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AFTER DECADES OF FRIENDSHIP, JOHNNY MATHIS SAID GOODBYE TO A MAN WHO HAD BEEN PART OF HIS MUSICAL JOURNEY FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY. When Clive Davis died in June 2026, Johnny Mathis lost more than a respected music executive. He lost a trusted friend. Their connection stretched back to the Columbia Records years, when Davis encouraged projects that helped Johnny explore new musical directions. Through changing decades, new recordings, and an industry that rarely stood still, their professional bond endured. In 2017, they reunited creatively for *Johnny Mathis Sings the Great New American Songbook*, alongside producer Babyface. It became their final original project together. After Davis’ passing, Johnny remembered him as a wonderful confidant who had offered invaluable support and guidance throughout his career. Behind all the records and accolades was something much simpler. A friendship that lasted.

Johnny Mathis on the passing of Clive Davis | Johnny Mathis

Introduction:

Some relationships in music are built around hit records and successful collaborations. Others grow into something far more meaningful. For legendary vocalist Johnny Mathis and influential music executive Clive Davis, a professional partnership that began during the Columbia Records era developed into a lasting friendship marked by trust, creative ambition, and mutual respect.

When Davis died on June 22, 2026, at the age of 94, Mathis lost not simply a powerful figure in the recording industry, but also a trusted confidant who had helped guide important chapters of his career. In a heartfelt tribute published on Mathis’s official website, the singer remembered Davis for his enthusiasm, support, and invaluable guidance.

Their connection was rooted in years of collaboration. Davis understood that an enduring artist could continue to grow without abandoning the qualities that made him distinctive. During Mathis’s Columbia years, Davis encouraged projects that allowed the singer to explore new musical possibilities while preserving the smooth, expressive voice that audiences had cherished for generations. One notable example was I’m Coming Home, an album Mathis later highlighted among the projects Davis had encouraged.

Celebrating The Great New American Songbook With Johnny Mathis And Clive Davis Featuring special guest Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds

Their partnership reached another memorable milestone in 2017 with Johnny Mathis Sings the Great New American Songbook. Co-produced by Davis and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, the album brought Mathis’s elegant vocal style to contemporary songs associated with artists including Adele, Bruno Mars, and Pharrell Williams. Rather than simply revisiting familiar territory, the project demonstrated how a seasoned performer could reinterpret modern material while remaining unmistakably himself.

The album also marked their final original project together, giving their shared musical story a poignant final chapter. Their appearance at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles to celebrate the release offered a public glimpse of the creative partnership behind the record.

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Davis’s influence extended far beyond a single artist. Over a career spanning decades, he helped shape the fortunes of numerous major performers and became one of the recording industry’s most influential executives. Yet Mathis’s tribute focused on something more personal than professional achievements. He described Davis as a wonderful confidant and expressed how deeply he would be missed, closing with a moving farewell to his friend.

In the end, their story is not only about records, chart success, or the changing landscape of popular music. It is about the rare bond between an artist and a mentor who continued to matter long after the recording sessions ended. Their final album remains a musical reminder of what they created together, while Mathis’s words preserve the human connection behind it.

Some collaborations leave behind songs. The most meaningful ones leave behind a friendship.

Video:

https://youtu.be/rWFVdbeZS0Q?si=IBhFSo61JnezNYV1

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AFTER DECADES OF FRIENDSHIP, JOHNNY MATHIS SAID GOODBYE TO A MAN WHO HAD BEEN PART OF HIS MUSICAL JOURNEY FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY. When Clive Davis died in June 2026, Johnny Mathis lost more than a respected music executive. He lost a trusted friend. Their connection stretched back to the Columbia Records years, when Davis encouraged projects that helped Johnny explore new musical directions. Through changing decades, new recordings, and an industry that rarely stood still, their professional bond endured. In 2017, they reunited creatively for *Johnny Mathis Sings the Great New American Songbook*, alongside producer Babyface. It became their final original project together. After Davis’ passing, Johnny remembered him as a wonderful confidant who had offered invaluable support and guidance throughout his career. Behind all the records and accolades was something much simpler. A friendship that lasted.

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By the time Barry Gibb discussed his return to touring in 2014, he had lost all three younger brothers. Performing again required encouragement from Linda and their eldest son, Stephen, according to his interview with CBS Sunday Morning. Barry described the experience as a rebirth. The family’s role gives that return a different meaning from the usual account of an established singer revisiting his catalogue. At home, people close to him were urging him to resume an activity that had shaped almost his entire life. Onstage, Stephen and Maurice’s daughter Samantha participated in the music, giving that encouragement a practical form. Linda’s contribution began before the audience could applaud: she helped move the possibility of performing back into consideration. The concerts that followed grew out of bereavement, family persuasion, and Barry’s eventual willingness to sing those songs publicly again.