Johnny Mathis Quotations

Little did I know the excesses this life can lead you into. I used to smoke and drink. I gave up cigarettes 35 years ago, drinking six years ago.

I think I had an advantage studying with a female teacher, ... Most people who study with women as opposed to men have a little different concept of the voice. Women help you retrain the soft, high part of your voice.

We work hard on it (the offense), and being down here gives us a chance to work on it during the day and play at night. The team ran the offense well, and every time we ran the offense right we basically scored.

When people talk about Johnny Mathis, it feels like they're talking about someone else, ... I'm so busy I don't have time to think about the fact that I'm famous. I'm just who I am and this is what I do.

You have to make sure you don't overdo one thing or the other, especially at a certain age, especially with the voice. You can't beat it to death.

Even though he sings the same songs night after night, he never disappoints, ... He always gives 100 percent, and no matter how old he gets, he always sounds like Johnny Mathis.

This is what I was brought in here to do, ... I'll do whatever it is the team needs me to do. I just want win.

They're disappointed if you don't do the old songs,

I had no idea why, but all of a sudden I wanted to sing, ... And I loved it. I didn't have a choice. I just gravitated toward it.

In other words, the celebrity gets out of hand, and if you're not careful, you will forget what you are about - and that is you are about making music that people want to hear.

Her desire for fame is like her hair. It keeps getting bigger.

Even though there's no forum for me on the radio for the kind of music I sing anymore, I am still excited about having a career where I can sing the best music in the world, and people will come and hear me because of the hit records I've had in the past.

It's very much like opera singers. They do the same thing. The first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, the thing they think about is their voice and how to take care of it.

I also met, early on Ella Fitzgerald. Her songbooks are some of the most amazing bodies of work.

I'm just one of the lucky people. I have no other reason for my longevity.

I really, really enjoy music and that's why I do what I do.

I think there are a lot of people who really want to be famous, they really do. I don't. It sort of gets in the way of the everyday things that I do.

Sometimes being famous gets in the way of doing what you want to do.

Too much, too little, too late, to ever try again. Too much, too little, too late, let's end it being friends.

Let's love, press your lips to mine. Let's kiss, for that thrill divine.

Walk my way and a thousand violins begin to play, or it might be the sound of your hello.

But I am very grateful for my success, and with success, of course, comes a whole lot of celebrity.

In other words, the celebrity gets out of hand, and if youre not careful, you will forget what you are about - and that is you are about making music that people want to hear.

When you do interviews, you have to talk about yourself - and I like to find out about other people. I am so familiar with everything that I do. Ive said it over and over again. I think it is boring.

Its just that some people are lucky and people still seem to enjoy the music.

When I was 12 and started to take singing lessons from a woman, she told me that I would probably spend the rest of my life taking care of my voice.

When I do an album I try to find a producer that's excited about something that they want me to sing, and I check with the record company to find out what they think they can sell - which is their No. 1 priority.

My favorite singer to this day is Nat King Cole. I've tried to emulate his phrasing. It is so absolutely beautiful to listen to his lovely voice.

I love the house that I've been living in for over 40 years. I really am a homebody and I still love to play golf.

Her desire for fame is like her hair. It keeps getting bigger. [on Diana Ross

And fortunately, I haven't had any problem with my voice. I've been able to sing at a level of consistency that the people are expecting.