Personal lifeA 1982 Us Magazine article quoted Mathis as having said, Homosexuality is a way of life that I've grown accustomed to. He further confirmed a sexual relationship with a male saxophonist. After more than twenty years of silence on the subject, in 2006, Mathis revealed in an interview his silence was due to death threats he received as a result of that 1982 article. On April 13, 2006 Mathis granted a podcast interview with The Strip in which he touched on the subject once again.
Mathis enjoys cooking, which he learned from his mother. He likes family gatherings with his six brothers and sisters and their families. In 1982 he published a cookbook, Cooking for You Alone.
He is an avid golfer, and in his earlier years he excelled at other sports including high jumping, tennis, and basketball.
Among the many organizations that have benefited from his generosity through the years are: The Cancer Society, March Of Dimes, YWCA, YMCA, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and NAACP.
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