The Master's Back!

Columbia Records is set to release Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album, Johnny Mathis's new album of standards, performed with his peerless and ageless style. The recording sessions were produced, arranged and conducted by Grammy winner Jorge Calandrelli. Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album will be released on Tuesday, February 1.

Johnny Mathis will perform songs from Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album, as well as classics from his timeless repertoire, at select venues in 2005 (see performance schedule following).

On Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album, Mathis -- whose career with Columbia Records dates back to 1957's breakout, "Chances Are," his first #1 single and signature tune -- brings his intimate vocal mastery to 10 shimmering compositions written by some of the greatest songwriters of all time.

Mathis, one of the most popular traditional male pop vocalists in history, breathes new life into these 10 classic selections, each song hand-picked by Mathis himself from his personal record collection, combining a freshness of style and approach with his inimitable warmth and reassuring familiarity.

Songs on Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album include Roger's and Hart's "Isn't It Romantic," George & Ira Gershwin's "Love Is Here To Stay," Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Dindi," Lerner & Lowe's "Almost Like Being In Love," and Harold Arlen's immortal "Over The Rainbow," performed here by Johnny Mathis and Ray Charles (the duet also appears on Charles' Grammy-nominated Genius Loves Company album). On his new album, Mathis also delivers a tender performance of pop songwriter Paul Williams' children's classic, "The Rainbow Connection," originally written for The Muppets.

Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album is executive produced by Jay Landers (Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Julio Iglesias, Neil Diamond, Celine Dion/Peabo Bryson) & Edward Blau.

It takes a classic to sing a classic and Johnny Mathis has set the standard for traditional pop vocalists. Over the course of his career, he has earned 26 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum certifications from the RIAA. Released to stores on April 14, 1958, Johnny's Greatest Hits peaked at #1 and spent an astounding 490 weeks -- more than 9 years! -- on the Billboard 200 best-selling albums chart.

"Entire generations have loved ... and fallen in love to his music," writes Jay Landers in his liner notes for Isn't It Romantic: The Standards Album. "He doesn't so much sing a song as caress it. His emotional connection to the material ... especially the good songs ... the well-written turn of phrase and haunting melody ... his oneness with the words and music, is somehow instinctually absorbed by the listener. It has been that way for nearly half a century ... and we can safely assume that it will always be so ... ."

                  Johnny Mathis Live Performances - 2005

  January 29, 2005    Greenville, SC    Peace Center for the Performing Arts
  January 31, 2005    Sarasota, FL      Van Wezel Performing Arts Center
  February 11, 2005   Brooks, CA        Cache Creek Casino
  February 13, 2005   Redwood City, CA  Fox Theatre
  March 18, 2005      Washington, DC    Kennedy Center
  May 13, 2005        Newark, NJ        New Jersey Performing Arts Center
  May 15, 2005        Philadelphia, PA  Kimmel Center
  June 3 & 4, 2005    Atlantic City, NJ Caesars Atlantic City
  June 24 & 25, 2005  Baltimore, MD     Meyerhoff Symphony

  http://www.johnnymathis.net/
  http://www.columbiarecords.com/

SOURCE: Columbia Records

CONTACT: Fran DeFeo of Columbia Records, +1-212-833-5784, or
Fran.Defeo@sonybmg.com

Web site: http://www.johnnymathis.net/
http://www.columbiarecords.com/