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Johnny Mathis - Singer
John Scott Lavender - Musical Director/ Piano/Keyboards
Kerry Marx/Steve Peavey* - Guitarist
Ken Wild - Bass
Joe Lizama - Drums
The fourth of seven children, John Royce Mathis was born on September 30, 1935 in Gilmer, Texas to Clem & Mildred Mathis. As a small boy, the family moved into a basement apartment on Post Street in San Francisco. At age eight, Johnny’s father Clem purchased an old upright piano for $25, which wouldn't fit through their apartment’s front door. So that evening, he stayed up to watch his father dismantle the piano, move the pieces into their small living room, and then reassemble it. It was there that he learned an appreciation of music from his father who taught him his first song, “My Blue Heaven.” Clem, who worked briefly as a musician back in Texas playing the piano and singing on stage, would continue to teach his son many songs and routines. Johnny had proven to be the most eager of the children to learn all about music. He sang in the church choir, school functions, community events, and amateur shows in the San Francisco area. He was also a successful track and field athlete, and was offered a chance to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials. In that same week Columbia Records called, so Johnny chose to go to New York to record his first album, which released on July 16, 1956. A year later with his first TV appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show Johnny’s career was truly launched into stardom.
Best-known for his supremely popular hits like “Chances Are,” “It’s Not For Me To Say,” and “Misty”, Johnny has recorded close to 80 albums, six Christmas albums, and has sold millions of records worldwide. During his extensive career he has had three songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, achieved 50 hits on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary Chart, and ranks as the all-time #6 album artist in the history of Billboard’s
Gil Reigers - Tour/Production Manager
Stacey Westbrook - Lighting Director/Stage Manager
Eric Hatcher - Sound Engineer
Carrie Reigers - Merchandise Manager & Souvenir Program Coordinator
pop album charts. He has received five Grammy Nominations, and in 2003 was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. His 1958 album Johnny’s Greatest Hits started the music industry tradition of “Greatest Hits” albums, which is noted in © Guinness Book of World Records for a nearly ten year run on the Billboard Top Albums Chart.
In addition to all this Johnny and his music have appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including The Tonight Show, Silver Linings Playbook, Family Ties, Criminal Minds, Gremlins, Mad Men, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, just to name a few. In 2017 he released his 78th studio album titled Johnny Mathis Sings The Great New American Songbook, and debuted his two “lost” albums - I Love My Lady produced by Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards of the pivotal group CHIC; The Island with Sergio Mendes. He also recorded new musical collaborations with other artists through 2021. Johnny continues to be Columbia Records longest signed recording artist, and to fans of all ages The Voice Of Christmas!
In spite of a very busy tour schedule and many charity events, Johnny enjoys a little free time. He was an avid tennis player until the late 1960s, when a good friend turned him on to his now life-long love of golf. He plays golf almost every day when he’s not traveling, and has even hosted his own golf tournament, The Johnny Mathis Seniors PGA Classic. He is also quite the gourmet chef thanks to his parents, who taught him how to cook at an early age.
After 67 years as a recording artist, what’s next for Johnny? “I don’t think about retiring. I think about how I can keep singing for the rest of my life. I just have to pace myself.”
Johnny Mathis Brad UptonThe world is discovering comedian Brad Upton after 36 years in the standup business. Brad was teaching the fourth grade and coaching high school track in Pasco, WA when he first stepped on stage in 1984. He quickly decided that he wanted to do standup instead, so he quit teaching in June of 1986 and never looked back. He made several cable TV appearances in the early 90s, headlined comedy clubs from coast to coast, opened for big name music acts and was hired to perform at corporate events. He never sought the brighter lights of LA or New York and chose instead to remain based in Seattle where he and his wife of 35 years raised their now 28-year old son and 26–year old daughter and he could continue his offstage hobby.
As his reputation grew and his work became renowned, Brad began working on the occasional cruise ship in 1999. He then won the Las Vegas Comedy Festival in 2002 and appeared at Caesars Palace as part of the HBO Comedy Festival. He toured briefly with the late, great Joan Rivers and has spent the past 15 years as the opening act for the legendary Johnny Mathis. He has also been seen in concert with The Smothers Brothers, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Glen Campbell, Little Big Town, Smokey Robinson, Pam Tillis, Joe Diffie, Lewis Black, Jeff Foxworthy, Neal McCoy and others. In 2017 he taped a special for a brand new comedy platform called Dry Bar Comedy.
Scott Lavender
John’s gifted pianist-conductor is John Scott Lavender. Before Johnny, he worked with Glenn Yarbrough and Toni; he’s conducted orchestras throughout the Canada, Great Britain, and the US, including the National Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Atlanta Symphony and more. He’s an accomplished composer, musical director, and arranger-orchestrator and is active in the synthesized, computer-
Things would soon change in ways he never expected. Dry Bar released a clip of Brad in June of 2018 about millennials that went viral in ways very few comedy videos have ever done. It had 12 million views in 48 hours, then 33 million views in 10 days. It sent his CD to Number 1 on the iTunes Charts and had him trending on Twitter. The world became suddenly aware of this ‘new’ comedian. That video today has nearly 90 million views and according to Dry Bar, is the most viewed standup video ever. He has released two very successful specials on Dry Bar and now has well over 200 million views on the internet. His immense internet fame drew the attention of the iconic Grand Ole Opry where he had the ultimate honor to step into the circle and make his debut in September of 2019 and has since become a regular guest. So how does someone catch fire in his 32nd year? The internet. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have suddenly led millions of people to Brad’s comedy and they have discovered a comedian that has mastered the nearly impossible task of appealing to people from the ages of 18 to 80. No one has been more surprised than Brad; he has been very humbled by the newfound fame at this point in his career and is currently working feverishly all over the country to take advantage of his moment in the sun. After a rather significant health scare and diagnosis in the early summer of ‘22, Brad is grateful for this late career validation and everyone of you that read this far.
music field. In these capacities, he’s worked with the Hollywood and Israel Pops Orchestras, the Local Cable Ace Awards, the Museum of Jewish History, Gap commercials and Craig Taubman of “Craig and Co.” to mention a few.
Anyone who’s seen a Johnny Mathis concert has seen Gil. Gil is the multi-faceted guy who plays guitar, sings and is Johnny’s Production Manager.
“Here I am.” Gil had been playing guitar for Johnny for a couple of years when, “One night we were out on a trip with a new conductor and someone in the audience yelled out, ‘Twelfth of Never’. It was an easy song. I knew it in Johnny’s key. So, I just started playing it and have been ever since.” A few years later, Gil began taking on production/stage managing and is now Johnny’s Production Manager. He says that he “really enjoys working with agents, contracts and buyers. It’s very satisfying to see something start as a phone call or memo and turn into one of Johnny’s performances with all of the people that are involved and will attend.”
Gil has been working with Johnny for an amazing 50 years as of June 2020! While he no longer tours on the road, Gil is still thoroughly involved with Johnny & his team in all other aspects of Johnny’s concert tours & Jon Mat Records.
Joe Lizama
Joseph Lizama is Johnny’s accomplished percussionist. When he was in the eighth grade, he purchased the largest drum set pictured in the Ludwig Drum Catalog, paid for it with his own savings. That same drum set would later be used for his first few years touring with Johnny Mathis. When in his last year of college, he had the opportunity to play percussion (not drums) for Johnny Mathis on a five-day California tour. Following several other tours and travel, he moved to Las Vegas to embark on his professional career.
Later, while on the road touring, Joe received an important telephone call offering him the job playing drums for Johnny Mathis. Twenty years later, the job working for Johnny Mathis is one that he still enjoys.
Kerry Marx
Kerry is a Nashville guitarist and studio musician, best known for his work with the Grand Ole Opry, where he has been staff guitarist since 2000 and Music Director since 2018. He has played with many notable musicians including Natalie Cole, Taylor Swift, John Legend, James Taylor, and Branford Marsalis. He was guitarist for the CD Songs From The Neighborhood: The Music Of Mister
Rogers, which received a Grammy award, the album Many Moods of Moses which received a Grammy nomination, and for the two-time multi-platinum self-titled album by musical group Blackhawk. He has played a variety of jazz, pop, rock, and country music in the Nashville recording scene, in addition to touring with artists such as Olivia NewtonJohn, Lynda Carter, Don McLean, Steve Wariner, Porter Wagoner, Lee Ann Womack, Johnny Cash, Toby Keith & Shania Twain, Ronnie Milsap, Razzy Bailey, Jerry Reed, Ray Price, and of course Johnny Mathis.
Ken Wild
Ken began playing bass in a trio with Dave Wild around 1966. Attended the University of Hawaii 1970 – 1972, studying bass with Armand Russell, but left before graduating to go on the road as a founding member of the band Seawind. Seawind moved to LA in 1976 and began recording for CTI records with noted drummer Harvey Mason as producer. Later records were released on A&M records; their last record was produced by George Duke. Ken also became a very active studio musician starting in 1976, working in TV, film, and records. That active schedule continues today. Professional experience with performers such as Sammy Davis Jr. Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Barbara McNair and others. He was also a member of Natalie Cole’s touring band 2002 – 2004, opened for Herbie Hancock, Herbie Mann, George Benson and many others. Ken is Johnny’s current Bass Player, joining the Rojon touring crew in 2019.
Stacy Westbrook
Stacey has worked in the lighting industry for 25+ years. Since starting with the Mathis Band in January 2013, she says that working for Johnny Mathis is the equivalent of winning the Lotto. “It’s a rare thing to truly like your job as well as all the people you work with. It is simply marvelous to be surrounded by this much talent. Mr. Mathis makes my job seem easy. I hope that Richard would be proud.” When not on the road, she calls Chicago home. She’s the Art Director at DK Design/ Production, enjoys experimental cooking and hanging with her man Mike.
