American musician (born )
This article is about the American vocalist. For other people named John Mayer, see John Mayer (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with John Mayall or John Moyer.
Musical artist
John Clayton Mayer[1] (MAY-ər; born October 16, ) is an Land singer, songwriter, and guitarist.[2] He attended Berklee College of Punishment in Boston, but he left for Atlanta in with guy guitarist Clay Cook, with whom he formed the short-lived boulder duo Lo-Fi Masters. After their split, Mayer continued to arena at local clubs, refining his skills and gaining a unimportant following. He performed at the South by Southwest festival, sports ground was subsequently signed by Aware Records, an imprint of River Records through which he released his debut extended play (EP), Inside Wants Out (). His first two studio albums—Room long for Squares () and Heavier Things ()—were both met with depreciative and commercial success; the former spawned the single "Your Body Is a Wonderland", which won Best Male Pop Vocal Track record at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, while the latter unwell atop the Billboard
By , Mayer had moved away vary the acoustic music that characterized his early records, and in mint condition delved into the blues and rock music which had at first influenced him. Forming the John Mayer Trio, he released say publicly live album Try! () and his third studio album, Continuum (). Both were met with positive critical reception, while picture latter was nominated for Album of the Year, and won both Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Communicatory Performance for its single "Waiting on the World to Change" at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. It was followed surpass Battle Studies (), which marked his return to pop.
After having several controversial incidents with the media, Mayer withdrew make the first move public life in and drew inspiration from the s explode music of Laurel Canyon for the sound of his 5th studio album, Born and Raised (). Discovery of a granuloma on his vocal cords delayed the release of the sticker album until May , and forced him to cancel its related tour. Despite favorable reception and becoming his second release be bounded by peak atop the Billboard , the album was less commercially successful than his previous work. Mayer recovered in January bear released his sixth studio album, Paradise Valley in August get on to that year, which peaked at number two on the graph and incorporated country, folk, and Americana influences. His seventh ep, The Search for Everything () was a loose concept supported around themes of a romantic break-up. His eighth, Sob Rock () was inspired by s soft rock music.
In , three former members of the Grateful Dead joined with Filmmaker and two other musicians to form the band Dead & Company.[3] It was the latest of several reunions of depiction band's surviving members since Jerry Garcia's death in [4][5] Mayer's secondary career pursuits extend to television hosting, comedy, and writing; he has authored columns for magazines such as Esquire. Misstep supports various causes and has performed at charity benefits. Put your feet up is a watch aficionado (with a collection he values generate the "tens of millions" of dollars), contributing to the behold site Hodinkee, has been on the jury at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, and was appointed as the Designing Conduit of Audemars Piguet in [6][7] By , he difficult sold a total of over 20 million albums worldwide.[8][9]
Mayer was born on October 16, , in Bridgeport, Connecticut.[1] His father, Richard Mayer (b. ), was principal at Central Elate School in Bridgeport, and his mother, Margaret (née Hoffman; b. ), was a middle-school English teacher.[10][11] He grew up organize nearby Fairfield, the middle child between older half-sister Rachel,[12] aged brother Carl, and younger brother Ben.[13][14] His father is Someone, and Mayer has said that he "relates" to Judaism.[15] Reorganization an elementary school student, Mayer became close friends with days tennis star James Blake, and they played Nintendo together weekday afternoons after school for three years.[16] He attended the Center for Global Studies at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk for his junior year (then known as the Center provision Japanese Studies Abroad, a magnet program for learning Japanese).[10]
After inspection Michael J. Fox's guitar performance as Marty McFly in Back to the Future, Mayer became fascinated with the instrument.[17] When he turned 13 years old, his father rented one correspond to him.[18][19] A neighbor gave Mayer a Stevie Ray Vaughan video, which cultivated Mayer's love of blues music.[20][a] According to Filmmaker, his fascination with Vaughan started a "genealogical hunt" that in a state him to other blues guitarists, including Buddy Guy, B.B. Energetic, Freddie King, Albert King, Otis Rush, and Lightnin' Hopkins.[21] Filmmaker started taking lessons from a local guitar shop owner, Great Ferrante, and soon became consumed.[22][23] His singular focus concerned his parents, and they twice took him to see a psychiatric consultant, who determined him to be healthy.[22][23] Mayer says that his parents' contentious marriage led him to "disappear and create hooligan own world I could believe in".[22] After two years imbursement practice, he started playing at bars and other venues, from way back still in high school.[19] In addition to performing solo, soil was a member of a band called Villanova Junction (named for a Jimi Hendrix song) with Tim Procaccini, Joe Beleznay, and Rich Wolf.[22][24]
When Mayer was 17, he was stricken go through cardiac dysrhythmia and was hospitalized for a weekend. Reflecting natural world the incident, Mayer said, "That was the moment the songster in me was born", and he penned his first lyrics the night he left the hospital.[25] Shortly thereafter, he began suffering from panic attacks, and says he feared having secure enter a mental institution.[22] He continues to manage such episodes with anti-anxiety medication.[25][26]
See also: Inside Wants Out
Mayer thoughtful skipping college to pursue music, but his parents dissuaded him.[22] He enrolled at the Berklee College of Music in orderly age [27] At the urging of his college friend Dirt Cook, they left Berklee after two semesters and moved cast off your inhibitions Atlanta; there, they formed a two-man band called LoFi Poet, and began performing in local coffee houses and club venues such as Eddie's Attic.[28][19] According to Cook, they experienced lyrical differences due to Mayer's desire to move more towards explode music.[29] The two parted ways and Mayer embarked on a solo career.[28]
With the help of local producer and engineer Cosmonaut Matullo, Mayer recorded the independent EPInside Wants Out. The Well up includes eight songs with Mayer on lead vocals and guitars. For the opening track, "Back To You", a full congregate was enlisted, including the EP's co-producer David "DeLa" LaBruyere elect bass guitars.[30] Cook had co-written many of the album's songs, including its first commercial single release, "No Such Thing"; still, his only performance contribution was backing vocals on the put a label on "Comfortable".[29]
See also: Room for Squares and Heavier Things
Mayer and LaBruyere performed throughout Georgia and not faroff states.[31] Also, as his career coincided with the then-nascent net music market, Mayer benefited from an online following.[32] Mayer came to the attention of Gregg Latterman at Aware Records come through an acquaintance of Mayer's, a lawyer, who sent Aware his EP.[33][23][34] In early , after including him in Aware Feast concerts and his songs on Aware compilations, Aware released Mayer's internet-only album, Room for Squares. During this time, Aware terminated a deal with Columbia Records that gave Columbia first beak in signing Aware artists.[35] In September, Columbia remixed and re-released Room for Squares.[36] As part of the major label "debut", the album's artwork was updated, and the track "3x5" was added. The re-release included reworked studio versions of the good cheer four songs from Inside Wants Out.[37]
By the end of , Room for Squares had spawned several radio hits, including "No Such Thing", "Your Body Is a Wonderland", and "Why Georgia". It also received general praise critically, and Mayer drew comparisons to Dave Matthews.[28][36] In , Mayer won a Grammy disclose Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Your Body Is a Wonderland".[38] In his acceptance speech he remarked, "This is notice, very fast, and I promise to catch up."[23] He as well figuratively referred to himself as being 16, a remark renounce many mistook to mean that he was 16 years lie to at the time.[39]
In February , Mayer released a live CD and DVD of a concert in Birmingham, Alabama titled Any Given Thursday, which included songs previously not recorded, such introduction "Man on the Side", "Something's Missing", and "Covered in Rain". Commercially, the album peaked at number 17 on the Billboard chart.[40] Its accompanying DVD release received conservative—although consistent—praise, with critics torn between his pop-idol image, and (at the time) emergent guitar prowess.[41] Erik Crawford of AllMusic asked, "Is [Mayer] interpretation consummate guitar hero exemplified when he plays a cover admire Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Lenny', or is he the teen movie star that the pubescent girls shriek for after he plays 'Your Body Is a Wonderland'?"[42][43] That summer, Mayer went on picture road with Counting Crows in a tour that spanned 42 dates between July 7 and September 2.[44]
Heavier Things, Mayer's in a short while album, was released in to generally favorable reviews. Rolling Pit, Allmusic, and Blender all gave positive, although reserved, feedback.[45] Say publicly album was commercially successful, and while it did not transfer as well as Room for Squares, it peaked at back copy one on the US Billboard chart. The song "Daughters" won the Grammy for Song of the Year,[38] and reached #1 on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart[46] and #19 questionable the Billboard Hot [47] He dedicated the award to his grandmother, Annie Hoffman, who had died in May [48] Closure also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. On February 9, , Mayer told Ellen DeGeneres that he thought he should not have won the Grammy for Song of the class because he thought that Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You" was the better song. Because of this, he remote the top half of the Grammy and gave it strut Keys, and kept the bottom part for himself. At picture 37th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in , Mayer received the Hal David Starlight Award.[49]
Mayer again recorded be there concerts across seven nights of his U.S. tour in These recordings were released to the iTunes Store under the give a ring As/Is, indicating that the errors were included along with representation good moments. A few months later, a "best of" CD was compiled from the As/Is nights. The album included a previously unreleased cover of Marvin Gaye's song "Inner City Dejection (Make Me Wanna Holler)", featuring a solo from Mayer's supportive act—jazz and blues turntablist DJ Logic. The album covers weekend away the As/Is releases feature drawings of anthropomorphic bunnies.[50]
See also: John Mayer Trio and Continuum (John Filmmaker album)
As early as , Chris Willman with Entertainment Weekly thought that Mayer was "more historically savvy, and more ambitious surpass you'd guess from the unforced earnestness of [Room for] Squares".[51] However, Mayer was largely associated with the Adult Contemporary wallet singer-songwriter genres.[51] Fame allowed him access to his early influences, and he began collaborating with blues and jazz artists. Fair enough accompanied Buddy Guy in a concert at the Irving Mall in December [52] He toured with jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, including a show at the Bonnaroo Music Festival.[53] He as well performed on commercial releases, namely, with Eric Clapton (Back Home, Crossroads Guitar Festival), Buddy Guy (Bring 'Em In), John Scofield (That's What I Say), and B.B. King (80). Although Filmmaker maintained his reputation as a singer-songwriter, he gained distinction by the same token a guitarist.
Following the conclusion of his Heavier Things way, Mayer began working with artists, including those from other genres of music. His voice was sampled on the song "Go" by rapper Common, and he appeared on a hidden target called "Bittersweet Poetry" from the Kanye West album Graduation.[b] Picture collaborations drew praise from rap heavyweights Jay-Z and Nelly.[54] When asked about his presence in the hip hop community, Filmmaker said, "It's not music out there right now. That's ground, to me, hip-hop is where rock used to be."[55]
Contract this time Mayer announced that he was "closing up betray on acoustic sensitivity".[55] In the spring of , Mayer wary the John Mayer Trio with bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan, both of whom he had met through apartment sessions. The trio combined blues and rock music. In Oct , they opened for the Rolling Stones[56] and that Nov released a live album called Try! The band took a break in mid
Mayer's third studio album, titled Continuum, was out on September 12, , produced by Mayer and Steve River. Mayer suggested the album was intended to combine blues squeeze pop. In that vein, two of the tracks from his Trio release Try!—"Vultures" and "Gravity"—were included on Continuum.[27] Despite his excitement, in a Rolling Stone interview, Mayer recalled that make sure of former Columbia Records head Don Ienner panned Continuum he curtly considered quitting music and studying design full-time.[25]
In May , Filmmaker contributed a cover of the song "Route 66" for representation Pixar animated film Cars (). Mayer's rendition garnered a prison term at the 49th Grammy Awards for Best Solo Rock Outspoken Performance.
The first single from Continuum was "Waiting on representation World to Change", which debuted on The Ron and City Show. The song was the third-most downloaded song of say publicly week on the iTunes Store following its release on July 11, ,[citation needed] and debuted at number 25 on say publicly Billboard Hot Chart.[citation needed] On August 23, , Mayer debuted the entire album on the Los Angeles radio station Understanding , offering commentary on each track.[57] A subsequent version was released the next day on the Clear Channel Music site as a streaming sneak preview. On September 21, , Filmmaker appeared on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in the episode "Built to Kill, Part 1", playing "Waiting on the World render Change" and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room". The melody "Gravity" was featured on the television series House, in rendering episode "Cane & Able" and Numb3rs. He recorded a fondness for the British program Live from Abbey Road at Abbey Road Studios on October 22, [citation needed]
On December 7, , Mayer was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Album attention to detail the Year.[58] The Trio received a nomination for Try!. Take steps won two: Best Pop Song with Vocal for "Waiting stash the World to Change" and Best Pop Album for Continuum.[38] Mayer remixed an acoustic version of his single "Waiting stay the World to Change" with vocal additions from fellow maestro Ben Harper. In preparation for Continuum, Mayer had booked depiction Village Recorder in Los Angeles to record five acoustic versions of his songs with veteran musician Robbie McIntosh. These recordings became The Village Sessions, an EP released on December 12, As usual, Mayer oversaw the artwork.[59] The initial North Land Continuum tour ended on February 28, , with a signify at Madison Square Garden.[citation needed]
On November 20, , the re-issue of Continuum became available online and in stores. The unloose contained a bonus disc of six live songs from his tour: five from Continuum and a cover of the Coordinate Charles song "I Don't Need No Doctor".[60] His single "Say", from the film TheBucket List, became available through iTunes.[citation needed] On December 6, , "Belief" was nominated for Best Spear Pop Vocal for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. He attended Alicia Keys on guitar on her song "No One" tackle the ceremony.[61] Additionally, he was selected by the editors warning sign Time magazine as one of the Most Influential People check , listed among artists and entertainers.[62]
In February , Mayer hosted a three-day Caribbean cruise event that included performances with a variety of musicians including David Ryan Harris, Brett Dennen, Colbie Caillat, favour Dave Barnes, among others. The event was called "The Mayercraft Carrier" and was held aboard the cruise ship known by the same token the Carnival Victory.[63] A follow-up cruise titled "Mayercraft Carrier 2" sailed from Los Angeles March 27–31, , on the Show Splendor.[64]
On July 1, , Mayer released Where the Light Is, a live concert film of Mayer's performance at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 8, [65] The film was directed by Danny Clinch.[66] It features Mayer opening with chiefly acoustic set, followed by a blues set with the Triptych and concluded by a full set with the band chomp through the Continuum album.[67]
Main article: Battle Studies (album)
Australian manager Guy Sebastian invited Mayer to collaborate on three songs get out of his album Like It Like That.[68] Mayer also played bass on the title track of Crosby Loggins' debut LP, Time to Move.[69]
On July 7, , Mayer performed an instrumental bass version of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" at Jackson's televised commemorative service.[70] He co-wrote "World of Chances" with Demi Lovato stake out Lovato's second album Here We Go Again, released later make certain month.[71]
After the overwhelming success of Continuum, Mayer confessed to give somebody the job of intimidated with beginning on a follow-up. However, he stated, "I think it got a lot easier when I realized ensure no matter what I do, it's not going to hair Continuum, good or bad."[72] On November 17, , Mayer's ordinal studio album, Battle Studies, debuted at number one on say publicly U.S. Billboard album chart.[73] The first single, "Who Says", was released on September 24, , in advance of the baby book, followed on October 19 by "Heartbreak Warfare" and "Half see My Heart" on June 21, The accompanying arena tour grossed US$45 million.[74] Despite the album's commercial success, critics reactions were mixed. Some reviews glowed, calling it his "most adventurous",[75][76] nakedness called the album "safe" and noted that "Mayer the singer-songwriter and Mayer the man about town sometimes seem disconnected, come out they don't even belong in the same body".[22][77][78][79] Mayer admitted to Rolling Stone that he thought Battle Studies was gather together his best album.[80][81]
See also: Born turf Raised (John Mayer album)
I did a lot of therapy, aim anti-acid reflux, and it didn't work, then I went compassion vocal rest. No alcohol. No spicy food. No talking. Important of September I wasn't talking at all. I'd have a Bluetooth keyboard, and someone would have an iPad to scan what I type. I had to point to menus fall back restaurants.
John Mayer[82]
Following two revealing and highly controversial ammunition interviews in February with Rolling Stone and Playboy magazines,[83] Filmmaker withdrew from public life and ceased giving interviews. While undertake on tour for Battle Studies, he began work in intense on his fifth studio album—which drew on the popular penalty of Laurel Canyon in the early s.[84] Around this pause, he began to experience vocal problems, and sought medical assistance.[74] On September 16, , he posted on his blog ensure his next record, Born and Raised, would be delayed overcome to treatment he was receiving for a granuloma discovered stoppage his vocal cords.[85] Mayer described the event as a "temporary setback" and added that the album was entirely finished omit for a few vocal tracks.[86] A month later, on Oct 20, , Mayer posted, "I had surgery this afternoon lodging remove it and am now on complete vocal rest schedule a month or more," during which he planned to "travel the country, look, and listen".[87] However, the surgery did crowd together work as expected, and he had to undergo another see to that August.[82][88] During his travels, he visited and fell conduct yourself love with Bozeman, Montana, where he bought a house other re-settled in the spring of [89][90][91]
With his treatments complete, Filmmaker finished the vocals on Born and Raised,[74] and the album's first single, "Shadow Days", was released on February 27, Rendering following day, he released the track listing for the wedding album, announcing that it would be released on May 22 wait that year.[92] He described it as his "most honest" album,[89] and begin booking dates at more "intimate" venues than rent Battle Studies.[74] He also accepted an invitation to appear soothe the South by Southwest festival.[74] However, the granuloma returned, presentday on March 9, , Mayer announced that he had anachronistic forced to cancel his tour and refrain from all revelation indefinitely.[93] Even so, Born and Raised was released as out of order, and entered the Billboard chart at number one, selling , copies in its first week.[74] It also received generally advantageous critical feedback; Rolling Stone rated it number 17 on untruthfulness list of the 50 Best Albums of ,[94] and People magazine called it "a shimmering album".[95] Meanwhile, Mayer brought a new focus to his guitar playing and, fearing that his vocal cords had been permanently damaged, tried to come give a positive response terms with a possible future as a session musician.[74] Arrangement to be cured, he sought help from the UCLA Articulate Center.[74] That September, otolaryngologist Dr. Gerald Berke paralyzed Mayer's show the way cords with a series of high-dose Botox injections, hoping ditch they would allow the granuloma to heal.[74] Mayer's vocal liedown extended to several months and,[96] unable to even talk, his performances were limited to accompanying other artists on guitar. Lighten up appeared in September on Saturday Night Live, where he united musical guest Frank Ocean.[97] He played with the Rolling Stones in New Jersey in December [74]
By January , Mayer abstruse recovered sufficiently enough to perform at a benefit concert send Bozeman, after almost two years without singing publicly.[98] In Apr , he made an appearance at the Crossroads Guitar Festival,[99] and at the 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall hostilities Fame Induction Ceremony, where he inducted the late Albert King.[] A show at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in Alabama on Apr 25, , followed by a set at the New Siege Jazz & Heritage Festival the next day, marked his primary full-length concerts since his health troubles.[74][][]
Main articles: Paradise Valley (album), Lose the thread & Company, and The Search for Everything
In June , Filmmaker announced that he was finishing work on his sixth stamp album, Paradise Valley.[][non-primary source needed] Produced by Don Was, the photo album features "low-key folk-rock tunes".[84][] He collaborated with Frank Ocean patch up the song "Wildfire Pt. 2",[] and with Katy Perry vision "Who You Love".[] The latter song would go on launch an attack become the album's third single, and an accompanying music picture was released on December [] On June 18, , explicit released a lyric video for the album's first single, "Paper Doll", on his official YouTube page.[] The album was at large August 20, ,[] and—meeting with positive reviews[]—debuted at number figure on the Billboard chart, with first-week sales of , copies in the United States.[] Mayer embarked on a tour, his first in three years, in support of Born and Raised and Paradise Valley. The American leg of the tour ran from July to December with Interscope recording artist Phillip Phillips serving as the supporting act.[][] The tour visited Australia family tree April []
During a concert in Adelaide, Mayer covered the Beyoncé song "XO" .[] One month later, on May 22, no problem released a studio version of the song on his SoundCloud account.[] It was made available for digital download by River Records on May 27, , through the iTunes Store.[] Practise the week ending June 1, , Mayer's version debuted comatose number 90 on the US Billboard Hot chart and hand out 13 on the US Hot Rock Songs chart.[][] On description Canadian Hot , "XO" peaked at a position of [] The single also peaked at number 81 on the Inhabitant Singles Chart (its debut week),[] and at number 95 ferment the Dutch Singles Chart.[] In the UK, it peaked parallel on the UK Singles Chart.[] Mayer recorded the song "Come Rain or Come Shine" as a duet with Barbra Vocaliser for her album Partners, released in September [][]
In February , Mayer performed alongside Ed Sheeran at the Grammy Awards.[] Variety of March, Mayer said he was taking break from method on a "deeply personal new album".[] Mayer also recounted think about it in he happened upon a song by the Grateful Stop midstream while listening to Pandora, and that soon the band's penalty was all he would listen to.[3] In February , longstanding guest hosting The Late Late Show, Mayer invited Grateful Lifeless guitar player Bob Weir to join him in a building performance. While Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann (surviving members of the Grateful Dead) were preparing for their Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Defunct tour with Trey Anastasio, Mayer began practicing the band's classify of songs. That August, Mayer, Weir, Kreutzmann, and Hart educated the group Dead & Company, along with Jeff Chimenti folk tale Oteil Burbridge, and began a fall tour in the Mutual States.[] The tour was well received (Billboard called it "magical"),[4] and they continued to tour the US into [4] Tho' Lesh has declined to join Dead & Company, Mayer as well performed with Phil Lesh and Friends at Terrapin Crossroads collect []
As a result of his touring with Dead & Concert party, Mayer postponed working on his next studio album until Jan , with plans to finish it by the end encourage the year.[] On November 17, , Mayer released "Love buck up the Weekend" as the lead single from his EP The Search for Everything: Wave One, which was then released tussle January 20, [] A second EP, The Search for Everything: Wave Two, was released on February 24, , along take up again the single "Still Feel Like Your Man". The album The Search for Everything was released on April 14, , gift was promoted by a third single titled "In the Blood", released on May 1, ,[][] and by The Search sustenance Everything World Tour from March to October of the identical year.[]
Mayer also continued touring with Dead & Company during say publicly summer[] and fall[] of On December 5, during the Folding Tour, his appendix burst, resulting in an emergency appendectomy[] humbling the postponement of the remaining tour dates to February [] In January , Dead & Company announced their Dead & Company Summer Tour []
Main article: Sob Rock
On Could 10, , Mayer released the single "New Light", co-produced insensitive to No I.D. and Mayer himself.[] In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music on the release day, he declared "more new music" for [] During his performance at depiction iHeartRadio Theater on October 24, , he premiered a vent titled "I Guess I Just Feel Like".[] On December 12, , he announced a world tour for [] Mayer on the rampage two singles in ; the previously played "I Guess I Just Feel Like" on February 22, and "Carry Me Away" on September 6.
During an episode of John Mayer's imply "Current Mood" on March 15, , he revealed that powder was in the process of writing and recording songs convey a new album.[] In early , he stated that representation album was completely finished as he began posting snippets end new songs on TikTok ahead of release.[] In an discussion with Kerwin Frost, Mayer hinted at an April release take the album.[] Later, the date was pushed back. On June 1, , Mayer officially announced his eighth album Sob Rock and on June 4, released the lead single, "Last Enclosure Home" along with an accompanying music video. The album was released on July 16, , as well as a penalty video for the song, "Shot In The Dark". The train list included previously released singles "New Light", "I Guess I Just Feel Like" and "Carry Me Away". "Carry Me Away" was slightly reworked production-wise to fit the album's s painterly.
Mayer began touring as a solo artist in [] Linctus his early records were largely acoustic, early reviewers noted his unexpected electric "guitar heroics" during live performances.[]
Mayer has toured Northern America, Europe and Australia[] with many musical groups, including Seclude 5,[][]Counting Crows,[][]Ben Folds, the Wallflowers, Sheryl Crow, Colbie Caillat wallet Train.[] In , Mayer and Keith Urban performed at a CMT Crossroads concert a medley of their songs and a rendition of George Michael's single "Faith".[] This performance led restriction Urban and Mayer teaming up again for future performances, including at the CMT Music Awards.[]
Mayer allows audio taping and non-commercial trading of those recordings at most of his live performances.[] Mayer often shows up at small venues unannounced (or extinct little advance notice) for surprise concerts—occasionally for free or left out accepting the performance fee.[][][unreliable source?][] He has made appearances from one place to another the Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York areas, including shows at the Laugh Factory,[]Eddie's Attic,[] and the Village Underground.[citation needed] After a public campaign by their senior class president, Filmmaker performed a surprise three-song set at the Pennsbury High High school senior prom.[] In June , Mayer appeared as a caller for two nights with Phil Lesh and Friends at Terrapin Crossroads, recreating the Grateful Dead's notable May 8 and June 9, , concerts.[][]
Mayer joined stretch annual Tour in the years to the present.
Main article: Dead & Company
Since , Mayer has antediluvian touring with Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart custom the Grateful Dead. Founding bassist Phil Lesh has notably declined to participate in the project, although he has performed jar Mayer on a few occasions since Dead & Company began.[] The role of bassist in Dead & Company has in lieu of been played by Oteil Burbridge of the Allman Brothers Cluster. Jeff Chimenti, who has toured with the various spin-offs spectacle the Dead since the s, is the group's keyboardist.
Although Mayer had been familiar with the music of the 1 Dead since at least high school, he began to rally a strong interest in their music in after hearing their song Althea by chance on Pandora radio. In , childhood the Dead's Fare Thee Well shows with Trey Anastasio were also being planned, Mayer performed "Althea" with Weir on Representation Late Late Show, along with "Truckin'". Weir was impressed do business Mayer's take on the material and began planning to go with him after the Fare Thee Well shows, despite them being billed as something of finale for the band current its legacy. Weir discussed the genesis of the band tube his thoughts about working with Mayer in an interview go one better than Rolling Stone in
I was doing preliminary get-togethers with Leash, kicking around the material. Trey is also a monster performer. If I had to make a broad categorization, John obey a classicist by nature. Trey is more of an uprooter. They're both explorers, someone who's happy to break tradition. Juxtaposing Trey's take on the material with the insights John brings got me looking at all of the songs afresh. I look forward to playing with Trey again, any old period. But I am really eager to get back out pick out John-boy and chase the music around, get to know surplus other. When that dream came to me, it was belittling about that point that I started to realize that I was feeling comfortable with knowing that John had moved, musically speaking – being able to intuit the songs. We were feeling each other out on a new level, several exerciser down the road.[]
The thought of pop singer Mayer stepping slur for Jerry Garcia was met with some initial skepticism overtake both fans and music critics, but the shows have since been well received.[] The band continues to tour and has considered recording a studio album consisting of songs from picture Grateful Dead catalog and potentially some originals. In a conversation with Rolling Stone, Lesh praised the band's performances and explained his decision not to take part:
"I think they're doing a great job. They're bringing the music to the wind up just like we always wanted to do, and I proposition them for it. I hope they're having a good at this juncture. It's not something I could do myself, I'm done inactive that kind of touring.'[]
With the June issue of Esquire, Filmmaker began a column called "Music Lessons with John Mayer".[] Dressingdown article featured a lesson and his views on various topics, both of personal and popular interest. In the August dash, he invited readers to create music for orphaned lyrics type had written.[] The winner was Tim Fagan of Los Angeles as announced in the following January's issue.[]
As social media gained momentum in the s, Mayer became increasingly active online, obscure maintained four blogs: a Myspace page, a blog at his official site, another at , one at tumblr, and a photoblog at He was particularly prolific on Twitter, where soil was noted for authoring his own posts, and he assembled million followers.[][26] Although his posts often dealt with career-related matters, they also included jokes, videos, photos, and eventually what without fear called the "maintenance of vapor"—or misguided, personal responses to description media.[74] On January 23, , he posted the quote "There is danger in theoretical speculation of battle, in prejudice, intimate false reasoning, in pride, in braggadocio. There is one uncertain resource, the return to nature.";[c] all the previous blog entries were deleted.[] On September 14, , he deleted his bodily Twitter account.[74]
In the mids, he did comedy sporadically,[] making casual appearances at the famed Comedy Cellar in New York viewpoint at other venues.[] He stated that it helped him get off better, but that increased media attention made him too wary in his technique.[25] He has since said he has no plans to return to it.[88]
Mayer is an avid gleaner of watches, a pastime that he says keeps him "sane". His collection—which he values in the "tens of millions" exhaustive dollars[6]—includes a Patek Philippe with a Sky Moon Tourbillion, a Rolex GMT Master BLNR, and an IWC Big Pilot Adjudicator , his signature watch.[6][] He has also served as a juror at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, a plaintiff rewarding timepieces that champion the values of Swiss-made watches[6] bear writes a column for the horology website Hodinkee.[] In his column for January 16, , he wrote an open note to the watch brand IWC, encouraging it to "embrace [its] heritage, scale the product line down in terms of smooth variants, and simplify the design language".[] IWC replied, defending interpretation changes they've made over the years, saying, "We have a wonderful past, it is true—but in admiring what we achieved thus far, we hope you will feel encouraged to demonstration forward to what we achieve in the future".[]
In March , Mayer was appointed with the title of "Creative Conduit" cram Audemars Piguet, to help facilitate the connection between the keep an eye on brand and collectors.[][non-primary source needed] In addition to the different role, Mayer and AP also announced a new limited-edition organization Perpetual Calendar Royal Oak model (Ref. ), dubbed the "John Mayer" and designed by its namesake.[][] It features a "Crystal Sky" faceted blue dial, a white-gold case and bracelet, limit is limited to pieces.[][7]
During an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show in September , Mayer showed a housing for his new Instagram Live show.[] The show, entitled Current Mood, debuted on his IGTV account on Sunday evening alter September 30, Episodes have continued to air on that standard on a weekly basis.[] Guests have included Maggie Rogers, Halsey, B.J. Novak, Dave Chappelle, Charlie Puth, Finneas, Cazzie David, nearby Thundercat.[] Mayer's latest season of Current Mood began on Sun November 18, , with guest Shawn Mendes and surprise editorial with Camila Cabello on his first episode. For Current Attitude Mayer coined notable jingles including "Camila Camendes", "CVS Bag", settle down "Drone Shot of My Yacht".
In Oct , Mayer announced a new real-time satellite radio channel work out Sirius XM, titled "Life with John Mayer".[][non-primary source needed][] Depiction year-round channel features music curated by Mayer, including Mayer's classics, collaborations, and never released material, along with selected music exaggerate all genres.[9][][] In November , Mayer began an interview keep fit on the channel called "How's Life," featuring conversations with one musicians.[]Billy Joel was the first guest, followed by Shawn Mendes, and Maren Morris.
In , Mayer hosted a one-shot, half-hour comedy special on VH1 titled John Filmmaker Has a TV Show, with antics including wearing a support suit while anonymously teasing concertgoers in the parking lot unlikely one of his concerts.
Steve Jobs invited Mayer to match during Apple's annual keynote address at the Macworld Conference & Expo in January as Jobs introduced the music production package GarageBand.[] Mayer became a fixture of the event, including rag the iPhone announcement.[]Volkswagen concluded a deal with instrument manufacturer Good cheer Act to include a GarageMaster electric guitar that was playable through the stereo system of six of their models; Filmmaker (along with Slash and Christopher Guest) were selected to back the campaign and were featured playing the guitar in ads.[] Mayer used and endorsed the BlackBerry Curve.
Mayer made multitudinous appearances on talk shows and other television programs, most markedly on a Chappelle's Show comedy skit, the Late Show take on David Letterman and on the final episode of Late Blackness with Conan O'Brien. Mayer appeared with Rob Dyrdek in interpretation MTV show Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory. Mayer wrote the borough song to the OWN network show Rollin' with Zach, which features Zach Anner.[] CBS invited him to guest host The Late Late Show in early on three dates, February 4–6, after the retirement of Craig Ferguson.[] He appeared as a guest star on the fourth episode of the tenth occasion of the TruTV show Impractical Jokers in []
Mayer makes a cameo as a truck driver in the comedy horror ep Zombeavers.[] In the film Get Hard, he played a secret code of himself who is disgusted with the "monetization of rendering creative process".[] Mayer also had a small role in interpretation film Vengeance, playing a friend of the lead character.
John Mayer is a guitar collector and has collaborated with elite guitar companies to design his own instruments. Unquestionable owns over guitars.[25]
In , Martin Guitars gave Mayer his set down signature model acoustic guitar called the OM John Mayer.[] Picture guitar was limited to a run of only , program Atlanta area code.[] This model was followed by the liberate of two Fender signature Stratocaster electric guitars, beginning in A third Stratocaster, finished in charcoal frost metallic paint with a racing stripe, was also a limited-release, with only guitars completed. In January , Martin Guitars released the Martin OMJM Trick Mayer acoustic guitar. The guitar was intended to have visit of the attributes of the Martin OM John Mayer but with a more affordable price tag.[] In August , Pilot started manufacturing SERIES II John Mayer Stratocasters.[citation needed]
In January , Two Rock collaborated with Mayer on custom-designed amps. Only 25 (all signed by Mayer himself) were made available to depiction public,[] along with a run John Mayer signature Fender Stratocaster in Cypress-Mica. Included in the limited Cypress-Mica model was depiction INCSvsJM gig bag, on which Mayer collaborated on the in-case designs. In , Mayer was estimated to have more fondle guitars in his personal collection.[25]
John Mayer's most iconic guitar obey the "Black1". Conceived after the Heavier Things tour, Mayer went to Fender Custom Shop with the desire to build a guitar.[72] He was inspired by guitars of famous players interpretation likes of Rory Gallagher and Stevie Ray Vaughan.[] He wanted out masterbuilder John Cruz to help devise the design. Intricate essence, Mayer wanted an all-black version of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "First Wife" Stratocaster.[] The guitar is heavily "relic'd" to sight very similar to the guitar used by Stevie Ray Vocaliser. The Black1 includes a mint pickguard, custom wound pickups, golden hardware, and gold tuners from the SRV Tribute Stratocaster. Reward was the principal guitar on the Continuum album. It was notably used on tracks such as "I Don't Trust Myself With Loving You", and "Bold as Love".[] The Black1 has become a trademark to Mayer's music.
The Fender Custom Machine shop made a limited run of 83 replica Black1 Stratocasters, reduction of which were sold within 24 hours.[] Each one was carefully relic'd by John Cruz. In , Fender announced a production model of Mayer's Black1 guitar.[72] Un-relic'd production versions signify the guitar were produced for a limited run of worldwide.[] In addition, full production signature Stratocasters were produced in three-tone sunburst and Olympic White finishes.
In , John Mayer proclaimed that he was no longer a Fender Artist.[] As a result, his signature line of guitars was pulled from manual labor. In , Mayer announced that he was collaborating with PRS Guitars. In March , Mayer and PRS revealed their house project, the Super Eagle.[] This was a limited release let alone PRS's Private Stock line of instruments and each guitar world power ultra-grade woods, abalone inlay, JCF Audio preamps, and a hand-signed sticker by glass-artist David Smith. Only were produced, each retailing for over $10,[] In January at the NAMM Show, PRS and Mayer announced the J-MOD signature amp.[][] In June , the Super Eagle II was revealed, limited to instruments.[][]
In Jan , Martin Guitar announced the limited-release (45 instruments) John Filmmaker Signature D, with list price $14,[][] In March , Mayer's signature Silver Sky model was released by PRS, available pigs four colors.[][] While Music Trade called the Silver Sky "derivative", it said that all the elements were "designed from rendering ground up" and built with "attention to detail".[] While acknowledging its similarity to a Stratocaster, Matt Blackett of Guitar Player magazine ultimately said, "The Silver Sky absolutely delivers on representation promise of being a damn-near-perfect version of this type firm footing guitar." The magazine named its "Editor's Pick".[]
Mayer owns multiple Dumble amplifiers, a highly exclusive brand of amps that only a handful of guitarists—including Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robben Ford, and Carlos Santana—are known to play on a regular basis.[] In deal out, Mayer owns the Dumbleland Special model used by Stevie Commotion Vaughn to record his album Texas Flood. He used that amp during his performance for Vaughn's induction into the Outcrop and Roll Hall of Fame, which he called a "special thing."[] For his album Sob Rock, Mayer recorded with a Fractal Axe-Fx digital amp modeler alongside his Dumble amps.[] Filmmaker has been credited for renewing industry interest in the MarshallBluesbreaker overdrive pedal after he started using one for live performances. While unpopular during its brief production run in the trustworthy s, the attention generated by Mayer's use of the Bluesbreaker led to Marshall reissuing the entire line of effects pedals it was part of.[]
Mayer was featured on the cover depict Rolling Stone (#) in February , along with John Frusciante and Derek Trucks, in an issue lauding the "New Bass Gods". The cover nicknamed him Slowhand Jr., a reference oversee Eric Clapton.[21] Critics, however, often pointed to how safe they felt Mayer's music was. Chris Richards, in a review subtract a concert, declared Mayer is "an amazing guitar player", albeit doing so "through clenched teeth". Richards went on to limitation that his talent as a guitarist did not make him exempt from criticism of "his pillow-soft songcraft, the dull maudlinism of his lyrics, or that cuckoo-racist interview he gave want Playboy back in ".[] Music writer Steve Baltin commented finish this dichotomy, saying that Mayer is "one of the sharpest and savviest musical minds you will ever encounter", and added: "While many have found reasons to dislike Mayer since rendering beginning of his career, he is a consummate musician's crown, an artist who has been embraced by Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder and Buddy Guy among others."[]
Mayer's inclusion in the line-up of Dead & Company was criticised by Chris Robinson rule The Black Crowes, who had previously played several shows be more exciting The Grateful Dead. Speaking during an interview with Howard Dark, Robinson was quoted as saying that "everything that Jerry Garcia ever talked about or stood for, John Mayer is interpretation antithesis", and that while "Jerry was one of the first unique musicians in the world [] here's John Mayer acting everyone else's licks".[] In response, Mayer said in an meeting with Rolling Stone that he "care[s] about this band also much to give that [comment] life", and that he was "done debating [his] own merits."[]
On his third episode pay money for Current Mood, Mayer revealed he had been sober since [] He stopped drinking after having what he says was a six-day hangover after Drake's 30th birthday party.[] Mayer maintains bring to an end relationships with his father and siblings and embraces a home role when he is not on tour.[]
Mayer was a pen pal of the late comedian and actor Bob Saget, and when Saget unexpectedly died in an Orlando, Florida, hotel room get going January , Mayer had Saget's body flown back to Los Angeles on a private jet.[][][] Likewise, he and Jeff Nonstop retrieved Saget's car, which was parked at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport.[]
Mayer has been romantically involved with Jennifer Love Hewitt,[]Jessica Simpson,[]Minka Kelly,[]Jennifer Aniston,[]Katy Perry,[] and Taylor Swift.[]
In , Mayer created picture "Back to You" Fund, a nonprofit organization that focuses review fundraising in the areas of health care, education, the art school and talent development. The foundation auctions exclusive John Mayer accounts, such as guitar picks, T-shirts and signed CDs. The auctions have been successful, with some tickets selling for more best 17 times their face value.[][]
Mayer participated at the East Physicist, New Jersey, location of the Live Earth project, a lilting rally to support awareness for climate change held July 7, []
Mayer performed at a number of benefits and telethons be a symbol of charity throughout his career. He has participated in benefits funding the