John Mayer (other)
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John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He attended
Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...
in
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, but he left for
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
in 1997 with fellow guitarist
Clay Cook Douglas "Clay" Cook (born April 20, 1978) is an American songwriter, producer, and musician who is best known as a member of the Zac Brown Band. After dropping out of college, he and classmate John Mayer formed the band Lo-Fi Masters. Cook co-w ...
, with whom he formed the short-lived rock duo Lo-Fi Masters. After their split, Mayer continued to play at local clubs, refining his skills and gaining a minor following. He performed at the 2000
South by Southwest South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
festival, and was subsequently signed by
Aware Records Aware Records is an American record label. The label has worked with a range of artists, including John Mayer, Train, Five for Fighting, Mat Kearney, and Guster. History Aware Records was founded in 1993 by Gregg Latterman with the simple ...
, an imprint of
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
through which he released his debut
extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
(EP), ''
Inside Wants Out ''Inside Wants Out'' is the debut EP by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. Released by Mayer Music on September 24, 1999, the album was later re-released by Columbia Records on August 2, 2002, with the omission of "Neon 12:47 AM". Basic track ...
'' (1999). His first two studio albums—''
Room for Squares ''Room for Squares'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter and guitarist John Mayer, originally released on June 5, 2001, and re-released on September 18, 2001, by both Aware and Columbia Records. Upon its release, it peaked a ...
'' (2001) and ''
Heavier Things ''Heavier Things'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, released on September 9, 2003 by Aware and Columbia Records. It debuted at #1 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, selling over 317,000 copies in its first week. Des ...
'' (2003)—were both met with critical and commercial success; the former spawned the single " Your Body Is a Wonderland", which won
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a male in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The award wen ...
at the
45th Annual Grammy Awards The 45th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 2003, at Madison Square Garden in New York City honoring the best in music for the recording of the year beginning from October 1, 2001, through September 30, 2002. Musicians' accomplishment ...
, while the latter peaked atop the ''Billboard'' 200. By 2005, Mayer had moved away from the acoustic music that characterized his early records, and further delved into the
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
and rock music that had originally influenced him. Forming the
John Mayer Trio The John Mayer Trio is a blues rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2005. Comprising singer-songwriter and guitarist John Mayer, bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan, the band has released one live album, '' Try!'' in 2 ...
, he released the live album ''
Try! ''Try!'' is the first live album by the John Mayer Trio. It was recorded at the House of Blues, Chicago, Illinois and released by Columbia Records on November 22, 2005. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 49th Annual Grammy Award ...
'' (2005) and his third studio album, ''
Continuum Continuum may refer to: * Continuum (measurement), theories or models that explain gradual transitions from one condition to another without abrupt changes Mathematics * Continuum (set theory), the real line or the corresponding cardinal number ...
'' (2006). Both were met with positive critical reception, while the latter was nominated for Album of the Year, and won both
Best Pop Vocal Album The Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality vocal pop music albums. Awards in several ...
and
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a male in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The award wen ...
for its single "
Waiting on the World to Change "Waiting on the World to Change" is a song by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released as the lead single from his third studio album, '' Continuum'' (2006). The song enjoyed commercial success as a single and won the Grammy for Bes ...
" at the
49th Annual Grammy Awards The 49th Annual Grammy Awards was a ceremony honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2005, and ending September 30, 2006, in the United States. The awards were handed out on Sunday, February 11, 2007, at the Stapl ...
. It was followed by ''
Battle Studies ''Battle Studies'' is a book by Ardant du Picq, a colonel in the French Army who was killed in 1870 in the Franco-Prussian War. The work was never completed, but Du Picq had written many chapters completely and left sufficient notes behind to co ...
'' (2009), which marked his return to
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
. After having several controversial incidents with the media, Mayer withdrew from public life in 2010 and drew inspiration from the 1970s pop music of
Laurel Canyon Laurel Canyon is a mountainous neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills region of the Santa Monica Mountains, within the Hollywood Hills West district of Los Angeles, California. The main thoroughfare of Laurel Canyon Boulevard connects the neig ...
for the sound of his fifth studio album, '' Born and Raised'' (2012). Discovery of a
granuloma A granuloma is an aggregation of macrophages (along with other cells) that forms in response to chronic inflammation. This occurs when the immune system attempts to isolate foreign substances that it is otherwise unable to eliminate. Such sub ...
on his vocal cords delayed the release of the album until May 2012, and forced him to cancel its accompanying tour. Despite favorable reception and becoming his second release to peak atop the ''Billboard'' 200, the album was less commercially successful than his previous work. Mayer recovered in January 2013 and released his sixth studio album, '' Paradise Valley'' in August of that year, which peaked at number two on the chart and incorporated
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
,
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...
, and
Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana music, a genre or style of American music * Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1981 film), an American drama film * ''Americana'' (20 ...
influences. His seventh album, '' The Search for Everything'' (2017) was a loose
concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
based around themes of a romantic break-up. His eighth, ''
Sob Rock ''Sob Rock'' is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, released on July 16, 2021, by Columbia Records. The single " New Light", released in May 2018, is included on the album, as are Mayer's two singles from 2019, "I Gue ...
'' (2021) was inspired by 1980s
soft rock Soft rock (also known as light rock or mellow rock) is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in the United States and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, mel ...
music. Outside of his solo career, Mayer has produced and provided music for various artists spanning multiple genres, such as
Frank Ocean Frank Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987) is an American singer and songwriter. He has been credited by several music journalism, music critics as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre. Ocean has won two Grammy Awards and a B ...
,
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
,
Travis Scott Jacques Bermon Webster III (born April 30, 1991), known professionally as Travis Scott (formerly stylized as Travi$ Scott), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Scott has had five number-one hits on the U.S. ''Bil ...
,
Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...
,
Jack Harlow Jackman Thomas Harlow (born March 13, 1998) is an American rapper and singer. He began his recording career in 2015, and released several EPs and mixtapes until signing with Don Cannon and DJ Drama's record label Generation Now, an imprint of A ...
,
Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran ( ; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
,
Shawn Mendes Shawn Peter Raul Mendes ( , ; born August 8, 1998) is a Canadian singer. He gained a following in 2013 when he posted song covers on the video-sharing platform Vine (software), Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manage ...
,
Harry Styles Harry Edward Styles (born 1 February 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. His showmanship, artistry, and flamboyant fashion have had a Cultural impact of Harry Styles, significant impact on popular culture. Styles's musical ca ...
,
Daniel Caesar Ashton Simmonds (born April 5, 1995), known professionally as Daniel Caesar, is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After independently building a following through the release of two EPs, ''Praise Break'' (2014) and ''Pilgrim's Paradise'' (2015) ...
,
Khalid Khalid (variants include Khaled and Kalid; Arabic: خالد) is a popular Arabic male given name meaning "eternal, everlasting, immortal". It also appears as a surname.
,
Jhené Aiko Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo (; born March 16, 1988) is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer and rapper. Aiko embarked on her musical career in 2002, as a backing vocalist and music video performer for the R&B group B2K. She was signed by the ...
, and
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...
, among others. In 2015, three former members of the
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...
joined with Mayer and two other musicians to form the band
Dead & Company Dead & Company is an American rock band that formed in 2015 with a lineup of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir (guitar and vocals), Mickey Hart (drums), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums), along with John Mayer (guitar and vocals), Oteil Burbridge ...
. It was the latest of several
reunions Reunion may refer to: * Class reunion * Family reunion Reunion, Réunion, Re-union, Reunions or The Reunion may also refer to: Places * Réunion, a French overseas department and island in the Indian Ocean * Reunion, Commerce City, Colorado, ...
of the band's surviving members since
Jerry Garcia Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 196 ...
's death in 1995. Mayer's secondary career pursuits extend to television hosting, comedy, and writing; he has authored columns for magazines such as ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...
''. He supports various causes and has performed at charity benefits. He is a watch aficionado (with a collection he values in the "tens of millions" of dollars), contributing to the watch site
Hodinkee Hodinkee, stylized as HODINKEE, is a New York City–based watch website, known as an influential editorial and e-commerce site for new and vintage wristwatches. Founded in 2008, the name comes from the Czech and Slovak word for wristwatch, "ho ...
, has been on the jury at the ''
Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor Places * Grand, Oklahoma, USA * Grand, Vosges, village and commune in France with Gallo-Roman amphitheatre * Grand County (disambiguation), s ...
'', and was appointed as the Creative Conduit of
Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet Holding SA () is a Swiss manufacturer of luxury good, luxury watches, headquartered in Le Brassus, Switzerland. The company was founded by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in the Vallée de Joux in 1875, acquiring ...
in 2024. By 2014, he had sold a total of over 20 million albums worldwide.


Early life

Mayer was born on October 16, 1977, in
Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the List of cities in New England by population, fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Loc ...
. His father, Richard Mayer (b. 1927), was principal at Central High School in Bridgeport, and his mother, Margaret (''née'' Hoffman; b. 1947), was a middle-school English teacher. He grew up in nearby Fairfield, the middle child between older half-sister Rachel, older brother Carl, and younger brother Ben. His father is
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, and Mayer has said that he "relates" to
Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
. As an elementary school student, Mayer became close friends with future tennis star James Blake, and they played Nintendo together weekday afternoons after school for three years. He attended the Center for Global Studies at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk for his junior year (then known as the Center for Japanese Studies Abroad, a
magnet program In education in the United States, the U.S. education system, magnet schools are State school, public schools with Specialized school, specialized Course (education), courses or Curriculum, curricula. Normally, a student will attend an elementary ...
for learning Japanese). After watching
Michael J. Fox Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian and American actor and activist. Beginning his career as a child actor in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ...
's guitar performance as
Marty McFly Marty McFly is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Back to the Future (franchise), ''Back to the Future'' franchise. He is a high school student living in the fictional town of Hill Valley (Back to the Future), Hill Valley, California ...
in ''
Back to the Future ''Back to the Future'' is a 1985 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson. Set in 1985 ...
'', Mayer became fascinated with the instrument. When he turned 13 years old, his father rented one for him. A neighbor gave Mayer a
Stevie Ray Vaughan Stephen Ray Vaughan (also known as SRV; October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (band), Double Trouble. Although his ma ...
cassette, which cultivated Mayer's love of blues music. According to Mayer, his fascination with Vaughan started a "genealogical hunt" that led him to other blues guitarists, including
Buddy Guy George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaug ...
,
B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, sh ...
,
Freddie King Freddie King (born Fred Christian; September 3, 1934December 28, 1976), also billed as Freddy King, was an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with Albert King a ...
,
Albert King Albert King ( Nelson; April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps best known for his popular and ...
,
Otis Rush Otis Rush Jr. (April 29, 1934 – September 29, 2018) was an American blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter who has been long revered as one of the creators of modern Chicago blues; though he was respected and praised, the success he sought e ...
, and
Lightnin' Hopkins Samuel John "Lightnin'" Hopkins (March 15, 1912 – January 30, 1982) was an American country blues singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional pianist from Centerville, Texas. In 2010, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine ranked him No. 71 on its li ...
. Mayer started taking lessons from a local guitar shop owner, Al Ferrante, and soon became consumed. His singular focus concerned his parents, and they twice took him to see a psychiatrist, who determined him to be healthy. Mayer says that his parents' contentious marriage led him to "disappear and create my own world I could believe in". After two years of practice, he started playing at bars and other venues, while still in high school. In addition to performing solo, he was a member of a band called Villanova Junction (named for a
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
song) with Tim Procaccini, Joe Beleznay, and Rich Wolf. When Mayer was 17, he was stricken with
cardiac dysrhythmia Arrhythmias, also known as cardiac arrhythmias, are irregularities in the heartbeat, including when it is too fast or too slow. Essentially, this is anything but normal sinus rhythm. A resting heart rate that is too fast – above 100 beat ...
and was hospitalized for a weekend. Reflecting on the incident, Mayer said, "That was the moment the songwriter in me was born", and he penned his first lyrics the night he left the hospital.Hiatt, Brian (September 21, 2006), "My Big Mouth Strikes Again". ''Rolling Stone'' (1009): pp. 66–70. Shortly thereafter, he began suffering from
panic attacks Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear and discomfort that may include palpitations, otherwise defined as a rapid, irregular heartbeat, sweating, chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, trembling, dizziness, numbness, con ...
, and says he feared having to enter a
mental institution A psychiatric hospital, also known as a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or an asylum is a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe mental disorders. These institutions cater to patients with ...
. He continues to manage such episodes with anti-anxiety medication.


Career


Early career (1996–1999)

Mayer considered skipping college to pursue music, but his parents dissuaded him. He enrolled at the
Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...
in 1997 at age 19.Ruth Shaut (2006), "Blues Brother". ''Elle''. (250-251):104. At the urging of his college friend
Clay Cook Douglas "Clay" Cook (born April 20, 1978) is an American songwriter, producer, and musician who is best known as a member of the Zac Brown Band. After dropping out of college, he and classmate John Mayer formed the band Lo-Fi Masters. Cook co-w ...
, they left Berklee after two semesters and moved to Atlanta; there, they formed a two-man band called LoFi Masters, and began performing in local coffee houses and club venues such as
Eddie's Attic Eddie's Attic is a music club in Decatur, Georgia. Founded in 1992 by Eddie Owen, it is a venue for both local musical talent and musicians of some acclaim who often got their start in the Atlanta area. Artists who developed their fanbase at Edd ...
. According to Cook, they experienced musical differences due to Mayer's desire to move more towards pop music. The two parted ways and Mayer embarked on a solo career. With the help of local producer and engineer Glenn Matullo, Mayer recorded the independent EP ''
Inside Wants Out ''Inside Wants Out'' is the debut EP by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. Released by Mayer Music on September 24, 1999, the album was later re-released by Columbia Records on August 2, 2002, with the omission of "Neon 12:47 AM". Basic track ...
''. The EP includes eight songs with Mayer on lead vocals and guitars. For the opening track, "Back To You", a full band was enlisted, including the EP's co-producer David "DeLa" LaBruyere on bass guitars. Cook had co-written many of the album's songs, including its first commercial single release, " No Such Thing"; however, his only performance contribution was backing vocals on the song "Comfortable".


Major label and commercial success (2000–2004)

Mayer and LaBruyere performed throughout Georgia and nearby states. Also, as his career coincided with the then-nascent internet music market, Mayer benefited from an online following.Hay, Carla (April 6, 2002), "Aware/Columbia's John Mayer Makes 'Room For Squares' A Hit". ''Billboard''. 114 (14):22. Mayer came to the attention of
Gregg Latterman Gregg Latterman is an American entrepreneur, academic, and angel investor. The founder of Aware Records, he teaches "Positive Entrepreneurship: Profits and Meaning" at Northwestern University, and lectures on innovation and entrepreneurship at th ...
at Aware Records through an acquaintance of Mayer's, a lawyer, who sent Aware his EP. In early 2001, after including him in Aware Festival concerts and his songs on Aware compilations, Aware released Mayer's internet-only album, ''
Room for Squares ''Room for Squares'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter and guitarist John Mayer, originally released on June 5, 2001, and re-released on September 18, 2001, by both Aware and Columbia Records. Upon its release, it peaked a ...
''. During this time, Aware concluded a deal with
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
that gave Columbia first pick in signing Aware artists. In September, Columbia remixed and re-released ''Room for Squares''. 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 first four songs from ''Inside Wants Out''. By the end of 2002, ''Room for Squares'' had spawned several radio hits, including " No Such Thing", " Your Body Is a Wonderland", and "
Why Georgia "Why Georgia" is a song by American singer-songwriter John Mayer from his first album, ''Room for Squares'' (2001). As a B-side, the Australian CD single features the live version of "Why Georgia" as it appeared on Mayer's first live album, '' A ...
". It also received general praise critically, and Mayer drew comparisons to
Dave Matthews David John Matthews (born January 9, 1967) is an American musician and the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band (DMB). Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved frequently between South Africa, ...
. In 2003, Mayer won a Grammy for
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a male in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The award wen ...
for "Your Body Is a Wonderland". In his acceptance speech he remarked, "This is very, very fast, and I promise to catch up." He also figuratively referred to himself as being 16, a remark that many mistook to mean that he was 16 years old at the time.Serpick, Evan (February 2007), "Grammy Preview: John Mayer", ''Rolling Stone'', Volume unknown: p. 32. In February 2003, Mayer released a live CD and DVD of a concert in
Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...
titled ''
Any Given Thursday ''Any Given Thursday'' is a live CD/DVD by John Mayer, recorded in Birmingham, Alabama at the Oak Mountain Amphitheater on September 12, 2002, during the ''Room for Squares'' tour. The album quickly peaked at #17 on the Billboard 200 chart. It ...
'', which included songs previously not recorded, such as "Man on the Side", " Something's Missing", and "Covered in Rain". Commercially, the album peaked at number 17 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Its accompanying DVD release received conservative—although consistent—praise, with critics torn between his pop-idol image, and (at the time) emerging guitar prowess.Browne, David (March 14, 2003)
"Strummer Time"
. ''Entertainment Weekly''. (700):62.
Erik Crawford of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
asked, "Is ayerthe consummate guitar hero exemplified when he plays a cover of Stevie Ray Vaughan's ' Lenny', or is he the teen idol that the pubescent girls shriek for after he plays 'Your Body Is a Wonderland'?" That summer, Mayer went on the road with
Counting Crows Counting Crows is an American rock band from the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Formed in 1991, the band consists of rhythm guitarist David Bryson, drummer Jim Bogios, vocalist Adam Duritz, keyboardist Charlie Gillingham, David Immergl ...
in a tour that spanned 42 dates between July 7 and September 2. ''
Heavier Things ''Heavier Things'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, released on September 9, 2003 by Aware and Columbia Records. It debuted at #1 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, selling over 317,000 copies in its first week. Des ...
'', Mayer's second album, was released in 2003 to generally favorable reviews. ''Rolling Stone, Allmusic,'' and ''
Blender A blender (sometimes called a mixer (from Latin ''mixus, the PPP of miscere eng. to Mix)'' or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsify food and other substances. A stationary ...
'' all gave positive, although reserved, feedback. The album was commercially successful, and while it did not sell as well as ''Room for Squares'', it peaked at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart. The song "
Daughters A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state, condition or quality of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show re ...
" won the 2005 Grammy for
Song of the Year A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usually ...
, and reached #1 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Pop Songs chart and #19 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. He dedicated the award to his grandmother, Annie Hoffman, who had died in May 2004. He also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. On February 9, 2009, Mayer told
Ellen DeGeneres Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American former comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer. She began her career in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s, gaining national attention with a 1986 appearance on '' ...
that he thought he should not have won the Grammy for Song of the year because he thought that Alicia Keys' "
If I Ain't Got You "If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys for her second studio album '' The Diary of Alicia Keys'' (2003). Inspired by the 2001 death of singer Aaliyah, the September 11 attacks, and other events in the ...
" was the better song. Because of this, he removed the top half of the Grammy and gave it to Keys, and kept the bottom part for himself. At the 37th Annual
Songwriters Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...
Induction Ceremony in 2006, Mayer received the Hal David Starlight Award. Mayer again recorded live concerts across seven nights of his U.S. tour in 2004. These recordings were released to the iTunes Store under the title ''
As/Is ''As/Is'' is a live album by John Mayer, released October 19, 2004, available for download from iTunes and also available as a double-CD release. The albums were released from live concert performances across the United States from the tour f ...
'', indicating that the errors were included along with the 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 Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...
's song "
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", often shortened to "Inner City Blues", is a song by Marvin Gaye, released as the third and final single, and the climactic song from his 1971 landmark album, '' What's Going On''. Written by Gaye and Ja ...
", featuring a solo from Mayer's supporting act—jazz and blues turntablist
DJ Logic DJ Logic (born Lee Jason Kibler, 1972) is an American DJ primarily known for his work in nu-jazz, acid-jazz, and with jam bands. Life and career Born and raised in The Bronx, New York, Kibler displayed an early interest in hip hop, funk, an ...
. The album covers of the ''As/Is'' releases feature drawings of
anthropomorphic Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics to ...
bunnies.


Change in musical direction (2005–2008)

As early as 2002, Chris Willman with ''Entertainment Weekly'' said that Mayer was "more historically savvy, and more ambitious than you'd guess from the unforced earnestness of '' oom forSquares''.Willman, Chris (August 9, 2002), "Meet John Dough". ''Entertainment Weekly''. (666):36. However, Mayer was largely associated with the Adult Contemporary and singer-songwriter genres. Fame allowed him access to his early influences, and he began collaborating with blues and jazz artists. He accompanied Buddy Guy in a concert at the Irving Plaza in December 2003. He toured with jazz pianist
Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...
, including a show at the
Bonnaroo Music Festival Bonnaroo (or Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival) is an American annual four-day music festival developed and founded by Superfly Presents and AC Entertainment. Bonnaroo has taken place at what is now Great Stage Park, a 700-acre (280 ha) fa ...
. He also performed on commercial releases, namely, with
Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
('' Back Home'',
Crossroads Guitar Festival The Crossroads Guitar Festival is a series of music festivals and benefit concerts founded by Eric Clapton. The festivals benefit the Crossroads Centre founded by Eric Clapton, a drug treatment center in Antigua. The concerts showcase a variet ...
),
Buddy Guy George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaug ...
('' Bring 'Em In)'',
John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951) is an American guitarist and composer. His music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention as part of the band of Miles Davis; he ...
('' That's What I Say''), and
B.B. King Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, sh ...
('' 80''). Although Mayer maintained his reputation as a singer-songwriter, he gained distinction as a guitarist. Following the conclusion of his ''Heavier Things'' tour, Mayer began working with artists, including those from other genres of music. His voice was sampled on the song " Go" by rapper
Common Common may refer to: As an Irish surname, it is anglicised from Irish Gaelic surname Ó Comáin. Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Com ...
, and he appeared on a hidden track called "Bittersweet Poetry" from the
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
album ''
Graduation A graduation is the awarding of a diploma by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it, which can also be called Commencement speech, commencement, Congregation (university), congregation, Convocat ...
''. The collaborations drew praise from rap heavyweights
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
and
Nelly Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (born November 2, 1974), better known by his stage name Nelly, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and embarked on his musical career in 1993 as a member of the Midwest hip hop g ...
. When asked about his presence in the
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
community, Mayer said, "It's not music out there right now. That's why, to me, hip-hop is where rock used to be."Moss, Corey (January 5, 2005
"John Mayer Plans To 'Close Up Shop On Acoustic Sensitive'"
. MTV. Retrieved April 12, 2006.
Around this time Mayer announced that he was "closing up shop on acoustic sensitivity". In the spring of 2005, Mayer formed the John Mayer Trio with bassist
Pino Palladino Giuseppe Henry "Pino" Palladino (born 17 October 1957) is a Welsh musician, songwriter, and record producer. A session bassist, he has played bass for a number of acts such as the Who, the John Mayer Trio, Gary Numan, Paul Young, Don Henle ...
and drummer Steve Jordan, both of whom he had met through studio sessions. The trio combined blues and rock music. In October 2005, they opened for
the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
and that November released a live album called ''
Try! ''Try!'' is the first live album by the John Mayer Trio. It was recorded at the House of Blues, Chicago, Illinois and released by Columbia Records on November 22, 2005. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 49th Annual Grammy Award ...
'' The band took a break in mid-2006. Mayer's third studio album, titled ''
Continuum Continuum may refer to: * Continuum (measurement), theories or models that explain gradual transitions from one condition to another without abrupt changes Mathematics * Continuum (set theory), the real line or the corresponding cardinal number ...
'', was released on September 12, 2006, produced by Mayer and Steve Jordan. Mayer suggested the album was intended to combine blues and pop. In that vein, two of the tracks from his Trio release ''Try!''—"Vultures" and "Gravity"—were included on ''Continuum''. Despite his excitement, in a ''Rolling Stone'' interview, Mayer recalled that after former Columbia Records head
Don Ienner Don Ienner ( ; born 1951/1952) is an American music executive. He served as president of Columbia Records from 1989 to 2003, and as chairman from 1994 to 2003. In April 2003 he became president of Columbia's umbrella company, Sony Music U.S., ov ...
panned ''Continuum'' he briefly considered quitting music and studying design full-time. In May 2006, Mayer contributed a cover of the song "
Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) is one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The high ...
" for the
Pixar Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney ...
animated film ''
Cars A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are around one billio ...
'' (2006). Mayer's rendition garnered a nomination at the
49th Grammy Awards The 49th Annual Grammy Awards was a ceremony honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2005, and ending September 30, 2006, in the United States. The awards were handed out on Sunday, February 11, 2007, at the Stap ...
for
Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for works (songs or albums) containing qua ...
. The first single from ''Continuum'' was "
Waiting on the World to Change "Waiting on the World to Change" is a song by American singer-songwriter John Mayer. It was released as the lead single from his third studio album, '' Continuum'' (2006). The song enjoyed commercial success as a single and won the Grammy for Bes ...
", which debuted on ''
The Ron and Fez Show ''The Ron and Fez Show'' was an American talk radio show hosted by Ron Bennington and Fez Whatley, which aired from August 1998 to April 2015. After a run in Tampa, Florida as part of '' The Ron and Ron Show'', and then several other stints in ...
''. The song was the third-most downloaded song of the week on the iTunes Store following its release on July 11, 2006, and debuted at number 25 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Chart. On August 23, 2006, Mayer debuted the entire album on the Los Angeles radio station
Star 98.7 KYSR (98.7 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, and owned by iHeartMedia. KYSR broadcasts an alternative rock format and is the flagship station of ''The Woody Show''. KYSR's studios are located in Burbank, whi ...
, offering commentary on each track. A subsequent version was released the next day on the Clear Channel Music website as a streaming sneak preview. On September 21, 2006, Mayer appeared on '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' in the episode "Built to Kill, Part 1", playing "Waiting on the World to Change" and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room". The song "Gravity" was featured on the television series ''
House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...
'', in the episode "Cane & Able" and ''
Numb3rs ''Numbers'' (stylized as ''NUMB3RS'') is an American crime drama television series that originally aired on CBS from January 23, 2005, to March 12, 2010, with a total of six seasons consisting of 118 episodes. The series was created by Nico ...
''. He recorded a session for the British program ''
Live from Abbey Road ''Live from Abbey Road'' is a 12-part, one-hour performance series/documentary that began filming its first season during 2006 at Abbey Road Studios in London. Season 2 was filmed between 2007 and 2008, season 3 was filmed in 2009 and Season 4 w ...
'' at
Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a music recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, London, Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of ...
on October 22, 2006. On December 7, 2006, Mayer was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. The Trio received a nomination for ''Try!''. He won two: Best Pop Song with Vocal for "Waiting on the World to Change" and
Best Pop Album The Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality vocal pop music albums. Awards in several ...
for ''Continuum''. Mayer remixed an acoustic version of his single "Waiting on the World to Change" with vocal additions from fellow musician
Ben Harper Benjamin Charles Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music, and he is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, liv ...
. In preparation for ''Continuum'', Mayer had booked the
Village Recorder The Village (also known as Village Recorders, or the Village Recorder) is a recording studio located at 1616 Butler Avenue in West Los Angeles, California. History The building was built by the Freemasons in 1922 and was originally a Masonic t ...
in Los Angeles to record five acoustic versions of his songs with veteran musician
Robbie McIntosh Robbie McIntosh (born 25 October 1957) is an English guitarist. McIntosh is best known as a session guitarist and member of the Pretenders from 1982 until 1987. In 1988 he began doing session guitar work for Paul McCartney, joining his band ...
. These recordings became ''
The Village Sessions ''The Village Sessions'' is an EP released by artist John Mayer on December 12, 2006.''The Village Sessions''
'', an EP released on December 12, 2006. As usual, Mayer oversaw the artwork. The initial North American ''Continuum'' tour ended on February 28, 2007, with a show at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
. On November 20, 2007, the re-issue of ''Continuum'' became available online and in stores. The release contained a bonus disc of six live songs from his 2007 tour: five from ''Continuum'' and a cover of the
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential musicians in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Gen ...
song "
I Don't Need No Doctor "I Don't Need No Doctor" is an R&B song written by Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson, and Jo Armstead. First released by Ashford on Verve in August 1966, it went nowhere. It was then picked up and recorded by Ray Charles and released in Octob ...
". His single " Say", from the film ''The'' ''Bucket List,'' became available through
iTunes iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...
. On December 6, 2007, "Belief" was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal for the
50th Annual Grammy Awards The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 10, 2008. It honored musical achievement of 2007 in which albums were released between October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2007. The primary ceremonie ...
. He accompanied
Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...
on guitar on her song " No One" at the ceremony. Additionally, he was selected by the editors of ''Time'' magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2007, listed among artists and entertainers. Tyrangiel, Josh (May 14, 2007
"John Mayer"
''Time'' 169 (20): p. 140.
In February 2008, Mayer hosted a three-day Caribbean cruise event that included performances with various musicians including
David Ryan Harris David Ryan Harris (born 1967 or 1968) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist based in Los Angeles, California, United States. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Harris moved to Atlanta at a young age. Harris has had a varied career as a musici ...
,
Brett Dennen Brett Michael Dennen (born October 28, 1979) is an American folk/pop singer-songwriter from Central California. His seventh studio album, ''See the World'' was released in July 2021. Early life Dennen grew up in Central Valley, California in a s ...
,
Colbie Caillat Colbie Marie Caillat ( ; born May 28, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to fame on the social networking website Myspace in 2005. She signed with Universal Republic Records to release her debut studio album, '' Coco'' (2007), w ...
, and
Dave Barnes David Mckee Barnes (born June 20, 1978) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released eight studio albums, including two Christmas albums. His most recent full-length album, ''Featherbrained Wealt ...
, among others. The event was called "The Mayercraft Carrier" and was held aboard the cruise ship known as the ''
Carnival Victory ''Carnival Radiance'' (formerly ''Carnival Victory'') is a operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Ordered by Carnival in 1997, the vessel was the third ''Destiny''-class cruise ship to join the fleet after her debut in 2000 and became one of the la ...
''. A follow-up cruise titled "Mayercraft Carrier 2" sailed from Los Angeles March 27–31, 2009, on the
Carnival Splendor ''Carnival Splendor'' is a operated by Carnival Cruise Line. As she is the only ''Concordia''-class ship in the Carnival fleet, she is also referred to as a ''Splendor-''class ship. Her other sister ships are part of the Costa Cruises, Costa Cr ...
. On July 1, 2008, Mayer released '' Where the Light Is'', a live concert film of Mayer's performance at the Nokia Theatre
L.A. Live L.A. Live is an entertainment complex in the South Park District of downtown Los Angeles, California. It is adjacent to the Crypto.com Arena and the Los Angeles Convention Center. L.A. Live was developed by Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG ...
on December 8, 2007. The film was directed by
Danny Clinch Danny Clinch (born 1964) is an American photographer and film director. Early life and education Born in Toms River, New Jersey, Clinch graduated from Toms River High School East in 1982. After attending Ocean County College, he attended the New ...
. It features Mayer opening with an acoustic set, followed by a blues set with the Trio and concluded by a full set with the band from the ''Continuum'' album.


''Battle Studies'' (2009)

Australian artist
Guy Sebastian Guy Theodore Sebastian (born 26 October 1981) is an Australian singer who rose to fame after winning the Australian Idol (season 1), first season of ''Australian Idol'', in 2003. Born in Malaysia and raised in Adelaide, Australia, Sebastian h ...
invited Mayer to collaborate on three songs from his 2009 album '' Like It Like That''. Mayer also played guitar on the title track of
Crosby Loggins Crosby Sullivan Loggins (born December 15, 1980)
is an American singer and songwriter. He is the oldest son of ...
' debut LP, ''Time to Move''. On July 7, 2009, Mayer performed an instrumental guitar version of
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
's "
Human Nature Human nature comprises the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of Thought, thinking, feeling, and agency (philosophy), acting—that humans are said to have nature (philosophy), naturally. The term is often used to denote ...
" at Jackson's televised
memorial service A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects such as home ...
. He co-wrote "World of Chances" with
Demi Lovato Demetria Devonne "Demi" Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), she starred in the Disney Channel short series ...
for Lovato's second album '' Here We Go Again'', released later that month. After the overwhelming success of ''Continuum'', Mayer confessed to be intimidated with beginning on a follow-up. However, he stated, "I think it got a lot easier when I realized that no matter what I do, it's not going to be ''Continuum'', good or bad." On November 17, 2009, Mayer's fourth studio album, ''
Battle Studies ''Battle Studies'' is a book by Ardant du Picq, a colonel in the French Army who was killed in 1870 in the Franco-Prussian War. The work was never completed, but Du Picq had written many chapters completely and left sufficient notes behind to co ...
'', debuted at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 album chart. The first single, " Who Says", was released on September 24, 2009, in advance of the album, followed on October 19 by " Heartbreak Warfare" and " Half of My Heart" on June 21, 2010. The accompanying arena tour grossed 45 million. Despite the album's commercial success, critics reactions were mixed. Some reviews glowed, calling it his "most adventurous", others called the album "safe" and noted that "Mayer the singer-songwriter and Mayer the man about town sometimes seem disconnected, like they don't even belong in the same body". Mayer admitted to ''Rolling Stone'' that he thought ''Battle Studies'' was not his best album.


Personal troubles and hiatus (2010–2013)

Following two revealing and highly controversial magazine interviews in February 2010 with ''Rolling Stone'' and ''Playboy'' magazines, Mayer withdrew from public life and ceased giving interviews. While still on tour for ''Battle Studies'', he began work in earnest on his fifth studio album—which drew on the popular music of
Laurel Canyon Laurel Canyon is a mountainous neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills region of the Santa Monica Mountains, within the Hollywood Hills West district of Los Angeles, California. The main thoroughfare of Laurel Canyon Boulevard connects the neig ...
in the early 1970s.Wood, Mikael (August 15, 2013)
"Musical sniping, a la John Mayer and Taylor Swift"
. ''Los Angeles Times''. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
Around this time, he began to experience vocal problems, and sought medical assistance. On September 16, 2011, he posted on his blog that his next record, ''Born and Raised,'' would be delayed due to treatment he was receiving for a
granuloma A granuloma is an aggregation of macrophages (along with other cells) that forms in response to chronic inflammation. This occurs when the immune system attempts to isolate foreign substances that it is otherwise unable to eliminate. Such sub ...
discovered on his vocal cords. Mayer described the event as a "temporary setback" and added that the album was entirely finished except for a few vocal tracks. A month later, on October 20, 2011, Mayer posted, "I had surgery this afternoon to remove it and am now on complete vocal rest for a month or more," during which he planned to "travel the country, look, and listen". However, the surgery did not work as expected, and he had to undergo another one that August.Doyle, Patrick (January 30, 2013)
Q&A: John Mayer on His New Voice, Summer Tour and Dating Katy Perry
. ''Rolling Stone''. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
During his travels, he visited and fell in love with
Bozeman, Montana Bozeman ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States. The 2020 United States census put Bozeman's population at 53,293, making it Montana's fourth-largest city. It is the principal city of the Bozeman, Montan ...
, where he bought a house and re-settled in the spring of 2012.Browning, Skylar (May 15, 2012)
"John Mayer now lives in Montana"
. ''Missoula Independent''. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
With his treatments complete, Mayer finished the vocals on ''Born and Raised'', and the album's first single, "Shadow Days", was released on February 27, 2012. The following day, he released the track listing for the album, announcing that it would be released on May 22 of that year. He described it as his "most honest" album, and begin booking dates at more "intimate" venues than for ''Battle Studies''. He also accepted an invitation to appear at the
South by Southwest South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
festival. However, the granuloma returned, and on March 9, 2012, Mayer announced that he had been forced to cancel his tour and refrain from all singing indefinitely. Even so, ''Born and Raised'' was released as scheduled, and entered the ''Billboard'' 200 chart at number one, selling 219,000 copies in its first week. It also received generally positive critical feedback; ''Rolling Stone'' rated it number 17 on its list of the 50 Best Albums of 2012, and ''People'' magazine called it "a shimmering album". Meanwhile, Mayer brought a new focus to his guitar playing and, fearing that his vocal cords had been permanently damaged, tried to come to terms with a possible future as a
session musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...
. Determined to be cured, he sought help from the
UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the C ...
Voice Center. That September,
otolaryngologist Otorhinolaryngology ( , abbreviated ORL and also known as otolaryngology, otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ORL–H&N or OHNS), or ear, nose, and throat (ENT)) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the surgical an ...
Dr. Gerald Berke paralyzed Mayer's vocal cords with a series of high-dose
Botox Botulinum toxin, or botulinum neurotoxin (commonly called botox), is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium ''Clostridium botulinum'' and related species. It prevents the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from axon endi ...
injections, hoping that they would allow the granuloma to heal. Mayer's vocal rest extended to several months and, unable to even talk, his performances were limited to accompanying other artists on guitar. He appeared in September 2012 on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'', where he joined musical guest
Frank Ocean Frank Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987) is an American singer and songwriter. He has been credited by several music journalism, music critics as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre. Ocean has won two Grammy Awards and a B ...
. He played with the
Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
in New Jersey in December 2012. By January 2013, Mayer had recovered sufficiently enough to perform at a benefit concert in Bozeman, after almost two years without singing publicly. In April 2013, he made an appearance at the
Crossroads Guitar Festival The Crossroads Guitar Festival is a series of music festivals and benefit concerts founded by Eric Clapton. The festivals benefit the Crossroads Centre founded by Eric Clapton, a drug treatment center in Antigua. The concerts showcase a variet ...
, and at the 28th Annual
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
Induction Ceremony, where he inducted the late
Albert King Albert King ( Nelson; April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992), was an American guitarist and singer who is often regarded as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time. He is perhaps best known for his popular and ...
. A show at the
Tuscaloosa Amphitheater The Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater is an outdoor amphitheater in Tuscaloosa, Alabama that sits beautifully on 15 acres amidst the banks of the Black Warrior River. It's used primarily for music performances and has a capacity of 8,410. The amphithea ...
in Alabama on April 25, 2013, followed by a set at the
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (commonly called Jazz Fest or Jazzfest) is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of vi ...
the next day, marked his first full-length concerts since his health troubles.


''Paradise Valley'', Dead & Company, ''The Search for Everything'' (2013–2018)

In June 2013, Mayer announced that he was finishing work on his sixth album, '' Paradise Valley.'' Produced by
Don Was Don Edward Fagenson (born September 13, 1952), known professionally as Don Was (), is an American musician, record producer, music director, film composer, documentary filmmaker and radio host. Since 2011, he has also served as president of the ...
, the album features "low-key folk-rock tunes".Vozick-Levinson, Simon (September 12, 2013)
"John Mayer Swears He's Done With the Fame Game
". ''Rolling Stone''. (1191):16.
He collaborated with
Frank Ocean Frank Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987) is an American singer and songwriter. He has been credited by several music journalism, music critics as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre. Ocean has won two Grammy Awards and a B ...
on the song "Wildfire Pt. 2", and with
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...
on " Who You Love". The latter song would go on to become the album's third single, and an accompanying music video was released on December 17. On June 18, 2013, he released a lyric video for the album's first single, "Paper Doll", on his official YouTube page. The album was released August 20, 2013, and—meeting with positive reviews—debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, with first-week sales of 145,560 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 2013 with
Interscope Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...
recording artist
Phillip Phillips Phillip LaDon Phillips Jr. (born September 20, 1990) Note: An inaccurate birthdate (Sept. 29, 1990) and birthplace (Leesburg, Georgia) appear in is an American singer-songwriter who rose to fame after winning the eleventh season of ''Americ ...
serving as the supporting act. The tour visited Australia in April 2014. During a concert in
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
, Mayer covered the Beyoncé song " XO" . One month later, on May 22, he released a studio version of the song on his
SoundCloud SoundCloud is a German audio streaming service owned and operated by SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG. The service enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is ...
account. It was made available for digital download by Columbia Records on May 27, 2014, through the iTunes Store. For the week ending June 1, 2014, Mayer's version debuted at number 90 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and number 13 on the US
Hot Rock Songs Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (formerly known as Rock Songs and Hot Rock Songs) is a record chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine. From its debut on June 20, 2009, through October 13, 2012, the chart ranked the airplay of songs across alternati ...
chart. On the Canadian Hot 100, "XO" peaked at a position of 76. The single also peaked at number 81 on the Australian Singles Chart (its debut week), and at number 95 on the
Dutch Singles Chart The Dutch Top 40 () is a weekly music chart compiled by ''Stichting Nederlandse Top 40''. It started as a radio program titled "Veronica Top 40", on the offshore station Radio Veronica in 1965. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, w ...
. In the UK, it peaked at 115 on the UK Singles Chart. Mayer recorded the song "
Come Rain or Come Shine "Come Rain or Come Shine" is a popular music song and jazz standard with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was written for the Broadway musical '' St. Louis Woman'', which opened on March 30, 1946, and closed after 113 perfor ...
" as a duet with
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...
for her album '' Partners'', released in September 2014. In February 2015, Mayer performed alongside
Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran ( ; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
at the
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
. As of March, Mayer said he was taking break from working on a "deeply personal new album". Mayer also recounted that in 2011 he happened upon a song by the
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...
while listening to
Pandora In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hesiod related it, each god cooperated by giving her unique gifts. Her other name—inscribed against her figure on a white-ground '' ky ...
, and that soon the band's music was all he would listen to. In February 2015, while guest hosting '' The Late Late Show'', Mayer invited Grateful Dead guitar player
Bob Weir Robert Hall Weir ( ; né Parber, born October 16, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with the Other Ones, later known as the Dead ...
to join him in a studio performance. While Weir,
Phil Lesh Philip Chapman Lesh (March 15, 1940 – October 25, 2024) was an American musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he developed a unique style of improvised six-string bass guitar. He was their bassist throughout their 30 ...
,
Mickey Hart Mickey Hart (born Michael Steven Hartman, September 11, 1943) is an American percussionist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 until February 19 ...
and
Bill Kreutzmann William Kreutzmann Jr. ( ; born May 7, 1946) is an American drummer and founding member of the rock band Grateful Dead. He played with the band for its entire thirty-year career, usually alongside fellow drummer Mickey Hart, and has continued to ...
(surviving members of the Grateful Dead) were preparing for their Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Dead tour with
Trey Anastasio Ernest Joseph "Trey" Anastasio III (born September 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, composer, and singer-songwriter best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Phish, which he co-founded in 1983. He is credited by name as composer of 152 ...
, Mayer began practicing the band's catalog of songs. That August, Mayer, Weir, Kreutzmann, and Hart formed the group
Dead & Company Dead & Company is an American rock band that formed in 2015 with a lineup of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir (guitar and vocals), Mickey Hart (drums), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums), along with John Mayer (guitar and vocals), Oteil Burbridge ...
, along with
Jeff Chimenti Jeff Chimenti (born October 21, 1968) is an American keyboardist, best known for his ongoing work with former members of the Grateful Dead. Since May 1997 he has played with Bob Weir & RatDog, and has also played on every tour of The Dead (in ...
and
Oteil Burbridge Oteil Burbridge (born August 24, 1964) is an American multi-instrumentalist, specializing on the bass guitar, trained in playing jazz and classical music from an early age. He has achieved fame primarily on bass guitar during the resurgence of t ...
, and began a fall tour in the United States. The tour was well received (''Billboard'' called it "magical"), and they continued to tour the US into 2016. Although Lesh has declined to join Dead & Company, Mayer also performed with
Phil Lesh and Friends Phil Lesh and Friends was an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead. Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including gro ...
at Terrapin Crossroads in 2015. As a result of his touring with Dead & Company, Mayer postponed working on his next studio album until January 2016, with plans to finish it by the end of the year. On November 17, 2016, Mayer released " Love on the Weekend" as the lead single from his EP '' The Search for Everything: Wave One'', which was then released on January 20, 2017. A second EP, '' The Search for Everything: Wave Two'', was released on February 24, 2017, along with the single "Still Feel Like Your Man". The album '' The Search for Everything'' was released on April 14, 2017, and was promoted by a third single titled "In the Blood", released on May 1, 2017, and by The Search for Everything World Tour from March to October of the same year. Mayer also continued touring with Dead & Company during the
summer Summer or summertime is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day ...
and
fall Autumn, also known as fall (especially in US & Canada), is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southern Hemispher ...
of 2017. On December 5, during the Fall Tour, his appendix burst, resulting in an emergency
appendectomy An appendectomy (American English) or appendicectomy (British English) is a Surgery, surgical operation in which the vermiform appendix (a portion of the intestine) is removed. Appendectomy is normally performed as an urgent or emergency procedur ...
and the postponement of the remaining tour dates to February 2018. In January 2018, Dead & Company announced their Dead & Company Summer Tour 2018.


''Sob Rock'' (2018–present)

On May 10, 2018, Mayer released the single "
New Light New Light, new light, New Lights or new lights may refer to: * New Light, North Carolina * New Light, Richland Parish, Louisiana * New Light (song), a song by John Mayer * ''New Light'' (EP), an EP by the band Moving Mountains * Old and New ...
", co-produced by
No I.D. Ernest Dion Wilson (born June 23, 1971), known professionally as No I.D. (formerly Immenslope), is an American record producer, DJ and songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. He is known for his early work with Chicago-based rapper Common, as well a ...
and Mayer himself. In an interview with
Zane Lowe Alexander Zane Reed Lowe (born 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter. After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence through pr ...
for
Apple Music Apple Music is an audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users can select music to stream to their device on-demand, or listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the sister internet radio stations Apple Musi ...
on the release day, he announced "more new music" for 2018. During his performance at the iHeartRadio Theater on October 24, 2018, he premiered a song titled "I Guess I Just Feel Like". On December 12, 2018, he announced a world tour for 2019. Mayer released two singles in 2019; 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 show "Current Mood" on March 15, 2020, he revealed that he was in the process of writing and recording songs for a new album. In early 2021, he stated that the album was completely finished as he began posting snippets of new songs on
TikTok TikTok, known in mainland China and Hong Kong as Douyin (), is a social media and Short-form content, short-form online video platform owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which may range in duration f ...
ahead of release. In an interview with
Kerwin Frost Kerwin Frost (born July 26, 1995) is an American entertainer, DJ, talk show host, and comedian. He first rose to prominence in New York City's Soho Youth streetwear scene. Early life Frost was raised in public housing in Harlem. He became in ...
, Mayer hinted at an April release for the album. Later, the date was pushed back. On June 1, 2021, Mayer officially announced his eighth album ''
Sob Rock ''Sob Rock'' is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, released on July 16, 2021, by Columbia Records. The single " New Light", released in May 2018, is included on the album, as are Mayer's two singles from 2019, "I Gue ...
'' and on June 4, released the lead single, " Last Train Home" along with an accompanying music video. The album was released on July 16, 2021, as well as a music video for the song, "Shot in the Dark". The track 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 1980s aesthetic.


Touring

Mayer began touring as a solo artist in 2001. While his early records were largely acoustic, early reviewers noted his unexpected electric "guitar heroics" during live performances.Edwards, Gavin (August 22, 2002), "John Mayer". ''Rolling Stone''. (903):28. Mayer has toured North America, Europe and AustraliaSinclair, David (2007)
"John Mayer: My Atlantic crossing"
''The Belfast Telegraph''. Retrieved January 28, 2007.
with many musical groups, including
Maroon 5 Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, d ...
,Dansby, Andrew (2004)
"Mayer, Maroon 5 Hit the Road"
''Rolling Stone''. Retrieved April 12, 2006.
Counting Crows Counting Crows is an American rock band from the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Formed in 1991, the band consists of rhythm guitarist David Bryson, drummer Jim Bogios, vocalist Adam Duritz, keyboardist Charlie Gillingham, David Immergl ...
,Dansby, Andrew (2003)
"Mayer, Crows to Tour "
''Rolling Stone''. Retrieved April 12, 2006.
Ben Folds Benjamin Scott Folds (born September 12, 1966) is an American singer-songwriter from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. After playing in several small independent bands throughout the late 80s and into the early 90s, Folds came to prominence as the f ...
,
the Wallflowers The Wallflowers are an American rock music, rock solo project of American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jakob Dylan. The Wallflowers were originally a roots rock band formed in Los Angeles by Dylan and guitarist Tobi Miller. It ha ...
,
Sheryl Crow Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. She is noted for her Optimism, optimistic and Idealism, idealistic subject matter, and incorporation of genres including Rock music, rock, Po ...
,
Colbie Caillat Colbie Marie Caillat ( ; born May 28, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to fame on the social networking website Myspace in 2005. She signed with Universal Republic Records to release her debut studio album, '' Coco'' (2007), w ...
and
Train A train (from Old French , from Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles th ...
.AP staff (June 15, 2006)
"Crow, Mayer Teaming For Tour"
. ''Billboard''. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
In 2010, Mayer and
Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban ( né Urbahn; 26 October 1967) is an Australian and American country singer, songwriter and guitarist. Recognised with four Grammy Awards, he has also received 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, including the Jim Reeves Int ...
performed at a
CMT Crossroads ''CMT Crossroads'' is an American television program broadcast on CMT that pairs country music artists with musicians from other music genres such as alternative rock, pop, R&B, Rock, soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, ...
concert a medley of their songs and a rendition of
George Michael George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer-songwriter and record producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon, he is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling rec ...
's single "Faith". This performance led to Urban and Mayer teaming up again for future performances, including at the 2010 CMT Music Awards. Mayer allows audio taping and non-commercial trading of those recordings at most of his live performances.General Information
Local 83: Listener's Union. Retrieved June 25, 2007.
Mayer often shows up at small venues unannounced (or with little advance notice) for surprise concerts—occasionally for free or without accepting the performance fee. He has made appearances throughout the Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York areas, including shows at
the Laugh Factory Laugh Factory is a chain of comedy clubs in the United States. The chain is owned by Laugh Factory Inc., and the founder and current chief executive is Jamie Masada. Endurance record The Laugh Factory keeps track of an endurance record for ...
,WENN (June 15, 2006)
"Mayer Apologises To Hewitt"
. ContactMusic.com. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
Eddie's Attic Eddie's Attic is a music club in Decatur, Georgia. Founded in 1992 by Eddie Owen, it is a venue for both local musical talent and musicians of some acclaim who often got their start in the Atlanta area. Artists who developed their fanbase at Edd ...
, and the Village Underground. After a public campaign by their senior class president, Mayer performed a surprise three-song set at the 2004
Pennsbury High School Pennsbury High School is a four-year public high school located in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Pennsbury School District. With 2,907 students enrolled for the 2021–2022 school year, Pennsbury High School is the ...
senior prom. In June 2015, Mayer appeared as a guest for two nights with
Phil Lesh and Friends Phil Lesh and Friends was an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, former bassist of the Grateful Dead. Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including gro ...
at
Terrapin Crossroads Terrapin Crossroads was a music venue, bar, and restaurant active from 2011 until 2021 in San Rafael, California, founded by former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh. Concept On March 29, 2011, Phil Lesh posted a statement on the Furthur.net site ...
, recreating the
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...
's notable May 8 and June 9, 1977, concerts. ;Headlining *Room for Squares Tour (2002) *Heavier Things Tour (2003–2004) *John Mayer 2004 Summer Tour (2004) *Continuum Tour (2006–2007) * John Mayer 2008 Summer Tour (2008) * Battle Studies World Tour (2009–2010) * Born and Raised World Tour (2013–2014) * The Search for Everything World Tour (2017) *John Mayer 2019 World Tour (2019) *Sob Rock Tour (2022) *Solo Tour (2023) ;Co-headlining *John Mayer/Guster Summer Tour (2002) *John Mayer/Counting Crows Summer Tour (2003) *John Mayer/Sheryl Crow Tour (2006) ;Opening act *Sting European Tour (2004) ;Touring with
Dead & Company Dead & Company is an American rock band that formed in 2015 with a lineup of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir (guitar and vocals), Mickey Hart (drums), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums), along with John Mayer (guitar and vocals), Oteil Burbridge ...
Mayer joined each annual Tour in the years 2015 to the present.


Other ventures


Dead & Company

Since 2015, Mayer has been touring with
Bob Weir Robert Hall Weir ( ; né Parber, born October 16, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with the Other Ones, later known as the Dead ...
,
Bill Kreutzmann William Kreutzmann Jr. ( ; born May 7, 1946) is an American drummer and founding member of the rock band Grateful Dead. He played with the band for its entire thirty-year career, usually alongside fellow drummer Mickey Hart, and has continued to ...
and
Mickey Hart Mickey Hart (born Michael Steven Hartman, September 11, 1943) is an American percussionist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 until February 19 ...
of the
Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...
. Founding bassist
Phil Lesh Philip Chapman Lesh (March 15, 1940 – October 25, 2024) was an American musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he developed a unique style of improvised six-string bass guitar. He was their bassist throughout their 30 ...
has notably declined to participate in the project, although he has performed with Mayer on a few occasions since Dead & Company began. The role of bassist in Dead & Company has instead been played by
Oteil Burbridge Oteil Burbridge (born August 24, 1964) is an American multi-instrumentalist, specializing on the bass guitar, trained in playing jazz and classical music from an early age. He has achieved fame primarily on bass guitar during the resurgence of t ...
of the
Allman Brothers Band Allman may refer to: Music *The Allman Brothers Band, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame southern rock band, formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Allman Joys, an early band formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Gregg Allman Band People *Allman (surnam ...
.
Jeff Chimenti Jeff Chimenti (born October 21, 1968) is an American keyboardist, best known for his ongoing work with former members of the Grateful Dead. Since May 1997 he has played with Bob Weir & RatDog, and has also played on every tour of The Dead (in ...
, who has toured with the various spin-offs of the Dead since the 1990s, is the group's keyboardist. Although Mayer had been familiar with the music of the Grateful Dead since at least high school, he began to develop a strong interest in their music in 2011 after hearing their song "
Althea Althea () is an English female given name. It is a variation of the Greek name '' Althaea'' (Αλθαια), which may be related to Greek ''althos'' ("healing"). Richard Lovelace used the name in a poem (" To Althea, from Prison") that John M ...
" by chance on
Pandora radio Pandora is a subscription-based music streaming service owned by the broadcasting corporation Sirius XM that is based in Oakland, California in the United States. The service carries a focus on recommendations based on the " Music Genome Proje ...
. In 2015, while the Dead's '' Fare Thee Well'' shows with
Trey Anastasio Ernest Joseph "Trey" Anastasio III (born September 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, composer, and singer-songwriter best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Phish, which he co-founded in 1983. He is credited by name as composer of 152 ...
were also being planned, Mayer performed "Althea" with Weir on The Late Late Show, along with "
Truckin' "Truckin" is a song by the Grateful Dead, which first appeared on their 1970 album '' American Beauty''. It was recognized by the United States Library of Congress in 1997 as a national treasure.''Grateful Dead: The Illustrated Trip'' . Jake W ...
". Weir was impressed with Mayer's take on the material and began planning to work with him after the Fare Thee Well shows, despite them being billed as something of finale for the band and its legacy. Weir discussed the genesis of the band and his thoughts about working with Mayer in an interview with ''Rolling Stone'' in 2016: The thought of pop singer Mayer stepping in for
Jerry Garcia Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 196 ...
was met with some initial skepticism by both fans and music critics, but the shows have since been well received. The band continues to tour 2022 and has considered recording a studio album consisting of songs from the Grateful Dead catalog and potentially some originals. In a 2017 interview with ''Rolling Stone'', Lesh praised the band's performances and explained his decision not to take part:


Author

With the June 2004 issue of ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...
'', Mayer began a column called "Music Lessons with John Mayer". Each article featured a lesson and his views on various topics, both of personal and popular interest. In the August 2005 issue, he invited readers to create music for orphaned lyrics he had written.Mayer, John (September 2005)
"The Giveaway: John Mayer's Songwriting Contest"
''Esquire''. 144 (3):80.
The winner was Tim Fagan of
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
as announced in the following January's issue.Mayer, John (January 2006)
"Tim Fagan Is A Winner"
. ''Esquire''. 145 (1): p. 38.
As social media gained momentum in the 2000s, Mayer became increasingly active online, and maintained five blogs: a
Myspace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...
page, a blog at his official site, another at Honeyee.com, one at
tumblr Tumblr (pronounced "tumbler") is a microblogging and Social networking service, social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and is owned by American company Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content ...
, and a
photoblog A photoblog (or photolog) is a form of photo sharing and publishing in the format of a blog. It differs from a blog through the predominant use of and focus on photographs rather than text. Photoblogging (the action of posting photos to a photo ...
at StunningNikon.com. He was particularly prolific on
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
, where he was noted for authoring his own posts, and he amassed 3.7 million followers. Although his posts often dealt with career-related matters, they also included jokes, videos, photos, and eventually what he called the "maintenance of vapor"—or misguided, personal responses to the media. On January 23, 2008, he posted the quote "There is danger in theoretical speculation of battle, in prejudice, in false reasoning, in pride, in
braggadocio Braggadocio may refer to: *Braggadocchio, a fictional character in the epic poem ''The Faerie Queene'' *A braggart or empty boasting *Braggadocio (rap), a type of rapping *Braggadocio (typeface) Braggadocio is a geometrically constructed sans ...
. There is one safe resource, the return to nature."; all the previous blog entries were deleted. On September 14, 2010, he deleted his personal Twitter account. In the mid-2000s, he did comedy sporadically,Daly, Steven (December 2009)
"John Mayer Thinks With His Pick"
. ''Details''. Retrieved February 8, 2010.
making random appearances at the famed
Comedy Cellar The Comedy Cellar is a comedy club in Manhattan where many top New York City comedians perform; it is sometimes referred to as the "Harvard of comedy clubs". Operations It was founded in 1982 by then-stand-up comedian, and current televisio ...
in New York and at other venues. He stated that it helped him write better, but that increased media attention made him too careful in his technique. He has since said he has no plans to return to it.


Watch collector

Mayer is an avid collector of watches, a pastime that he says keeps him "sane". His collection—which he values in the "tens of millions" of dollars—includes a Patek Philippe with a Sky Moon Tourbillion, a
Rolex GMT Master The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date GMT Master is part of the Rolex Professional Watch Collection. Designed in collaboration with the now defunct U.S.-based Pan Am airline for use by their pilots and navigators, it was launched in 1954. History The ...
116710 BLNR, and an IWC Big Pilot Ref 5002, his signature watch. He has also served as a juror at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, a competition rewarding timepieces that champion the values of Swiss-made watches and writes a column for the
horology Chronometry or horology () is the science studying the measurement of time and timekeeping. Chronometry enables the establishment of standard measurements of time, which have applications in a broad range of social and scientific areas. ''Hor ...
websit
Hodinkee
In his column for January 16, 2015, he wrote an open letter to the watch brand IWC, encouraging it to "embrace tsheritage, scale the product line down in terms of model variants, and simplify the design language". IWC replied, defending the 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 look forward to what we achieve in the future". In March 2024, Mayer was appointed with the title of "Creative Conduit" at
Audemars Piguet Audemars Piguet Holding SA () is a Swiss manufacturer of luxury good, luxury watches, headquartered in Le Brassus, Switzerland. The company was founded by Jules Louis Audemars and Edward Auguste Piguet in the Vallée de Joux in 1875, acquiring ...
, to help facilitate the connection between the watch brand and collectors. In addition to the new role, Mayer and AP also announced a new limited-edition collaborative Perpetual Calendar Royal Oak model (Ref. 26574BC.OO.1220BC.02), dubbed the "John Mayer" and designed by its namesake. It features a "Crystal Sky" faceted blue dial, a white-gold case and bracelet, and is limited to 200 pieces.


''Current Mood''

During an appearance on the ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', sometimes shortened to ''JKL'', is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show tapes and is based out of the Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywo ...
'' show in September 2018, Mayer showed a trailer for his new Instagram Live show. The show, entitled ''Current Mood'', debuted on his
IGTV IGTV, short for Instagram TV, was a video application by Instagram for Android and iOS smartphones. It allowed for longer videos compared to Instagram feeds. IGTV was available as a stand-alone app, though basic functionality was also available ...
account on Sunday evening on September 30, 2018. Episodes have continued to air on that schedule on a weekly basis. Guests have included
Maggie Rogers Margaret Debay Rogers (born April 25, 1994) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from Easton, Maryland. After her song "Alaska" was played to artist-in-residence Pharrell Williams during a master class at the Clive Davis Institut ...
, Halsey, B.J. Novak,
Dave Chappelle David Khari Webber Chappelle ( ; born August 24, 1973) is an American stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian and actor. He starred in and co-created the satirical comedy sketch series ''Chappelle's Show'' (2003–2006) before quitting in the middle ...
,
Charlie Puth Charles Otto Puth Jr. (; born December 2, 1991) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His initial exposure came through the viral success of his cover (music), song covers uploaded to YouTube. Puth signed with the record labe ...
,
Finneas Finneas Baird O'Connell (born July 30, 1997), also known mononymously by his first name (sometimes stylized in all caps), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. The recipient of numerous accolades, he has written and pro ...
,
Cazzie David Cazzie Laurel David (born May 10, 1994) is an American scriptwriter and actress. David co-created and co-starred in the web series ''Eighty-Sixed'' (2017'').'' Her first collection of essays ''No One Asked For This'' was released in 2020''.'' S ...
, and Thundercat. Mayer's latest season of ''Current Mood'' began on Sunday November 18, 2019, with guest
Shawn Mendes Shawn Peter Raul Mendes ( , ; born August 8, 1998) is a Canadian singer. He gained a following in 2013 when he posted song covers on the video-sharing platform Vine (software), Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manage ...
and surprise feature with
Camila Cabello Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao (; ; born March 3, 1997) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the Pop music, pop girl group Fifth Harmony, one of the List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl gro ...
on his first episode. For Current Mood Mayer coined notable jingles including "Camila Camendes", "CVS Bag", and "Drone Shot of My Yacht".


Life with John Mayer

In October 2023, Mayer announced a new real-time satellite radio channel on
Sirius XM Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is an American broadcasting corporation headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, that provides satellite radio and online radio services operating in the United States. The company was formed by the 2008 merge ...
, titled "Life with John Mayer". The year-round channel features music curated by Mayer, including Mayer's classics, collaborations, and never released material, along with selected music from all genres. In November 2024, Mayer began an interview series on the channel called "How's Life," featuring conversations with fellow musicians.
Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...
was the first guest, followed by
Shawn Mendes Shawn Peter Raul Mendes ( , ; born August 8, 1998) is a Canadian singer. He gained a following in 2013 when he posted song covers on the video-sharing platform Vine (software), Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manage ...
, and
Maren Morris Maren Larae Morris (born April 10, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter. Rooted in the country genre, her music blends in elements of pop and R&B. Her accolades include a Grammy Award, an American Music Award, five Country Music Associatio ...
.


Appearances in the media

In 2004, Mayer hosted a one-shot, half-hour comedy special on
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
titled ''John Mayer Has a TV Show'', with antics including wearing a bear suit while anonymously teasing concertgoers in the parking lot outside one of his concerts.
Steve Jobs Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology company Apple Inc. Jobs was also the founder of NeXT and chairman and majority shareholder o ...
invited Mayer to perform during
Apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...
's annual keynote address at the
Macworld Conference & Expo Macworld/iWorld (originally Macworld) was an information technology trade show with conference tracks dedicated to Apple's Mac platform. It was held annually in the United States during January. Originally ''Macworld Expo'' and then ''Macworld Conf ...
in January 2004 as Jobs introduced the music production software
GarageBand GarageBand is a software application by Apple Inc., Apple for macOS, iPadOS, and iOS devices that allows users to create music or Podcast, podcasts. It is a lighter, amateur-oriented offshoot of Logic Pro. GarageBand was originally released for ...
. Mayer became a fixture of the event, including at the 2007
iPhone The iPhone is a line of smartphones developed and marketed by Apple that run iOS, the company's own mobile operating system. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at ...
announcement. Volkswagen concluded a deal with instrument manufacturer First Act to include a GarageMaster electric guitar that was playable through the stereo system of six of their 2007 models; Mayer (along with Slash (musician), Slash and Christopher Guest) were selected to endorse the campaign and were featured playing the guitar in ads.''Billboard'' staff (October 3, 2006)
"Volkswagen Cars To Feature First Act Guitars"
. ''Billboard''. Retrieved March 25, 2015.
Mayer used and endorsed the BlackBerry, BlackBerry Curve. Mayer made many appearances on talk shows and other television programs, most notably on a ''Chappelle's Show'' comedy skit, the ''Late Show with David Letterman'' and on the final episode of ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien''. Mayer appeared with Rob Dyrdek in the MTV show ''Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory''. Mayer wrote the theme song to the Oprah Winfrey Network, OWN network show ''Rollin' with Zach'', which features Zach Anner. CBS invited him to guest host ''The Late Late Show (American TV series), The Late Late Show'' in early 2015 on three dates, February 4–6, after the retirement of Craig Ferguson. He appeared as a guest star on the fourth episode of the Impractical Jokers season 10, tenth season of the TruTV show ''Impractical Jokers'' in 2023. Mayer makes a cameo as a truck driver in the 2014 comedy horror film ''Zombeavers''. In the 2015 film ''Get Hard'', he played a version of himself who is disgusted with the "monetization of the creative process".Mallenbaum, Carly (March 30, 2015)
"John Mayer: The king of the cameo"
. USA Today. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
Mayer also had a small role in the 2022 film ''Vengeance (2022 film), Vengeance'', playing a friend of the lead character.


Instruments and equipment

John Mayer is a guitar collector and has collaborated with elite guitar companies to design his own instruments. He owns over 200 guitars. In 2003, C. F. Martin & Company, Martin Guitars gave Mayer his own signature model acoustic guitar called the OM-28 John Mayer.(2003)
"John Mayer Receives Signature Martin OM Guitar"
. Retrieved January 29, 2007.
The guitar was limited to a run of only 404, an Atlanta area code.''Sounding Board Newsletter'' contributor (2003

Martin Guitar. Retrieved March 25, 2015
This model was followed by the release of two Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Fender signature Fender Stratocaster, Stratocaster electric guitars, beginning in 2005. A third Stratocaster, finished in charcoal frost metallic paint with a racing stripe, was also a limited-release, with only 100 guitars made. In January 2006, Martin Guitars released the Martin OMJM John Mayer acoustic guitar. The guitar was intended to have many of the attributes of the Martin OM-28 John Mayer but with a more affordable price tag. In August 2006, Fender started manufacturing SERIES II John Mayer Stratocasters. In January 2007, Two Rock collaborated with Mayer on custom-designed amps. Only 25 (all signed by Mayer himself) were made available to the public, along with a 500-run John Mayer signature Fender Stratocaster in Cypress-Mica. Included in the limited Cypress-Mica model was the INCSvsJM gig bag, on which Mayer collaborated on the in-case designs. In 2006, Mayer was estimated to have more than 200 guitars in his personal collection. John Mayer's most iconic guitar is the "Black1". Conceived after the
Heavier Things ''Heavier Things'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, released on September 9, 2003 by Aware and Columbia Records. It debuted at #1 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, selling over 317,000 copies in its first week. Des ...
tour, Mayer went to Fender Custom Shop with the desire to build a guitar. He was inspired by guitars of famous players the likes of Rory Gallagher and
Stevie Ray Vaughan Stephen Ray Vaughan (also known as SRV; October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, best known as the guitarist and frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (band), Double Trouble. Although his ma ...
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He sought out masterbuilder John Cruz to help devise the design. In essence, Mayer wanted an all-black version of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "First Wife" Stratocaster. The guitar is heavily "relic'd" to specs very similar to the guitar used by Stevie Ray Vaughan. The Black1 includes a mint pickguard, custom wound pickups, gold hardware, and gold tuners from the SRV Tribute Stratocaster. It 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 Shop made a limited run of 83 replica Black1 Stratocasters, all of which were sold within 24 hours. Each one was carefully Relic'ing, relic'd by John Cruz. In 2010, Fender announced a production model of Mayer's Black1 guitar.Taylor, Mick (May 21, 2010)
"John Mayer interview"
. ''Music Radar''. March 29, 2015.
Un-relic'd production versions of the guitar were produced for a limited run of 500 worldwide. In addition, full production signature Stratocasters were produced in three-tone sunburst and Olympic White finishes. In 2014, John Mayer announced that he was no longer a Fender Artist. As a result, his signature line of guitars was pulled from production. In 2015, Mayer announced that he was collaborating with PRS Guitars. In March 2016, Mayer and PRS revealed their collaborative project, the Super Eagle. This was a limited release from PRS's Private Stock line of instruments and each guitar features ultra-grade woods, abalone inlay, JCF Audio preamps, and a hand-signed sticker by glass-artist David Adrian Smith, David Smith. Only 100 were produced, each retailing for over $10,000. In January 2017 at the NAMM Show, PRS and Mayer announced the J-MOD 100 signature amp. In June 2017, the Super Eagle II was revealed, limited to 120 instruments. In January 2018, Martin Guitar announced the limited-release (45 instruments) John Mayer Signature D-45, with list price $14,999. In March 2018, Mayer's signature PRS Silver Sky, Silver Sky model was released by PRS, available in four colors. While ''Music Trade'' called the Silver Sky "derivative", it said that all the elements were "designed from the 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 the promise of being a damn-near-perfect version of this type of guitar." The magazine named its "Editor's Pick". Mayer owns multiple Dumble Amplifiers, 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 particular, Mayer owns the Dumbleland Special model used by Stevie Ray Vaughan to record his album ''Texas Flood''. He used this amp during his performance for Vaughan's induction into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
, which he called a "special thing". For his album ''Sob Rock'', Mayer recorded with a Fractal Audio Systems, Fractal Axe-Fx digital amplifier modeler, amp modeler alongside his Dumble amps. Mayer has been credited for renewing industry interest in the Marshall Amplification, Marshall List of distortion pedals#Marshall Bluesbreaker, Bluesbreaker overdrive pedal after he started using one for live performances. While unpopular during its brief production run in the early 1990s, the attention generated by Mayer's use of the Bluesbreaker led to Marshall reissuing the entire line of effects pedals it was part of.


Reception

Mayer was featured on the cover of ''Rolling Stone'' (#1020) in February 2007, along with John Frusciante and Derek Trucks, in an issue lauding the "New Guitar Gods". The cover nicknamed him Slowhand Jr., a reference to Eric Clapton. Critics, however, often pointed to how safe they felt Mayer's music was. Chris Richards, in a review of a 2017 concert, declared Mayer is "an amazing guitar player", albeit doing so "through clenched teeth". Richards went on to say that his talent as a guitarist did not make him exempt from criticism of "his pillow-soft songcraft, the dull sentimentality of his lyrics, or that cuckoo-racist interview he gave to Playboy back in 2010". Music writer Steve Baltin commented on 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 the beginning of his career, he is a consummate musician's musician, 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 (singer), Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, who had previously played several shows with The Grateful Dead. Speaking during an interview with Howard Stern, Robinson was quoted as saying that "everything that
Jerry Garcia Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence during the counterculture of the 196 ...
ever talked about or stood for, John Mayer is the antithesis", and that while "Jerry was one of the most unique musicians in the world [...] here's John Mayer playing everyone else's licks". In response, Mayer said in an interview with ''Rolling Stone'' that he "care[s] about this band too much to give that [comment] life", and that he was "done debating [his] own merits".


Personal life

On his third episode of ''Current Mood'', Mayer revealed he had been sober since 2016. He stopped drinking after having what he says was a six-day hangover after Drake (musician), Drake's 30th birthday party. Mayer maintains close relationships with his father and siblings and embraces a domestic role when he is not on tour. In March 2014, Mayer sued watch dealer Robert Maron for $656,000 when he discovered that seven of the $5 million in watches he purchased from the dealer contained counterfeit parts. He dropped the action in May 2015, releasing a statement that asserted that research restored his "belief that Bob Maron is an expert on Rolex watches and confirmed that Bob Maron never sold him a counterfeit watch." Mayer was a friend of the late comedian and actor Bob Saget, and when Saget unexpectedly died in an Orlando, Florida, hotel room in January 2022, Mayer had Saget's body flown back to
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
on a private jet. Likewise, he and Jeff Ross retrieved Saget's car, which was parked at Los Angeles International Airport.


Relationships

Mayer has been romantically involved with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jessica Simpson, Minka Kelly, Jennifer Aniston,
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...
, and Taylor Swift. Mayer's relationship with Jessica Simpson coincided with behavior changes that significantly increased his tabloid journalism, tabloid exposure. Early in his career, he had expressed his resolve to completely avoid drugs, alcohol, Nightclub, clubbing, "Red carpet, red-carpet" events, dating celebrities, and anything that he felt would detract the focus from his music. In later interviews Mayer alluded to experiencing an extreme "anxiety bender" episode in his twenties that motivated him to be less reclusive. In 2006, he first mentioned that he had begun using marijuana. He began making appearances at clubs in Los Angeles and New York City, and Simpson became the first in a string of famous girlfriends, including Jennifer Aniston and Minka Kelly. By 2007, his personal life had become regular fodder for the Tabloid journalism, gossip media and, as a result, Mayer made efforts to control his public image. His online presence increased, he began to stage pranks for the paparazzi, and he hosted a segment for the gossip show ''TMZ''. In early 2010, Mayer gave a controversial interview to ''Playboy'' magazine in which he revealed sexually explicit details about his former girlfriends Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Aniston—calling his relationship with the former "sexual napalm". In response to a question about whether black women were interested in him, he said, "My dick is sort of like a white supremacist. I've got a Benetton Group, Benetton heart and a fuckin' David Duke cock. I'm going to start dating separately from my dick." He also used the word "nigger" in the interview. This set off accusations in the media of him being a Misogyny, misogynist, wikt:kiss-and-tell, kiss-and-tell ex-boyfriend, and Racism, racist. He apologized via Twitter for his use of the word "nigger", saying, "It was arrogant of me to think I could intellectualize ... a word that is so emotionally charged". He also tearfully apologized to his band and fans at his concert in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville later that night. In the following two years, he left New York and retreated from the media. Reflecting on that time in a May 2012 episode of ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'', he said:
"I lost my head for a little while and I did a couple of dumb interviews and it kind of woke me up...It was a violent crash into being an adult. For a couple of years, it was just figuring it all out, and I'm glad I actually stayed out of the spotlight."
Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift performed vocals for the song " Half of My Heart" on Mayer's November 2009 album ''
Battle Studies ''Battle Studies'' is a book by Ardant du Picq, a colonel in the French Army who was killed in 1870 in the Franco-Prussian War. The work was never completed, but Du Picq had written many chapters completely and left sufficient notes behind to co ...
''. Rumors began to circulate in the media that the two were a couple, an assertion that neither addressed. However, Swift released a song called "Dear John (Taylor Swift song), Dear John" in 2010, which was widely believed to be about her relationship with him. In June 2012, Mayer criticized the song, saying she never contacted him and that "it's abusing your talent to rub your hands together and go, 'Wait till he gets a load of this! The song "Paper Doll" was reported to be a answer song, response. In the March 21, 2019, episode of ''Current Mood'', however, Mayer said:
"When 'Paper Doll' came out, 100% of the people believed it was about somebody. ... But the song was not about that person and I could never tell anybody, 'That's not true,' because then I would be breaking my rule that songwriters don't say who the songs are about or not about."
While in a relationship with
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...
, Mayer recorded and co-wrote a duet with her titled " Who You Love" for his album '' Paradise Valley''. The song was released on August 12, 2013. The cover for the single was revealed amongst a photo shoot of the couple shot by Mario Sorrenti for ''Vanity Fair (magazine), Vanity Fair'' magazine. They performed the song together at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York (state), New York on December 17, 2013, which was the last night of Mayer's '' Born and Raised World Tour''. Their relationship later ended in February 2014.


Philanthropy

In 2002, Mayer created the "Back to You" Fund, a nonprofit organization that focuses on fundraising in the areas of health care, education, the arts and talent development. The foundation auctions exclusive John Mayer items, such as guitar picks, T-shirts and signed CDs. The auctions have been successful, with some tickets selling for more than 17 times their face value. Mayer participated at the Live Earth concert, New York City, East Rutherford, New Jersey, location of the Live Earth project, a musical rally to support awareness for climate change held July 7, 2007. Mayer performed at a number of benefits and telethons for charity throughout his career. He has participated in benefits for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. In response to the Virginia Tech shooting, Mayer (along with Dave Matthews Band, Phil Vassar, and Nas) performed a free concert at Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium on September 6, 2007. followed by an appearance with Rob Thomas (musician), Rob Thomas at the Annual Holiday Concert at Blythedale Children's Hospital in Valhalla that winter. On December 8, 2007, Mayer hosted the first annual Charity Revue, a tradition he has continued each year. Charities who have benefited from the concerts include Toys for Tots, Inner City Arts and the Los Angeles Mission. CDs and DVDs of the first concert were released as ''Where the Light Is'' in July 2008. Mayer appeared on ''Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace'', a celebrity initiative to support Tibet and the 14th Dalai Lama, 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. Mayer (along with Keith Urban) headlined Tiger Jam 2011 in Las Vegas to help raise around $750,000 for the Tiger Woods Foundation. In January 2013, Mayer participated with Zac Brown Band, Zac Brown in a benefit concert in
Bozeman, Montana Bozeman ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States. The 2020 United States census put Bozeman's population at 53,293, making it Montana's fourth-largest city. It is the principal city of the Bozeman, Montan ...
where they raised more than $100,000 for firefighters who battled a wildfire in the summer of 2012 in Paradise Valley (Montana), Paradise Valley that destroyed 12,000 acres. On March 1, 2019, Mayer established the Heart and Armor Foundation in support of veterans of war. He has been actively involved in initiatives to help returning veterans for about 12 years.


Discography

* ''
Room for Squares ''Room for Squares'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter and guitarist John Mayer, originally released on June 5, 2001, and re-released on September 18, 2001, by both Aware and Columbia Records. Upon its release, it peaked a ...
'' (2001) * ''
Heavier Things ''Heavier Things'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, released on September 9, 2003 by Aware and Columbia Records. It debuted at #1 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, selling over 317,000 copies in its first week. Des ...
'' (2003) * ''
Continuum Continuum may refer to: * Continuum (measurement), theories or models that explain gradual transitions from one condition to another without abrupt changes Mathematics * Continuum (set theory), the real line or the corresponding cardinal number ...
'' (2006) * ''
Battle Studies ''Battle Studies'' is a book by Ardant du Picq, a colonel in the French Army who was killed in 1870 in the Franco-Prussian War. The work was never completed, but Du Picq had written many chapters completely and left sufficient notes behind to co ...
'' (2009) * '' Born and Raised'' (2012) * '' Paradise Valley'' (2013) * '' The Search for Everything'' (2017) * ''
Sob Rock ''Sob Rock'' is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Mayer, released on July 16, 2021, by Columbia Records. The single " New Light", released in May 2018, is included on the album, as are Mayer's two singles from 2019, "I Gue ...
'' (2021)


Awards and nominations


Grammy Awards

Mayer has won seven awards from nineteen nominations.


Other awards and nominations


See also

* Annual John Mayer Holiday Charity Revue


Notes


References


Works cited

* Edwards, G. (2006). ''Is Tiny Dancer Really Elton's Little John?'' New York: Random House, Crown Publishing Group. .


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Mayer, John John Mayer, 1977 births Living people 21st-century American composers 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American singers American bloggers American blues guitarists American blues singers American male bloggers American male guitarists American male pop singers American male singers American male songwriters American philanthropists American pop guitarists American pop rock singers American rock guitarists American rock singers American rock songwriters American blues rock musicians Columbia Records artists Dead & Company members Grammy Award winners Guitarists from Connecticut John Mayer Trio members MTV Video Music Award winners Musicians from Bridgeport, Connecticut Entertainers from Fairfield, Connecticut People from Hidden Hills, California Record producers from Connecticut Singers from Connecticut Songwriters from Connecticut The Orchard Records artists Jewish American rock musicians Jewish American singers