The Incomparable Johnny Mathis Talks Upcoming ‘Simpsons’ Guest Spot

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Show of hands: who knows the name Johnny Mathis? Considering Mathis built his career in the 1950s and solidified himself in the decades that followed, it’s no wonder the name might not ring any bells for today’s younger demographic. But the man could, and still can, croon with the best of them. It’s almost a certainty that everyone has heard his velvet voice at some point, considering the man Johnny Carson once called “the best ballad singer in the world” has accrued several dozen gold and platinum records, 73 albums that have made the Billboard charts, and total sales adding up to well over 350 million records sold. All this, according to Guinness World Records, has made Mathis the third most successful recording artist of the 20th century and the last 60 years.

Still kicking, on November 17th the 78-year-old Mathis is set to release a 13-CD box set of unreleased music from 1963-1967. He recently sat down with The Associated Press, and in addition to talking tunes, Johnny also discussed recording a future episode of The Simpsons.

“I did something the other day that was kind of fun. I went and recorded dialogue for a show called The Simpsons,” Mathis said. “I thought that was the coolest thing I’ve done in a long time. I went to the studio … and the guy who does Bart Simpson was recording a lot of stuff, and I sat fascinated, listening to him go over and over certain lines … then I did my little part. I am playing an English gardener who is beset by a lot of gophers and I sing a little bit of “Chances Are” … changed the words a little bit of the song and it’s all about, you know, I got this torch, this blow torch that I’m killing gophers with,” he explained, laughing.

Good stuff from Mathis, but I gotta ask: is anyone else confused? I mean, it’s great that he praised the voice work on The Simpsons, but “the guy who does Bart” is Nancy Cartwright, a 56-year-old woman with long blonde hair. Definitely not a dude, man. Who was he watching?!

Still, it’s great to see Johnny still active after all these years, and it’s nice to know that The Simpsons’ reach still spans different genres, different parts of the world, and different points in time.

The Simpsons returns to FOX on Sunday, September 28th.

[via The Associated Press]