Johnny Mathis—the legendary romantic balladeer—has officially announced his retirement from live performances after nearly seven decades on stage. At 89, he will complete just four remaining concerts on his “Voice of Romance” tour during April and May 2025, culminating with a final performance on May 18 in Englewood, New Jersey.
The announcement, posted to his Facebook page, cites “age and memory issues which have accelerated” as the reasons behind this decision. All performances beyond May 18 are now canceled, and tickets will be refunded.
Mathis’s impact on music is legendary. Bursting onto the scene in the mid-1950s, he became one of the best‑selling artists of the 20th century, with hits like “Misty,” “Chances Are,” “It’s Not for Me to Say,” and the perennial holiday favorite “When a Child Is Born”.
His Johnny’s Greatest Hits album astonishingly spent 490 weeks on the Billboard chart between 1958 and 1968. A fixture at Columbia Records, Mathis has released nearly 80 albums, sold hundreds of millions of records, and his most recent studio album is Christmas Time Is Here (2023).
Beyond his voice—which has been described as “velvet”—Mathis’s legacy spans genres from traditional pop and jazz to R&B, disco, and holiday classics. He earned a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, had three recordings inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and remains an enduring influence in music history.
The retirement news stirred strong emotions among fans. One fan club mentioned that while performances are ending, there is still a chance for new music in the future. This leaves hope that while the curtain is closing on Mathis’s stage days, his musical legacy may continue.
Johnny Mathis will celebrate his 90th birthday on September 30, 2025. In his farewell announcement, he and his team expressed heartfelt gratitude to fans worldwide for their unwavering love and support, signing off with, “It’s truly been ‘Wonderful, Wonderful.’”