Introduction:
Long before Barbra Streisand became one of the most celebrated voices in entertainment, she was a teenage girl growing up in Brooklyn, captivated by a singer whose voice seemed unlike anything she had ever heard. While many of her friends were drawn to the excitement of rock ’n’ roll, Barbra found herself listening to Johnny Mathis. His smooth, expressive voice left a lasting impression—and years later, the young fan would find herself standing beside the very artist who had inspired her.
Streisand has recalled watching Mathis perform on television when she was around thirteen. She was struck not only by the beauty of his voice but also by his presence. In a 1993 interview, she reflected on those early memories, describing how her friends were listening to rock ’n’ roll while she was listening to Johnny Mathis. His music became part of the soundtrack to her youthful ambitions, a reminder of the kind of performer she dreamed of becoming.
As fate would have it, both artists eventually reached the heights of musical success, each building a remarkable career in a different style. Mathis became renowned for his romantic ballads and unmistakable vocal warmth, while Streisand established herself as a powerhouse performer across music, film, and Broadway.
Despite their admiration for one another, a recording together did not happen immediately. In a 1992 interview with The Washington Post, Mathis revealed that Streisand had invited him to sing at several special events. He appreciated the opportunities, but he had a question of his own: when would they finally make a record together?
The answer arrived later that year.
On November 18, 1992, Streisand and Mathis shared the stage at AIDS Project Los Angeles’s Commitment to Life VI benefit concert. The evening featured an all-star celebration of West Side Story, bringing together major performers to reinterpret the beloved musical’s songs. Streisand and Mathis performed “I Have a Love/One Hand, One Heart,” creating a memorable meeting of two distinctive voices.
Their collaboration continued in the recording studio. For her 1993 album Back to Broadway, Streisand invited Mathis to record the same West Side Story medley. Released on June 29, 1993, the album became another major milestone in her career and featured the duet as one of its standout collaborations.
For Streisand, the recording carried a special personal meaning. She explained in the album notes that Mathis had been one of her favorite singers since she first watched him on television as a teenager. Singing alongside him was, in her words, a thrill—an experience that brought back memories and feelings from the days when she was still dreaming of becoming somebody.
For Mathis, the collaboration fulfilled a wish he had openly expressed just a year earlier. What began as a meeting between an admired singer and a devoted young fan had grown into a genuine musical partnership.
Their duet was more than a meeting of two celebrated performers. It was a beautiful reminder that the music we discover in our youth can stay with us for a lifetime—and that sometimes, the dreams we carry for decades find their way onto a recording.