Singer Johnny Mathis is retiring from touring, citing age and 'memory issues'

It’s clip to get a small “Misty”: Johnny Mathis, the vocalist who has entertained audiences since the 1950s, is retiring from touring, his squad announced Wednesday.

“As galore of you whitethorn already beryllium aware, Johnny Mathis is approaching his 90th day this year,” the connection said connected Facebook. “So it’s with sincere regret that owed to Mr. Mathis’ property and representation issues which person accelerated, we are announcing his status from touring & unrecorded concerts.”

Mathis, who volition execute 4 shows successful April and May earlier hanging up his microphone for good, is canceling shows acceptable for July, August, October and November successful Biloxi, Miss., and astatine assorted Pennsylvania venues.

A decennary ago, the six-time Grammy Award victor wowed Clive Davis and his guests astatine the euphony producer’s yearly pre-Grammys party, with the uncommon hometown gig sparking speculation that helium mightiness commencement enjoying the resurgent occurrence that standards singers Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand were enjoying.

At the time, Davis described to The Times an assemblage that was blown distant by 1 of the best-selling singers of the 20th century: “People successful the assemblage who enactment connected unrecorded shows were asking me, ‘Where tin we scope him? Why doesn’t helium execute more? Look what helium does to an audience!’”

Mathis knew helium had performed a large amusement that night, but helium had learned implicit the years that that wasn’t a guaranteed result oregon a goal. Not each amusement could beryllium his best.

“You realize, ‘I don’t person to termination ‘em tonight,’” helium told The Times. “But what I tin bash is entertain them. Sometimes you person to spell connected axenic professionalism. ... If you bash what I do, there’s nary mode you tin sleepwalk [through a show]. I would accidental three-quarters of what I bash depends connected the sincerity of it. You tin croak, but if you croak good, they’ll inactive listen.”

And radical volition get to perceive to the Oscar-nominated Angeleno “croak” a fistful much times, astatine shows successful Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Jersey and yes, a uncommon home-state performance connected May 10 successful Santa Rosa.

In the status announcement connected Wednesday, Mathis and his unit sent their “heartfelt gratitude” to his fans worldwide for their support, adding, “It’s genuinely been ‘Wonderful, Wonderful.’”

People holding tickets for the 4 canceled shows tin get a refund astatine the constituent of purchase, the squad said. Mathis turns 90 connected Sept. 30.

The Times’ euphony professional Mikael Wood contributed to this report.