publications as "smooth" and "velvety". A 1991 issue of the magazine Asiaweek read that Nievera's "mellow style... took the Philippines by storm". While in college, Nievera was also coached by one of his colleagues, who was an opera singer. However, he said that he "found it monotonous, so after only two sessions [I dropped out]. I resorted to self-study..." He added, "Through the years, I developed my own style, my own technique. Who knows, had I continued my lessons... [I might have become an opera/classical singer]." Nievera said in 2001 that "I learned a lot from the Society of Seven." Besides Johnny Mathis, whom he stated "was harder to impersonate than you'd think", his musical influences included Perry Como, Vic Damone, Mario Lanza, and Jo Stafford. He said he grew up listening to their ballads, which he termed "semi-classics", such as "Be My Love", "No Other Love", "Till the End of Time", "If You Are But a Dream", and "Innamorata". Nievera also considered "Misty", Mathis' signature song, to be his during his first few years in the show business as the "Johnny Mathis of the Philippines" after his success on Student Canteen in 1959. He mentioned, "It was very popular then, very memorable to me.... The line in it that touches me the most is the last one... I'm too misty and too much in love." He heavily inspired his son Martin, who said: Discography Nievera (1976) Sumasainyo, Nievera ("Yours, Nievera") (1978) Nievera Remembers (1985) All This Time (1991) Salamat sa Pag-ibig ("Thank You for the Love") (1996) Singles Kapwa Ko Mahal Ko (1978, original by the late Ric Marinque, Jr. & currently aired on GMA Network) See also Honorific nicknames in popular music References External links 1936 births 2018 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century Filipino male singers 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century American businesspeople 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American singers American musicians of Filipino descent American people of Ilocano descent American male pop singers English-language singers from the Philippines 20th-century Filipino businesspeople Filipino emigrants to the United States Filipino pop singers Hawaii people of Filipino descent People charged with fraud People from Baguio University of the Philippines Diliman alumni