Gold: A 50th Anniversary Christmas Celebration

Performer: Johnny Mathis
Producer: Robbie Buchanan; Didier C. Deutsch (Compilation)
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Johnny Mathis is a unique vocalist, not only for his creamy-smooth, classy singing, but also in that his vocal artistry has appealed to several generations of listeners since the 1950s. And the Holiday Season certainly wouldn't be the same without his distinctively mellow, romantic versions of seasonal standards such as "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Christmas Song." But with this ANNIVERSARY edition, there are extra presents to be found--a medley sung with Bette Midler, and a song with New Age instrumental outfit Mannheim Steamroller. This collection will make the Season bright for Holiday music fans in general and Mathis fans in particular. Johnny Mathis' best Christmas recordings date from the late '50s, when he recorded Merry Christmas for Mitch Miller and Columbia, and from the mid-'60s, when he recorded The Sounds of Christmas for Mercury. Mathis was a wonderful holiday singer, easily able to summon the congenial warmth and energetic cheerfulness that made his version of "Sleigh Ride" a perennial hit. Gold: A 50th Anniversary Christmas Celebration compiles six songs from that pair of classic records, along with a handful from 1986 and four from the 2000s. Two rarities are also included: a version of "O Tannenbaum" that Mathis recorded with Mannheim Steamroller for their 2004 holiday album, Christmas Celebration, and a duet with Bette Midler ("Winter Wonderland/Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!") that was previously unreleased. The cheer between Mathis and Midler is a little forced, and the disc has plenty of room for a half-dozen more songs from the '50s and '60s, but Gold: A 50th Anniversary Christmas Celebration is a solid collection. ~ John Bush

No Depression (p.80) - "Mathis' lace-like tenor is tailor-made for conveying the fragile and swooning romantic pangs we've all experienced."

Although Johnny Mathis got his start as a jazz singer, his velvety 1956 hit "Wonderful, Wonderful" set the course for the rest of his career as a smooth pop crooner and key supplier of make-out music. He maintained a steady career course over the following decades, and in the late '70s enjoyed a renewed popularity, scoring a few high-charting duets with Deniece Williams. One of the most popular recording artists of all time, Mathis has reputedly sold over 350 million records, and his 1958 greatest-hits collection--the first compilation of its kind--stayed on the U.S. charts for almost 10 years. Past his 50th year in show business, Mathis was still recording and performing, his special brand of silky pop balladeering never quite falling out of favor.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25