.

The sheer presence of the master and his personna, history and stage experience here are matched by none and never to be superceded. Next to Nat King Cole this for me is the greatest singer I have ever heard and I am so blessed be on the same planet at the same time as Johnny Mathis. I do not forsee my opinion changing on this in the next couple of light years !

Thank you Johnny for bringing your songs to my life !

Negatives...5 minutes late..8 minute orchestra overture, Brazil.....no Maria.

Johnny did 38 minutes, comedian Gary Mule Deer 23 (you know Gary.... he is the only guy that has Johnny Mathis for an opening and closing act) 44 minutes more for Johnny...so I get 82 minutes of heaven.

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