Watching TV, switching back and forth between the Little League game and a PBS Johnny Mathis special ..... got me to thinking of the last time I saw Mathis ..
Late 50's or early 60's, Mathis was at the South shore Room at Harrah's at Lake Tahoe, South Shore. I had seen him before, and he was a favorite, living the the 50's you had to like him. Spent a lot of time listening and dancing to Mathis, Tommy Edwards, his Christmas Album in December was a necessity.
Somehow, probably my friend Joe Francis at Harrah's, I got two "comps" to go see Mathis. I think I was with an old school friend, but regardless, went up the mountain to Lake Tahoe.
We were seated at a table for four, and the maitre de came over and asked if he could seat two people with us, we said sure.
The seated an elderly man, who was accompanied by a younger man. The younger man introduced his companion, Henry J. Kaiser, retired industrialist and millionaire,who was retired and lived at the lake. The younger man was his secretary.
For those who don't know the name, Kaiser Aluminum and other companies, built ships during the war, he had a car named after him, the Henry J., among other things.
We chatted some, ate a delicious meal, comps are always better, dinner was over, the lights dimmed .... the black stage curtains were closed, a small bright spot was turned on, and there was John, in the spot, all the women, and a few men, sighed. He was a good looking guy.
John started singing his first song, to a rousing ovation, "Chances Are," and in the darkened room, our companion, Henry J. Kaiser, an old man, arose, and started walking around the room. He even walked down close to the spotlighted Mathis, not sure if he saw him or not, to get a better look.
His companion finally got up and ushered his boss back to the table. In the darkness I am not even sure if many people saw him, but security made no attempt to get him. We were told that he had done it before .... no one else, other than Henry J. Kaiser could have gotten away with it.
Mathis just sang, all the favorites, one right after another, each song when he started was met with an ovation.
About half way through, at the end of one song, Johnny finally spoke, "Bet you didn't think I could talk, did you?"
I had a friend who lived in Vegas, was a fairly close neighbor of John and knew him rather well.
Almost any Mathis song brings back a flood of memories.
