Not to be confused with the pop singer of the same name, Johnny Country Mathis was born on September 28, 1933, in Maud, TX. He became a long time member of the Louisiana Hayride from 1951 thru 1960. Johnny Country Mathis started out as part of the duo Jimmy Johnny, with Jimmy Lee Fautheree. While they only released a handful of records, the duo hit the country western Top Ten in 1954 with If You Don't Somebody Else Will. It was recorded for the Chicago blues label Chess; it was one of the only country songs the label ever released. By the mid-'50s, Mathis went solo, recording a string of records for Dallas' renowned D Records, (including a rockabilly single, Bee-Boppin' Daddy, under the name Les Cole the Echoes), Decca, United Artists, and Little Darlin. His last chart entry was in 1963 Please Talk to My Heart on UA. A fairly prolific songwriter, his work was recorded by Johnny Paycheck, George Jones, and Webb Pierce. In February of 1999, Mathis suffered a massive stroke that left him unable to perform or record any longer. ~ Al Campbell, Rovi