Before he was a velvet-voiced legend, Johnny Mathis was a world-class high jumper.

Music · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Long before Johnny Mathis became a titan of the American songbook, he was a star athlete at San Francisco State College. He nearly qualified for the 1956 Olympic team, but chose a singing career instead. That decision launched a seven-decade journey that redefined the modern pop album.

Born in 1935, Johnny Mathis grew up in San Francisco, where his early musical training was supported by his father, a former vaudeville performer. While he showed vocal promise early on, his youth was equally defined by athletics. By 1954, he was a standout high jumper and basketball player at San Francisco State College, where he set a high jump record of 1.97 meters. His athletic prowess was so significant that he was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle alongside future NBA icon Bill Russell. He was even poised to compete for a spot on the 1956 U.S. Olympic team in Melbourne before ultimately prioritizing his burgeoning professional music career.

Mathis’s impact on the recording industry is perhaps best measured by his 1958 release, Johnny's Greatest Hits. This record was a watershed moment for the industry, as it was the first collection of its kind. It spent an unprecedented 490 consecutive weeks on the Billboard charts, establishing a template for the 'greatest hits' format that remains a standard today. His longevity is matched by few; he is one of Columbia Records' longest-tenured artists, having maintained a professional relationship with the label for most of his career since 1956.

Beyond his commercial success, Mathis has been recognized for his artistic contributions through numerous accolades, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 and induction into the Great American Songbook Hall of Fame in 2014. Three of his iconic tracks—'Chances Are', 'Misty', and 'It's Not for Me to Say'—have been enshrined in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Even as he retired from touring in May 2025, his legacy remains cemented by his unique ability to bridge genres, from traditional pop and jazz to soul and soft rock, all delivered with his signature 'velvet voice'.

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