Country Johnny Mathis
b. 28 September 1933, Maud, Texas, USA. Not to be confused with his more successful namesake, this Johnny Mathis is a country singer/songwriter. He appeared on the BIG D JAMBOREE, Dallas but moved to Shreveport and made his debut on the LOUISIANA HAYRIDE in 1953. In 1954, he and Jimmy Lee Fautheree recorded as Jimmy And Johnny and gained a number 3 US country chart hit with his song If You Don't Somebody Else Will. During his days at Shreveport, Mathis worked with Johnny Horton and co-wrote some songs with him including I'll Do It Everytime. Horton also recorded some of Mathis’ songs. Although Mathis appeared on the GRAND OLE OPRY, He had no solo chart hits after Please Talk To My Heart in 1963. The following year that song became a Top 10 hit for Ray Price and, 16 years later, charted again for Freddy Fender. His songs have been recorded by many stars, including George Jones, Faron Young, Charley Pride and Engelbert Humperdinck. Mathis recorded both country and gospel material for Little Darlin’ and Hilltop Gospel during the '60s and '70s, but despite being around the country music scene for three decades, he remains basically an unknown.