I stumbled on the live version of "How Do You Keep The Music Playing" by Johnny Mathis late last night, and was simply speechless.

As a kid, one afternoon, I listened to "Rock Around the Clock" followed by "Chances Are". I had been plying for money for a year or so, and realized what a difference there was between these two songs and singers. That started my lifelong interest in structure, passing chords, inversions...everything that gets a "picker and grinner" into trouble (LOL)!

Then, I started to look for information on Mathis. I found out that he had been an Olympic caliber high jumper in college before making the choice to work in music.

I had also heard that he tried to be a jazz singer, but, unlike me, figured out that there was a lot better living in doing something.....ANYTHING but jazz.

His is a talent that crosses categories. Excellence in music is just that...EXCELLENT!

At 78, he just completed a new Christmas album and has a full touring schedule in 2014.

The lesson I learned is, he's a brilliant vocalist and a complete gentleman, as are most I've met who are at the top of their field(s). And, he's a talent of major proportions; one that defies categories.

Whether you're a jazz or country player...whatever, if you and I took his hard work approach and had his talent, we'd be at the top of our games, too!

I lost the link, but just Google the live version of Johnny Mathis, How do you keep the music playing.

It's so good it'll bring tears to your eyes.

It did mine.

Russ

Beautiful Russ. I enjoyed his performance so much.

Russ, thank you. This was the music when I was in my prime, I’m glad there are some who do not just enjoy it, but love it.

My prayer before I sleep is that today’s musician brings back this type of music. The lyrics are beautiful – you can hear every word and the music is there only to enhance the singer. In fact, after listening for a while all you hear and feel is the story of the song. Quiet emotion, and more quiet emotion – beautiful.

I sure miss this stuff.
John C.

Wow. I always liked Tony Bennett doing this with a trio, but this is something else. So smooth with full orchestration. You are right John, but sadly, my kids don't even know who these performers are. And many pop artists only turn to the standards on their way down to get a last push in their careers. Maybe it takes 10-20-30 years of pop crap to develop an appreciation of the real music that was..

As a singer, Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, Elvis and Mel Torme were my idols. All had incredible, unsurpassed, distinct vocal qualities that IMO, has never been matched by today's best male vocalist. One of the things I discovered while in Nashville many years ago was that most of them had taken diction lessons from a major Nashville studio that really made a huge difference in their overall vocal qualities. With that in mind, and after reading a couple magazine articles about this aspect of singing, I signed up at the local community college for a course called "Voice and Articulation." The instructor was one of the top female jazz vocalist in this region. She taught me a lot, which also helped immensely when I went to work as a radio newscaster and began doing voice-overs for some local car dealer commercials. One of the things I learned while enrolled in the course was voice control, which made switching from a handheld mic to a headset mic a breeze. I also used a headset mic while doing newscasts and voice-overs. Of course, those headset mics were also outfitted with high-quality headphones so I could hear the director who was on the other side of a large, plate-glass window in another room. Wow, sure brings back some neat memories. Thanks Russ.

Gary

A number of years ago I was playing in a nice restaurant and there was a couple that came in for dinner every Friday ... they sat at the bar near where I played and had dinner and would stick around listening for a couple of hours ... I asked if they had a favorite song, and this was it ... so the following week I put together a nice 'orchestration' on my technics kn6000, and played/sang it for them EVERY week ... they always said "thank you that was beautiful", but that was it - never a tip - ... but I made the 'thank you' be enough ...

I always admired the 'ease' at which Johnny Mathis sang ... and I remember hearing an interview with Anne Murray, and the interviewer said " singing comes so easy to you" and she responded "Are you kidding?, I'm working my a$$ off on that stage!" ...

Tony, I always liked your vocal work, and it does not surprise me that you could pull off this song.

That "ain't" easy.I do it every night, and am having a little trouble on the high notes.


R.

... thank you Russ ...