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Oldies Musics

WHEN JOHNNY MATHIS PUT DOWN THE MICROPHONE, THERE WAS ONE PLACE HE LOVED TO DISAPPEAR: THE GOLF COURSE. Fans knew Johnny for elegant suits, orchestras and romantic ballads, but golf became one of the great passions of his life away from music. He played for decades, participated in celebrity tournaments and even hosted the Johnny Mathis Seniors PGA Classic during the 1980s. The sport gave him a world far removed from recording studios and applause—although Johnny joked that golf wasn’t exactly relaxing when you spend your day trying to put a tiny ball into a tiny hole. That humor reveals another side of Mathis: beneath the sophisticated stage persona was a man who enjoyed competition, friendship and ordinary pleasures. Even legendary voices sometimes just want an afternoon on the fairway.

Introduction: For decades, Johnny Mathis has enchanted audiences with his smooth voice, elegant stage presence, and timeless romantic ballads. Songs such as…

Oldies Musics

“HE COULD NO LONGER REMEMBER EVERYTHING THAT ONCE CAME SO EASILY — BUT WHEN GLEN CAMPBELL PICKED UP HIS GUITAR, THE MUSIC STILL FOUND A WAY THROUGH THE DARKNESS…” For decades, Glen Campbell had been one of America’s most beloved entertainers. His unforgettable voice brought songs like “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “Wichita Lineman,” and “Gentle on My Mind” into millions of homes. But in 2011, Glen and his family publicly revealed that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The illness was gradually affecting his memory, making everyday life increasingly difficult. Yet Glen made an extraordinary decision. Instead of immediately disappearing from public life, he embarked on a farewell tour, supported by his family and fellow musicians. Some nights were challenging. He occasionally struggled with words or needed help remembering what came next. But when he began playing guitar, moments of his remarkable musical ability could still shine through. His journey was later documented in Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me. Glen passed away in August 2017, leaving behind a legacy far greater than his chart-topping hits. Alzheimer’s gradually took away Glen Campbell’s memories, but it could never erase the music he had given the world.

Introduction: For decades, Glen Campbell was one of America’s most beloved entertainers. His warm voice, extraordinary guitar playing and natural stage presence…

Oldies Musics

FOR 56 YEARS, JOHNNY MATHIS CALLED IT HOME — THEN FIRE TORE THROUGH THE PLACE THAT HELD A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES. In November 2015, Johnny Mathis returned to a devastating scene in the Hollywood Hills. A serious fire had damaged the home he had owned for more than half a century. Dozens of firefighters responded, and thankfully no injuries were reported. But a house occupied for 56 years is more than walls and furniture. It holds photographs, private moments, friendships and pieces of a life the public never sees. For a man who spent decades traveling from stage to stage, that house represented continuity—a place waiting when the applause ended. Johnny had spent his career singing songs about memory and loss. Suddenly, those themes had become painfully tangible in his own life.

Introduction: For more than half a century, Johnny Mathis had a place in the Hollywood Hills that was more than a residence.…

Oldies Musics

“SHE WENT TO SLEEP AFTER ANOTHER NIGHT OF MUSIC — BUT BEFORE THE SUN ROSE, REBA McENTIRE WOULD LOSE EIGHT MEMBERS OF HER TOURING FAMILY IN A TRAGEDY THAT CHANGED HER LIFE FOREVER…” On March 15, 1991, Reba McEntire had just finished performing in San Diego, California. It should have been another successful evening in a career filled with unforgettable performances. But shortly after midnight, tragedy struck. A private plane carrying eight members of her touring group crashed into a mountain near San Diego, killing everyone aboard, including the two pilots. Reba had remained behind and was not on the aircraft. The news devastated her. These weren’t simply musicians and crew members. They were people who had shared the road, the music, and countless memories with her. Later that year, Reba released For My Broken Heart, an album dedicated to those she had lost. Its songs carried a depth of sorrow that resonated with millions. More than three decades later, Reba has continued honoring their memory. That terrible night took eight people from Reba’s touring family. But it could never erase the love, music, and memories they left behind.

Introduction: On March 15, 1991, Reba McEntire finished a performance in San Diego, California, expecting another night to become part of a…

Oldies Musics

RAY CHARLES MADE A deeply PERSONAL REQUEST — AND JOHNNY MATHIS NEVER FORGOT WHAT IT MEANT. In 2004, two extraordinary American voices came together when Johnny Mathis joined Ray Charles for “Over the Rainbow” on Charles’ final studio album, *Genius Loves Company*. For Mathis, recording beside Ray was already a remarkable honor. But the story became even more emotional afterward. According to Johnny’s official biography, Ray requested that their recording be played at his memorial service. Imagine receiving that message from another musical giant: of all the recordings Ray could have chosen, this was one he wanted present at his farewell. For Johnny, whose career had already contained countless honors, that personal gesture carried a different weight. Awards celebrate achievement. A final request from a fellow artist celebrates something much deeper.

Introduction: Some musical collaborations are remembered for the songs they produce. Others become unforgettable because of what they reveal about the people…

Oldies Musics

FROM SMALL SAN FRANCISCO CLUBS TO PRESIDENTS AND ROYALTY — JOHNNY MATHIS TRAVELED AN EXTRAORDINARY DISTANCE. The young man who once sang in San Francisco clubs eventually found himself performing in some of the most prestigious settings imaginable. Across his long career, Johnny Mathis appeared at events involving American presidents and performed in a Royal Command Performance at the London Palladium in 1978. Yet the remarkable thing about Johnny was how little the basic formula changed. No spectacle was required. No outrageous costume or elaborate production was necessary. A microphone, an orchestra and that unmistakable voice were enough. His journey from modest beginnings to rooms filled with some of the world’s most powerful people illustrates just how far talent can travel—and how a quiet singer became an enduring piece of American cultural history.

Introduction: Long before Johnny Mathis performed before presidents and distinguished guests, he was a young singer taking the stage in San Francisco…

Oldies Musics

“HE WROTE ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOVE SONGS IN AMERICAN MUSIC IN JUST MINUTES — BUT THE MARRIAGE THAT INSPIRED JOHN DENVER’S ‘ANNIE’S SONG’ WOULD NOT LAST FOREVER…” In 1974, John Denver was riding a wave of extraordinary success. His gentle voice and heartfelt songs had made him one of America’s most beloved performers. But behind the fame, his marriage to Annie Martell had experienced difficulties. During a ski lift ride in Colorado, John found himself overwhelmed by the beauty of the mountains and his feelings for Annie. In a burst of inspiration, he composed “Annie’s Song,” one of the most tender declarations of love in popular music. The song became a No. 1 hit, touching millions with its simple, heartfelt devotion. Yet the real-life love story behind it was more complicated. John and Annie, who married in 1967, eventually divorced in 1982. Their marriage ended, but the song remained. For generations, “Annie’s Song” has accompanied weddings, anniversaries, and precious moments between people in love. John Denver couldn’t make that chapter of his marriage last forever. But he gave the world a love song that still makes hearts remember.

Introduction: In the winter of 1973, John Denver stepped onto a ski lift in Aspen, Colorado, expecting little more than another exhilarating…

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Oldies Musics

At Fifteen, Andy Gibb Recorded with Maurice—But Those First Songs Never Reached the Shops. In 1973, years before his American breakthrough, fifteen-year-old Andy Gibb made early recordings in Britain with Maurice guiding the sessions. Two titles survive in the documented history: “My Father’s a Rebel” and “Windows of My World.” Neither was released. The detail complicates the familiar account of Andy’s career beginning under Barry’s supervision in America. Maurice had already helped his youngest brother take an early step into recording, offering another connection between Andy’s ambitions and the family’s experience. These sessions produced no public breakthrough, leaving them largely outside the story told through his later hits. Yet they belong to an important stage: Andy learning how a voice and a song become a record. Before audiences knew him as the singer of “Shadow Dancing,” there was a teenager working beside an older brother, making music that listeners never had the chance to buy.

Oldies Musics

“SHE HAD FOUND LOVE WITH ONE OF COUNTRY MUSIC’S MOST PROMISING STARS — THEN, IN A SINGLE DAY, LORRIE MORGAN LOST KEITH WHITLEY AND FACED THE HEARTBREAKING TASK OF RAISING THEIR LITTLE BOY WITHOUT HIS FATHER…” In the late 1980s, Lorrie Morgan and Keith Whitley were one of Nashville’s most talked-about young couples. Both were talented country singers, building careers while sharing the responsibilities of family life. They married in 1986, and their son Jesse was born the following year. But their happiness was overshadowed by Keith’s long struggle with alcoholism. On May 9, 1989, tragedy struck when Keith died at just 33 years old. Lorrie was left grieving the man she loved while caring for their young son. The loss came at a pivotal moment in her own career. Rather than leaving music behind, she continued recording and performing. In the years that followed, Lorrie became one of country music’s most recognizable female voices, with hits including “Five Minutes,” “Something in Red,” and “What Part of No.” Her journey was marked by grief, determination, and the challenge of rebuilding life after unimaginable loss. Lorrie Morgan couldn’t change what happened in 1989. But she found the strength to keep living, loving, and singing.

Oldies Musics

MOST SINGERS DREAM OF A 10-YEAR CAREER. JOHNNY MATHIS KEPT SINGING FOR NEARLY SEVEN DECADES. When Johnny celebrated 50 years as a recording artist in 2006, that milestone alone would have represented an extraordinary career. But he kept going. In 2017, he released *Johnny Mathis Sings the Great New American Songbook*, described by his official site as his 79th studio album. And he continued touring well into his late 80s. Generations who discovered him through different songs eventually found themselves sitting together in the same audiences. Grandparents who had danced to “Chances Are” could watch Johnny perform alongside children and grandchildren born decades later. That may be the clearest measure of his career: Johnny Mathis didn’t merely survive changing eras. He quietly connected them.

Oldies Musics

“HE WAS ONLY 29 WHEN HIS FINAL JOURNEY ENDED IN THE BACK SEAT OF A CADILLAC — BUT THE SONGS HANK WILLIAMS LEFT BEHIND WOULD MAKE HIM IMMORTAL IN COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORY…” On New Year’s Eve in 1952, Hank Williams was traveling toward a scheduled performance in Canton, Ohio. He was already one of country music’s most influential stars, known for unforgettable songs like “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” and “Cold, Cold Heart.” But behind his extraordinary talent was a man struggling with serious health problems and substance misuse. Too unwell to travel comfortably, Hank was driven north in a Cadillac by a young chauffeur. Somewhere along the journey, he died. His death was discovered in the early hours of January 1, 1953, in Oak Hill, West Virginia. He was only 29 years old. The news stunned the music world. Hank had lived a short, troubled life, yet his songwriting captured loneliness, love, heartbreak, and human suffering with remarkable honesty. Generations of artists would later draw inspiration from his work. Hank Williams never lived to see how deeply his music would shape the future. But more than seven decades later, his songs still sound like the human heart speaking.