September 30: Johnny Mathis –“It’s Not for me to Say,” "Chances Are," “Wonderful! Wonderful!” - is 78-years-old today.

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John Royce "Johnny" Mathis was born September 30, 1935 in Gilmer, Texas and grew up in the Richmond District of San Francisco, California. His father had worked in vaudeville, and when he saw his son's talent, he bought an old upright piano for $25.

When he was age 13, voice teacher Connie Cox accepted him as her student in exchange for work around her house. Johnny studied with Cox for six years, learning vocal scales and exercises, voice production, classical, and operatic singing. The first band he sang with was formed by his high school friend Merl Saunders.

Mathis was also star athlete at George Washington High School in San Francisco. He was a high jumper and a hurdler, and he played on the basketball team. In 1954, he enrolled at San Francisco State University on an athletic scholarship, intending to become an English teacher and a physical education teacher.

Mathis was spotted at a jam session by Helen Noga, co-owner of the Black Hawk Club in San Francisco and The DownBeat Club. She became his first musical manager. In September 1955, she contacted the jazz producer George Avakian, who came to listen to Mathis sing at Ann Dee's 440 Club. After doing so, he sent a telegram to Columbia Records stating: "Have found phenomenal 19-year-old boy who could go all the way. Send blank contracts."

At San Francisco State, Mathis had become a noteworthy high jumper, and in 1956, he was asked to try out for the U.S. Olympic Team that would travel to Melbourne, Australia. Mathis had to decide whether to go to the Olympic trials, or to keep his appointment in New York City to make his first recordings.

On his father's advice, Mathis opted to embark on his professional singing career in 1956, rather than trying to go to Melbourne. His LP record album was published in late 1956 instead of waiting until the first quarter of 1957.

Mathis's first record album Johnny Mathis: A New Sound In Popular Song was a slow-selling jazz album, but Mathis stayed in New York City to sing in nightclubs. His second album was produced by the Columbia Records vice-president and record producer Mitch Miller, who helped to define the Mathis sound.

In late 1956, Mathis recorded two of his most popular songs: "Wonderful! Wonderful!" and "It's Not For Me To Say. Also that year the Metro Goldwyn Mayer film company signed up Mathis to sing the latter song in the movie Lizzie. Shortly afterwards, Mathis made his second film appearance for 20th Century Fox, singing the song :A Certain Smile" in the film of the same name. He had small acting roles in both movies as a bar singer.

Mathis received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, by the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He is also a member of the Grammy Hall of Fame, which is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old, and that have "qualitative or historical significance."

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For more about Johnny Mathis, visit his Website at –

http://www.johnnymathis.com/#&panel1-1

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September 30: John Lombardo of 10,000 Maniacs, John & Mary and the Valkyries is 61-years-old today.

John Lombardo & Mary Ramsey



Lombardo, born in Jamestown, New York, is one of the original guitarists and songwriters for the folk-rock band 10,000 Maniacs and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material.

10,000 M.s after Natalie Merchant left the group

Called by the Buffalo News "a dominant force" in the Maniacs, Lombardo was in the group from its inception in 1981 until he left in 1986 after the release of 10KM's first major-label album, The Wishing Chair. Lombardo cited creative and political differences as his reasons for leaving the band.

After leaving, he formed the folk-rock duo John & Mary with the classically trained Mary Ramsey, who played violin and viola for 10,000 Maniacs and sang backing vocals on the 1993 album MTV Unplugged. The pair made two recordings under the name John & Mary: Victory Gardens in 1991 and 1993's The Weedkiller's Daughter.

Valkyries

He returned in 1994 after Natalie Merchant's departure, with Mary Ramsey joining as the new lead singer. Lombardo picked up right where he left off by writing and shaping the band's music. He left the band again in 2002.

With Ramsey, the group released two albums with the Maniacs, 1997's Love Among the Ruins - which contained a cover of the Brian Ferry song "More Than This" that did well in the U.S. charts. and 1999's The Earth Pressed Flat. In 2002, after leaving the Maniacs following the death of guitarist Rob Buck, John and Mary released The Pinwheel Galaxy. With their current band, the Valkyries, they recently released Peace Bridge.

HIGHLY Recommended:

 

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For more about John and 10,000 Maniancs, visit this Website-

http://www.maniacs.com/

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Sept. 30: John Lombardo of 10,000 Maniacs is 61-years-old today.

John Lombardo & Mary Ramsey

Lombardo, born in Jamestown, New York, is one of the original guitarists and songwriters for the folk-rock band 10,000 Maniacs and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material.

10,000 M.s after Natalie Merchant left the group

Called by the Buffalo News "a dominant force" in the Maniacs, Lombardo was in the group from its inception in 1981 until he left in 1986 after the release of 10KM's first major-label album, The Wishing Chair. Lombardo cited creative and political differences as his reasons for leaving the band.

-- "Red Wooden Beads" (John & Mary)

-- "More Than This" (10,000 Maniacs)

After leaving, he formed the folk-rock duo John & Mary with the classically trained Mary Ramsey, who played violin and viola for 10,000 Maniacs and sang backing vocals on the 1993 album MTV Unplugged. The pair made two recordings under the name John & Mary: Victory Gardens in 1991 and 1993's The Weedkiller's Daughter.

Valkyries

He returned in 1994 after Natalie Merchant's departure, with Mary Ramsey joining as the new lead singer. Lombardo picked up right where he left off by writing and shaping the band's music. He left the band again in 2002.

With Ramsey, the group released two albums with the Maniacs, 1997's Love Among the Ruins - which contained a cover of the Brian Ferry song "More Than This" that did well in the U.S. charts. and 1999's The Earth Pressed Flat. In 2002, after leaving the Maniacs following the death of guitarist Rob Buck, John and Mary released The Pinwheel Galaxy. With their current band, the Valkyries, they recently released Peace Bridge.

HIGHLY Recommended:

 

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For more about John and 10,000 Maniancs, visit this Website-

http://www.maniacs.com/

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September 30: Marilyn McCoo of the Fifth Dimension is 70-years-old today.

Marilyn McCoo is best known for being the lead female vocalist in the group The 5th Dimension, as well as hosting the 1980s music countdown series Solid Gold. She is the wife of singer Billy Davis, Jr., the founder and co-member of The 5th Dimension, whom she married in 1969.

McCoo was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. both her parents were doctors. When Marilyn was seven, her family moved to Los Angeles, where she took singing, piano and dance lessons. At the age of 15, she joined Art Linkletter's Talent Show and began modelling.

In 1962, McCoo won the Miss Bronze California beauty pageant. At this event, she met Lamonte McLemore, a part-time vocalist and photographer for Jet magazine. Her photos, taken by McLemore, were featured in the magazine's "Jet Beauty of the Week section."

In the early and mid-1960s, McCoo was a member of the Hi-Fi's, who often opened for Ray Charles. She had been invited to join the group by photographer McLemore, who would himself join McCoo in The 5th Dimension. Other Hi-Fi members included Harry Elston and Floyd Butler, who would go on to form The Friends of Distinction.

She met future husband Billy Davis, Jr. in 1966 with The 5th Dimension - then called The Versatiles - which also included Ron Townson and Florence LaRue; who, coincidentally won the Miss Bronze California title one year after Marilyn.

The group's first big hit was with 1967's "Up, Up and Away," written by Jimmy Webb. The song won four 1968 Grammy Awards and was the title track to 5th Dimension's first hit LP. Their follow-up was a cover of Laura Nyro's "Stoned Soul Picnic." "Wedding Bell Blues," featuring McCoo's most prominent vocal of that period, and a medley of "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" (from the musical Hair) both reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1969 with "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In" winning the Grammy for "Record of the Year."

By the early 1970s, McCoo began to sing lead on the group's remaining chart-topping singles, "One Less Bell to Answer," "(Last Night) I Didn't Get to Sleep At All" and "If I Could Reach You."

In 1975, McCoo and Davis left The 5th Dimension and began performing as a duo, and recorded their 1976 debut album, I Hope We Get to Love in Time. The first single was the title track, which was a mid-chart hit. Their follow up, "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)" was an even bigger hit, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1977.

McCoo and Davis were awarded a gold single and a gold album as well as a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. They also hosted their own television program, "The Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr Show," in Summer 1977.

After one more album on ABC in 1978, the pair signed with CBS Records the following year and released their last album as a duo until October 2008 when the pair released The Many Faces of Love, a collection of hit songs from the 1960s and 1970s.

HIGHLY Recommended:

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For more about Marilyn and Billy, visit their Website at -

http://www.mccoodavis.com/
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September 30: The Chiffons Sylvia Peterson - "He's So Fine," "Sweet Talkin' Guy" - is 66-years-old today.

The Chiffons was an all girl group from the Bronx, New York. They were one of the top girl groups of the early 1960s. With their trademark tight harmonies, and songs written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King such as “One Fine Day,” the Chiffons made music that helped define the girl group sound of the era.

The group was originally a trio comprising Judy Craig, Patricia Bennett and Barbara Lee. They formed at James Monroe High School in The Bronx in 1960. At the suggestion of songwriter Ronnie Mack, Sylvia Peterson was added to the group in 1962. Peterson had previously sung with Little Jimmy & The Tops in 1959 when she was fourteen years old. This group had a local hit with "Puppy Love."

Sylvia later sang the leads for the Chiffons' "Why Am I So Shy," "Strange, Strange Feeling" "The Real Thing" and other recordings.

The group hit number one in the US with their first single "He's So Fine," written by Ronnie Mack. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

George Harrison's 1970 song "My Sweet Lord" was musically similar, prompting a copyright infringement claim. The Chiffons went on to record "My Sweet Lord" in 1975. A judge later found that Harrison had unintentionally plagiarized the earlier song.

Their first hit was followed by other notable tunes such as Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "One Fine Day," "Sweet Talkin' Guy" and "I Have A Boyfriend."

 

Craig left the Chiffons in 1970 and they continued as a trio. In 1992, Lee died from a heart attack the day before her 45th birthday, and Craig returned to the group. Sylvia Peterson retired shortly thereafter and was replaced by Connie Harvey.

HIGHLY Recommended:  

 

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For more about Sylvia, visit her Website at -

http://about.me/Thechiffons

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