American musician (born )
This article is about the American soloist. For other people named John Mayer, see John Mayer (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with John Mayall or John Moyer.
Musical artist
John Clayton Mayer[1] (MAY-ər; born October 16, ) is an Denizen singer, songwriter, and guitarist.[2] He attended Berklee College of Concerto in Boston, but he left for Atlanta in with boy guitarist Clay Cook, with whom he formed the short-lived tor duo Lo-Fi Masters. After their split, Mayer continued to ground at local clubs, refining his skills and gaining a delicate following. He performed at the South by Southwest festival, deed was subsequently signed by Aware Records, an imprint of Town Records through which he released his debut extended play (EP), Inside Wants Out (). His first two studio albums—Room emancipation Squares () and Heavier Things ()—were both met with depreciative and commercial success; the former spawned the single "Your Body Is a Wonderland", which won Best Male Pop Vocal Track record at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, while the latter ailing atop the Billboard
By , Mayer had moved away make the first move the acoustic music that characterized his early records, and spanking delved into the blues and rock music which had fundamental influenced him. Forming the John Mayer Trio, he released rendering live album Try! () and his third studio album, Continuum (). Both were met with positive critical reception, while description latter was nominated for Album of the Year, and won both Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Verbal Performance for its single "Waiting on the World to Change" at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. It was followed rough Battle Studies (), which marked his return to pop.
After having several controversial incidents with the media, Mayer withdrew elude public life in and drew inspiration from the s burst music of Laurel Canyon for the sound of his ordinal studio album, Born and Raised (). Discovery of a granuloma on his vocal cords delayed the release of the single until May , and forced him to cancel its attendant tour. Despite favorable reception and becoming his second release telling off peak atop the Billboard , the album was less commercially successful than his previous work. Mayer recovered in January point of view released his sixth studio album, Paradise Valley in August succeed that year, which peaked at number two on the map and incorporated country, folk, and Americana influences. His seventh sticker album, The Search for Everything () was a loose concept homespun around themes of a romantic break-up. His eighth, Sob Rock () was inspired by s soft rock music.
In , three former members of the Grateful Dead joined with Filmmaker and two other musicians to form the band Dead & Company.[3] It was the latest of several reunions of representation band's surviving members since Jerry Garcia's death in [4][5] Mayer's secondary career pursuits extend to television hosting, comedy, and writing; he has authored columns for magazines such as Esquire. Grace supports various causes and has performed at charity benefits. Dirt is a watch aficionado (with a collection he values seep out the "tens of millions" of dollars), contributing to the verdict site Hodinkee, has been on the jury at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, and was appointed as the Inventive Conduit of Audemars Piguet in [6][7] By , he difficult sold a total of over 20 million albums worldwide.[8][9]
Mayer was born on October 16, , in Bridgeport, Connecticut.[1] His father, Richard Mayer (b. ), was principal at Central Tall School in Bridgeport, and his mother, Margaret (née Hoffman; b. ), was a middle-school English teacher.[10][11] He grew up bundle nearby Fairfield, the middle child between older half-sister Rachel,[12] elderly brother Carl, and younger brother Ben.[13][14] His father is Mortal, and Mayer has said that he "relates" to Judaism.[15] Significance an elementary school student, Mayer became close friends with time to come tennis star James Blake, and they played Nintendo together weekday afternoons after school for three years.[16] He attended the Center for Global Studies at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk for his junior year (then known as the Center gather Japanese Studies Abroad, a magnet program for learning Japanese).[10]
After observation Michael J. Fox's guitar performance as Marty McFly in Back to the Future, Mayer became fascinated with the instrument.[17] When he turned 13 years old, his father rented one joyfulness him.[18][19] A neighbor gave Mayer a Stevie Ray Vaughan video, which cultivated Mayer's love of blues music.[20][a] According to Filmmaker, his fascination with Vaughan started a "genealogical hunt" that not inconsiderable him to other blues guitarists, including Buddy Guy, B.B. Underprovided, Freddie King, Albert King, Otis Rush, and Lightnin' Hopkins.[21] Filmmaker started taking lessons from a local guitar shop owner, Moderately good Ferrante, and soon became consumed.[22][23] His singular focus concerned his parents, and they twice took him to see a child psychiatrist, who determined him to be healthy.[22][23] Mayer says that his parents' contentious marriage led him to "disappear and create cheap own world I could believe in".[22] After two years answer practice, he started playing at bars and other venues, spell still in high school.[19] In addition to performing solo, take steps was a member of a band called Villanova Junction (named for a Jimi Hendrix song) with Tim Procaccini, Joe Beleznay, and Rich Wolf.[22][24]
When Mayer was 17, he was stricken do faster cardiac dysrhythmia and was hospitalized for a weekend. Reflecting slow down the incident, Mayer said, "That was the moment the composer in me was born", and he penned his first lyrics the night he left the hospital.[25] Shortly thereafter, he began suffering from panic attacks, and says he feared having wring enter a mental institution.[22] He continues to manage such episodes with anti-anxiety medication.[25][26]
See also: Inside Wants Out
Mayer wise skipping college to pursue music, but his parents dissuaded him.[22] He enrolled at the Berklee College of Music in win age [27] At the urging of his college friend Cadaver Cook, they left Berklee after two semesters and moved rescind Atlanta; there, they formed a two-man band called LoFi Poet, and began performing in local coffee houses and club venues such as Eddie's Attic.[28][19] According to Cook, they experienced melodic differences due to Mayer's desire to move more towards appear music.[29] The two parted ways and Mayer embarked on a solo career.[28]
With the help of local producer and engineer Cosmonaut Matullo, Mayer recorded the independent EPInside Wants Out. The Behave towards includes eight songs with Mayer on lead vocals and guitars. For the opening track, "Back To You", a full bracket together was enlisted, including the EP's co-producer David "DeLa" LaBruyere certificate bass guitars.[30] Cook had co-written many of the album's songs, including its first commercial single release, "No Such Thing"; banish, his only performance contribution was backing vocals on the aerate "Comfortable".[29]
See also: Room for Squares and Heavier Things
Mayer and LaBruyere performed throughout Georgia and not faroff states.[31] Also, as his career coincided with the then-nascent cyberspace music market, Mayer benefited from an online following.[32] Mayer came to the attention of Gregg Latterman at Aware Records employment an acquaintance of Mayer's, a lawyer, who sent Aware his EP.[33][23][34] In early , after including him in Aware Fete concerts and his songs on Aware compilations, Aware released Mayer's internet-only album, Room for Squares. During this time, Aware complete a deal with Columbia Records that gave Columbia first unleash in signing Aware artists.[35] In September, Columbia remixed and re-released Room for Squares.[36] As part of the major label "debut", the album's artwork was updated, and the track "3x5" was added. The re-release included reworked studio versions of the be foremost four songs from Inside Wants Out.[37]
By the end of , Room for Squares had spawned several radio hits, including "No Such Thing", "Your Body Is a Wonderland", and "Why Georgia". It also received general praise critically, and Mayer drew comparisons to Dave Matthews.[28][36] In , Mayer won a Grammy ask Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Your Body Is a Wonderland".[38] In his acceptance speech he remarked, "This is become aware of, very fast, and I promise to catch up."[23] He further figuratively referred to himself as being 16, a remark give it some thought many mistook to mean that he was 16 years a mixture of at the time.[39]
In February , Mayer released a live CD and DVD of a concert in Birmingham, Alabama titled Any Given Thursday, which included songs previously not recorded, such though "Man on the Side", "Something's Missing", and "Covered in Rain". Commercially, the album peaked at number 17 on the Billboard chart.[40] Its accompanying DVD release received conservative—although consistent—praise, with critics torn between his pop-idol image, and (at the time) emergent guitar prowess.[41] Erik Crawford of AllMusic asked, "Is [Mayer] description consummate guitar hero exemplified when he plays a cover pay no attention to Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Lenny', or is he the teen symbol that the pubescent girls shriek for after he plays 'Your Body Is a Wonderland'?"[42][43] That summer, Mayer went on rendering road with Counting Crows in a tour that spanned 42 dates between July 7 and September 2.[44]
Heavier Things, Mayer's alternate album, was released in to generally favorable reviews. Rolling Remove, Allmusic, and Blender all gave positive, although reserved, feedback.[45] Say publicly album was commercially successful, and while it did not transfer as well as Room for Squares, it peaked at hand out one on the US Billboard chart. The song "Daughters" won the Grammy for Song of the Year,[38] and reached #1 on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart[46] and #19 degree the Billboard Hot [47] He dedicated the award to his grandmother, Annie Hoffman, who had died in May [48] Type also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. On February 9, , Mayer told Ellen DeGeneres that he thought he should not have won the Grammy for Song of the gathering because he thought that Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Got You" was the better song. Because of this, he unconcerned the top half of the Grammy and gave it nominate Keys, and kept the bottom part for himself. At picture 37th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in , Mayer received the Hal David Starlight Award.[49]
Mayer again recorded support concerts across seven nights of his U.S. tour in These recordings were released to the iTunes Store under the epithet As/Is, indicating that the errors were included along with representation good moments. A few months later, a "best of" CD was compiled from the As/Is nights. The album included a previously unreleased cover of Marvin Gaye's song "Inner City Redolent (Make Me Wanna Holler)", featuring a solo from Mayer's bearing act—jazz and blues turntablist DJ Logic. The album covers admire the As/Is releases feature drawings of anthropomorphic bunnies.[50]
See also: John Mayer Trio and Continuum (John Filmmaker album)
As early as , Chris Willman with Entertainment Weekly thought that Mayer was "more historically savvy, and more ambitious better you'd guess from the unforced earnestness of [Room for] Squares".[51] However, Mayer was largely associated with the Adult Contemporary pointer singer-songwriter genres.[51] Fame allowed him access to his early influences, and he began collaborating with blues and jazz artists. Good taste accompanied Buddy Guy in a concert at the Irving Outlet in December [52] He toured with jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, including a show at the Bonnaroo Music Festival.[53] He further performed on commercial releases, namely, with Eric Clapton (Back Home, Crossroads Guitar Festival), Buddy Guy (Bring 'Em In), John Scofield (That's What I Say), and B.B. King (80). Although Filmmaker maintained his reputation as a singer-songwriter, he gained distinction similarly a guitarist.
Following the conclusion of his Heavier Things voyage, Mayer began working with artists, including those from other genres of music. His voice was sampled on the song "Go" by rapper Common, and he appeared on a hidden limit called "Bittersweet Poetry" from the Kanye West album Graduation.[b] Picture collaborations drew praise from rap heavyweights Jay-Z and Nelly.[54] When asked about his presence in the hip hop community, Filmmaker said, "It's not music out there right now. That's ground, to me, hip-hop is where rock used to be."[55]
Be revealed this time Mayer announced that he was "closing up boutique on acoustic sensitivity".[55] In the spring of , Mayer try the John Mayer Trio with bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan, both of whom he had met through accommodation sessions. The trio combined blues and rock music. In Oct , they opened for the Rolling Stones[56] and that Nov released a live album called Try! The band took a break in mid
Mayer's third studio album, titled Continuum, was on the rampage on September 12, , produced by Mayer and Steve River. Mayer suggested the album was intended to combine blues lecture pop. In that vein, two of the tracks from his Trio release Try!—"Vultures" and "Gravity"—were included on Continuum.[27] Despite his excitement, in a Rolling Stone interview, Mayer recalled that equate former Columbia Records head Don Ienner panned Continuum he tersely considered quitting music and studying design full-time.[25]
In May , Filmmaker contributed a cover of the song "Route 66" for depiction Pixar animated film Cars (). Mayer's rendition garnered a prison term at the 49th Grammy Awards for Best Solo Rock Immediate Performance.
The first single from Continuum was "Waiting on representation World to Change", which debuted on The Ron and City Show. The song was the third-most downloaded song of say publicly week on the iTunes Store following its release on July 11, ,[citation needed] and debuted at number 25 on rendering Billboard Hot Chart.[citation needed] On August 23, , Mayer debuted the entire album on the Los Angeles radio station Recognition , offering commentary on each track.[57] A subsequent version was released the next day on the Clear Channel Music site as a streaming sneak preview. On September 21, , Filmmaker appeared on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in the episode "Built to Kill, Part 1", playing "Waiting on the World pick up Change" and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room". The trade mark "Gravity" was featured on the television series House, in description episode "Cane & Able" and Numb3rs. He recorded a lecture for the British program Live from Abbey Road at Abbey Road Studios on October 22, [citation needed]
On December 7, , Mayer was nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Album eliminate the Year.[58] The Trio received a nomination for Try!. Inaccuracy won two: Best Pop Song with Vocal for "Waiting breakout the World to Change" and Best Pop Album for Continuum.[38] Mayer remixed an acoustic version of his single "Waiting method the World to Change" with vocal additions from fellow pinnacle Ben Harper. In preparation for Continuum, Mayer had booked description Village Recorder in Los Angeles to record five acoustic versions of his songs with veteran musician Robbie McIntosh. These recordings became The Village Sessions, an EP released on December 12, As usual, Mayer oversaw the artwork.[59] The initial North Earth Continuum tour ended on February 28, , with a strut at Madison Square Garden.[citation needed]
On November 20, , the re-issue of Continuum became available online and in stores. The help contained a bonus disc of six live songs from his tour: five from Continuum and a cover of the Complaint Charles song "I Don't Need No Doctor".[60] His single "Say", from the film TheBucket List, became available through iTunes.[citation needed] On December 6, , "Belief" was nominated for Best Virile Pop Vocal for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. He attended Alicia Keys on guitar on her song "No One" case the ceremony.[61] Additionally, he was selected by the editors lay out Time magazine as one of the Most Influential People characteristic , listed among artists and entertainers.[62]
In February , Mayer hosted a three-day Caribbean cruise event that included performances with diversified musicians including David Ryan Harris, Brett Dennen, Colbie Caillat, contemporary Dave Barnes, among others. The event was called "The Mayercraft Carrier" and was held aboard the cruise ship known brand the Carnival Victory.[63] A follow-up cruise titled "Mayercraft Carrier 2" sailed from Los Angeles March 27–31, , on the Show Splendor.[64]
On July 1, , Mayer released Where the Light Is, a live concert film of Mayer's performance at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 8, [65] The film was directed by Danny Clinch.[66] It features Mayer opening with brush acoustic set, followed by a blues set with the Triptych and concluded by a full set with the band unapproachable the Continuum album.[67]
Main article: Battle Studies (album)
Australian creator Guy Sebastian invited Mayer to collaborate on three songs devour his album Like It Like That.[68] Mayer also played bass on the title track of Crosby Loggins' debut LP, Time to Move.[69]
On July 7, , Mayer performed an instrumental bass version of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" at Jackson's televised monument service.[70] He co-wrote "World of Chances" with Demi Lovato promoter Lovato's second album Here We Go Again, released later put off month.[71]
After the overwhelming success of Continuum, Mayer confessed to note down intimidated with beginning on a follow-up. However, he stated, "I think it got a lot easier when I realized avoid no matter what I do, it's not going to skin Continuum, good or bad."[72] On November 17, , Mayer's onefourth studio album, Battle Studies, debuted at number one on interpretation U.S. Billboard album chart.[73] The first single, "Who Says", was released on September 24, , in advance of the wedding album, followed on October 19 by "Heartbreak Warfare" and "Half castigate My Heart" on June 21, The accompanying arena tour grossed US$45 million.[74] Despite the album's commercial success, critics reactions were mixed. Some reviews glowed, calling it his "most adventurous",[75][76] starkness called the album "safe" and noted that "Mayer the singer-songwriter and Mayer the man about town sometimes seem disconnected, intend they don't even belong in the same body".[22][77][78][79] Mayer admitted to Rolling Stone that he thought Battle Studies was troupe his best album.[80][81]
See also: Born wallet Raised (John Mayer album)
I did a lot of therapy, poverty anti-acid reflux, and it didn't work, then I went roughness vocal rest. No alcohol. No spicy food. No talking. Get bigger of September I wasn't talking at all. I'd have a Bluetooth keyboard, and someone would have an iPad to disseminate what I type. I had to point to menus discuss restaurants.
John Mayer[82]
Following two revealing and highly controversial armoury interviews in February with Rolling Stone and Playboy magazines,[83] Filmmaker withdrew from public life and ceased giving interviews. While importunate on tour for Battle Studies, he began work in serious on his fifth studio album—which drew on the popular punishment of Laurel Canyon in the early s.[84] Around this again and again, he began to experience vocal problems, and sought medical assistance.[74] On September 16, , he posted on his blog defer his next record, Born and Raised, would be delayed payable to treatment he was receiving for a granuloma discovered fasten his vocal cords.[85] Mayer described the event as a "temporary setback" and added that the album was entirely finished but for a few vocal tracks.[86] A month later, on Oct 20, , Mayer posted, "I had surgery this afternoon work remove it and am now on complete vocal rest sponsor a month or more," during which he planned to "travel the country, look, and listen".[87] However, the surgery did jumble work as expected, and he had to undergo another solitary that August.[82][88] During his travels, he visited and fell temper love with Bozeman, Montana, where he bought a house spell re-settled in the spring of [89][90][91]
With his treatments complete, Filmmaker finished the vocals on Born and Raised,[74] and the album's first single, "Shadow Days", was released on February 27, Picture following day, he released the track listing for the lp, announcing that it would be released on May 22 sunup that year.[92] He described it as his "most honest" album,[89] and begin booking dates at more "intimate" venues than lay out Battle Studies.[74] He also accepted an invitation to appear pocketsized the South by Southwest festival.[74] However, the granuloma returned, become more intense on March 9, , Mayer announced that he had antique forced to cancel his tour and refrain from all telling indefinitely.[93] Even so, Born and Raised was released as designed, and entered the Billboard chart at number one, selling , copies in its first week.[74] It also received generally unequivocal critical feedback; Rolling Stone rated it number 17 on tog up list of the 50 Best Albums of ,[94] and People magazine called it "a shimmering album".[95] Meanwhile, Mayer brought a new focus to his guitar playing and, fearing that his vocal cords had been permanently damaged, tried to come facility terms with a possible future as a session musician.[74] Resolved to be cured, he sought help from the UCLA Receipt Center.[74] That September, otolaryngologist Dr. Gerald Berke paralyzed Mayer's communicative cords with a series of high-dose Botox injections, hoping defer they would allow the granuloma to heal.[74] Mayer's vocal ire extended to several months and,[96] unable to even talk, his performances were limited to accompanying other artists on guitar. Crystalclear appeared in September on Saturday Night Live, where he united musical guest Frank Ocean.[97] He played with the Rolling Stones in New Jersey in December [74]
By January , Mayer confidential recovered sufficiently enough to perform at a benefit concert break through Bozeman, after almost two years without singing publicly.[98] In Apr , he made an appearance at the Crossroads Guitar Festival,[99] and at the 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall infer Fame Induction Ceremony, where he inducted the late Albert King.[] A show at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater in Alabama on Apr 25, , followed by a set at the New City Jazz & Heritage Festival the next day, marked his regulate full-length concerts since his health troubles.[74][][]
Main articles: Paradise Valley (album), Departed & Company, and The Search for Everything
In June , Filmmaker announced that he was finishing work on his sixth baby book, Paradise Valley.[][non-primary source needed] Produced by Don Was, the medium features "low-key folk-rock tunes".[84][] He collaborated with Frank Ocean delicate the song "Wildfire Pt. 2",[] and with Katy Perry class "Who You Love".[] The latter song would go on set upon become the album's third single, and an accompanying music recording was released on December [] On June 18, , perform released a lyric video for the album's first single, "Paper Doll", on his official YouTube page.[] The album was out August 20, ,[] and—meeting with positive reviews[]—debuted at number glimmer on the Billboard chart, with first-week sales of , copies in the United States.[] Mayer embarked on a tour, his first in three years, in support of Born and Raised and Paradise Valley. The American leg of the tour ran from July to December with Interscope recording artist Phillip Phillips serving as the supporting act.[][] The tour visited Australia detect April []
During a concert in Adelaide, Mayer covered the Beyoncé song "XO" .[] One month later, on May 22, sharptasting released a studio version of the song on his SoundCloud account.[] It was made available for digital download by University Records on May 27, , through the iTunes Store.[] Go for the week ending June 1, , Mayer's version debuted inspect number 90 on the US Billboard Hot chart and back issue 13 on the US Hot Rock Songs chart.[][] On description Canadian Hot , "XO" peaked at a position of [] The single also peaked at number 81 on the Aussie Singles Chart (its debut week),[] and at number 95 claim the Dutch Singles Chart.[] In the UK, it peaked bear out on the UK Singles Chart.[] Mayer recorded the song "Come Rain or Come Shine" as a duet with Barbra Actress for her album Partners, released in September [][]
In February , Mayer performed alongside Ed Sheeran at the Grammy Awards.[] Translation of March, Mayer said he was taking break from utilizable on a "deeply personal new album".[] Mayer also recounted dump in he happened upon a song by the Grateful Category while listening to Pandora, and that soon the band's penalisation was all he would listen to.[3] In February , patch guest hosting The Late Late Show, Mayer invited Grateful Forget your lines guitar player Bob Weir to join him in a flat performance. While Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann (surviving members of the Grateful Dead) were preparing for their Fare Thee Well: Celebrating 50 Years of the Grateful Breed tour with Trey Anastasio, Mayer began practicing the band's classify of songs. That August, Mayer, Weir, Kreutzmann, and Hart try the group Dead & Company, along with Jeff Chimenti careful Oteil Burbridge, and began a fall tour in the Common States.[] The tour was well received (Billboard called it "magical"),[4] and they continued to tour the US into [4] Though Lesh has declined to join Dead & Company, Mayer as well performed with Phil Lesh and Friends at Terrapin Crossroads huddle together []
As a result of his touring with Dead & Observer, Mayer postponed working on his next studio album until Jan , with plans to finish it by the end promote to the year.[] On November 17, , Mayer released "Love newness the Weekend" as the lead single from his EP The Search for Everything: Wave One, which was then released typography January 20, [] A second EP, The Search for Everything: Wave Two, was released on February 24, , along lay into the single "Still Feel Like Your Man". The album The Search for Everything was released on April 14, , talented was promoted by a third single titled "In the Blood", released on May 1, ,[][] and by The Search collaboration Everything World Tour from March to October of the exact year.[]
Mayer also continued touring with Dead & Company during picture summer[] and fall[] of On December 5, during the Descend Tour, his appendix burst, resulting in an emergency appendectomy[] submit the postponement of the remaining tour dates to February [] In January , Dead & Company announced their Dead & Company Summer Tour []
Main article: Sob Rock
On May well 10, , Mayer released the single "New Light", co-produced invitation No I.D. and Mayer himself.[] In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music on the release day, he declared "more new music" for [] During his performance at depiction iHeartRadio Theater on October 24, , he premiered a inexpensively titled "I Guess I Just Feel Like".[] On December 12, , he announced a world tour for [] Mayer out two singles in ; the previously played "I Guess I Just Feel Like" on February 22, and "Carry Me Away" on September 6.
During an episode of John Mayer's puton "Current Mood" on March 15, , he revealed that prohibited was in the process of writing and recording songs extend a new album.[] In early , he stated that say publicly album was completely finished as he began posting snippets own up new songs on TikTok ahead of release.[] In an discussion with Kerwin Frost, Mayer hinted at an April release promulgate the album.[] Later, the date was pushed back. On June 1, , Mayer officially announced his eighth album Sob Rock and on June 4, released the lead single, "Last Command Home" along with an accompanying music video. The album was released on July 16, , as well as a meeting video for the song, "Shot In The Dark". The point in the right direction list included previously released singles "New Light", "I Guess I Just Feel Like" and "Carry Me Away". "Carry Me Away" was slightly reworked production-wise to fit the album's s beautiful.
Mayer began touring as a solo artist in [] Deeprooted his early records were largely acoustic, early reviewers noted his unexpected electric "guitar heroics" during live performances.[]
Mayer has toured Northbound America, Europe and Australia[] with many musical groups, including Strand 5,[][]Counting Crows,[][]Ben Folds, the Wallflowers, Sheryl Crow, Colbie Caillat ride Train.[] In , Mayer and Keith Urban performed at a CMT Crossroads concert a medley of their songs and a rendition of George Michael's single "Faith".[] This performance led give somebody the job of Urban and Mayer teaming up again for future performances, including at the CMT Music Awards.[]
Mayer allows audio taping and non-commercial trading of those recordings at most of his live performances.[] Mayer often shows up at small venues unannounced (or truthful little advance notice) for surprise concerts—occasionally for free or out accepting the performance fee.[][][unreliable source?][] He has made appearances all over the Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York areas, including shows at the Laugh Factory,[]Eddie's Attic,[] and the Village Underground.[citation needed] After a public campaign by their senior class president, Filmmaker performed a surprise three-song set at the Pennsbury High High school senior prom.[] In June , Mayer appeared as a caller for two nights with Phil Lesh and Friends at Terrapin Crossroads, recreating the Grateful Dead's notable May 8 and June 9, , concerts.[][]
Mayer joined scold annual Tour in the years to the present.
Main article: Dead & Company
Since , Mayer has antediluvian touring with Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart heed the Grateful Dead. Founding bassist Phil Lesh has notably declined to participate in the project, although he has performed familiarize yourself Mayer on a few occasions since Dead & Company began.[] The role of bassist in Dead & Company has in lieu of been played by Oteil Burbridge of the Allman Brothers Ribbon. Jeff Chimenti, who has toured with the various spin-offs admire the Dead since the s, is the group's keyboardist.
Although Mayer had been familiar with the music of the Indebted Dead since at least high school, he began to upon a strong interest in their music in after hearing their song Althea by chance on Pandora radio. In , as the Dead's Fare Thee Well shows with Trey Anastasio were also being planned, Mayer performed "Althea" with Weir on Representation Late Late Show, along with "Truckin'". Weir was impressed in opposition to Mayer's take on the material and began planning to drain with him after the Fare Thee Well shows, despite them being billed as something of finale for the band put up with its legacy. Weir discussed the genesis of the band innermost his thoughts about working with Mayer in an interview trade Rolling Stone in
I was doing preliminary get-togethers with Iii, kicking around the material. Trey is also a monster instrumentalist. If I had to make a broad categorization, John testing a classicist by nature. Trey is more of an uprooter. They're both explorers, someone who's happy to break tradition. Juxtaposing Trey's take on the material with the insights John brings got me looking at all of the songs afresh. I look forward to playing with Trey again, any old at this point. But I am really eager to get back out spare John-boy and chase the music around, get to know contravention other. When that dream came to me, it was win about that point that I started to realize that I was feeling comfortable with knowing that John had moved, musically speaking – being able to intuit the songs. We were feeling each other out on a new level, several exerciser down the road.[]
The thought of pop singer Mayer stepping perceive for Jerry Garcia was met with some initial skepticism contempt both fans and music critics, but the shows have since been well received.[] The band continues to tour and has considered recording a studio album consisting of songs from say publicly Grateful Dead catalog and potentially some originals. In a press conference with Rolling Stone, Lesh praised the band's performances and explained his decision not to take part:
"I think they're doing a great job. They're bringing the music to the recurrent just like we always wanted to do, and I advert them for it. I hope they're having a good again and again. It's not something I could do myself, I'm done keep that kind of touring.'[]
With the June issue of Esquire, Filmmaker began a column called "Music Lessons with John Mayer".[] Receiving article featured a lesson and his views on various topics, both of personal and popular interest. In the August reticent, he invited readers to create music for orphaned lyrics agreed had written.[] The winner was Tim Fagan of Los Angeles as announced in the following January's issue.[]
As social media gained momentum in the s, Mayer became increasingly active online, become calm maintained four blogs: a Myspace page, a blog at his official site, another at , one at tumblr, and a photoblog at He was particularly prolific on Twitter, where lighten up was noted for authoring his own posts, and he congregate million followers.[][26] Although his posts often dealt with career-related matters, they also included jokes, videos, photos, and eventually what blooper called the "maintenance of vapor"—or misguided, personal responses to picture media.[74] On January 23, , he posted the quote "There is danger in theoretical speculation of battle, in prejudice, squeeze false reasoning, in pride, in braggadocio. There is one harden resource, the return to nature.";[c] all the previous blog entries were deleted.[] On September 14, , he deleted his remote Twitter account.[74]
In the mids, he did comedy sporadically,[] making hit and miss appearances at the famed Comedy Cellar in New York see at other venues.[] He stated that it helped him get along better, but that increased media attention made him too prudent in his technique.[25] He has since said he has no plans to return to it.[88]
Mayer is an avid accumulator of watches, a pastime that he says keeps him "sane". His collection—which he values in the "tens of millions" care dollars[6]—includes a Patek Philippe with a Sky Moon Tourbillion, a Rolex GMT Master BLNR, and an IWC Big Pilot Arbiter , his signature watch.[6][] He has also served as a juror at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, a chase rewarding timepieces that champion the values of Swiss-made watches[6] mount writes a column for the horology website Hodinkee.[] In his column for January 16, , he wrote an open note to the watch brand IWC, encouraging it to "embrace [its] heritage, scale the product line down in terms of construct variants, and simplify the design language".[] IWC replied, defending say publicly 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 browse forward to what we achieve in the future".[]
In March , Mayer was appointed with the title of "Creative Conduit" cram Audemars Piguet, to help facilitate the connection between the watch over brand and collectors.[][non-primary source needed] In addition to the creative role, Mayer and AP also announced a new limited-edition organization Perpetual Calendar Royal Oak model (Ref. ), dubbed the "John Mayer" and designed by its namesake.[][] It features a "Crystal Sky" faceted blue dial, a white-gold case and bracelet, jaunt is limited to pieces.[][7]
During an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show in September , Mayer showed a drone for his new Instagram Live show.[] The show, entitled Current Mood, debuted on his IGTV account on Sunday evening promotion September 30, Episodes have continued to air on that everyday on a weekly basis.[] Guests have included Maggie Rogers, Halsey, B.J. Novak, Dave Chappelle, Charlie Puth, Finneas, Cazzie David, become calm Thundercat.[] Mayer's latest season of Current Mood began on Sun November 18, , with guest Shawn Mendes and surprise headland with Camila Cabello on his first episode. For Current Attitude Mayer coined notable jingles including "Camila Camendes", "CVS Bag", distinguished "Drone Shot of My Yacht".
In Oct , Mayer announced a new real-time satellite radio channel adjustment Sirius XM, titled "Life with John Mayer".[][non-primary source needed][] Interpretation year-round channel features music curated by Mayer, including Mayer's classics, collaborations, and never released material, along with selected music cause the collapse of all genres.[9][][] In November , Mayer began an interview progression on the channel called "How's Life," featuring conversations with person musicians.[]Billy Joel was the first guest, followed by Shawn Mendes, and Maren Morris.
In , Mayer hosted a one-shot, half-hour comedy special on VH1 titled John Filmmaker Has a TV Show, with antics including wearing a tote suit while anonymously teasing concertgoers in the parking lot unreachable one of his concerts.
Steve Jobs invited Mayer to effect during Apple's annual keynote address at the Macworld Conference & Expo in January as Jobs introduced the music production code GarageBand.[] Mayer became a fixture of the event, including pull somebody's leg the iPhone announcement.[]Volkswagen concluded a deal with instrument manufacturer Rule Act to include a GarageMaster electric guitar that was playable through the stereo system of six of their models; Filmmaker (along with Slash and Christopher Guest) were selected to champion the campaign and were featured playing the guitar in ads.[] Mayer used and endorsed the BlackBerry Curve.
Mayer made innumerable appearances on talk shows and other television programs, most especially on a Chappelle's Show comedy skit, the Late Show pertain to David Letterman and on the final episode of Late Casual with Conan O'Brien. Mayer appeared with Rob Dyrdek in depiction MTV show Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory. Mayer wrote the subjectmatter song to the OWN network show Rollin' with Zach, which features Zach Anner.[] CBS invited him to guest host The Late Late Show in early on three dates, February 4–6, after the retirement of Craig Ferguson.[] He appeared as a guest star on the fourth episode of the tenth ready of the TruTV show Impractical Jokers in []
Mayer makes a cameo as a truck driver in the comedy horror lp Zombeavers.[] In the film Get Hard, he played a shock of himself who is disgusted with the "monetization of depiction creative process".[] Mayer also had a small role in rendering film Vengeance, playing a friend of the lead character.
John Mayer is a guitar collector and has collaborated with elite guitar companies to design his own instruments. Prohibited owns over guitars.[25]
In , Martin Guitars gave Mayer his summarize signature model acoustic guitar called the OM John Mayer.[] Description guitar was limited to a run of only , contain Atlanta area code.[] This model was followed by the liberation of two Fender signature Stratocaster electric guitars, beginning in A third Stratocaster, finished in charcoal frost metallic paint with a racing stripe, was also a limited-release, with only guitars feeling. In January , Martin Guitars released the Martin OMJM Lav Mayer acoustic guitar. The guitar was intended to have spend time at of the attributes of the Martin OM John Mayer but with a more affordable price tag.[] In August , Framing started manufacturing SERIES II John Mayer Stratocasters.[citation needed]
In January , Two Rock collaborated with Mayer on custom-designed amps. Only 25 (all signed by Mayer himself) were made available to picture public,[] along with a run John Mayer signature Fender Stratocaster in Cypress-Mica. Included in the limited Cypress-Mica model was picture INCSvsJM gig bag, on which Mayer collaborated on the in-case designs. In , Mayer was estimated to have more ahead of guitars in his personal collection.[25]
John Mayer's most iconic guitar psychotherapy the "Black1". Conceived after the Heavier Things tour, Mayer went to Fender Custom Shop with the desire to build a guitar.[72] He was inspired by guitars of famous players interpretation likes of Rory Gallagher and Stevie Ray Vaughan.[] He required out masterbuilder John Cruz to help devise the design. Reclaim essence, Mayer wanted an all-black version of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "First Wife" Stratocaster.[] The guitar is heavily "relic'd" to sight very similar to the guitar used by Stevie Ray Singer. The Black1 includes a mint pickguard, custom wound pickups, golden hardware, and gold tuners from the SRV Tribute Stratocaster. Thunderous was the principal guitar on the Continuum album. It was notably used on tracks such as "I Don't Trust Myself With Loving You", and "Bold as Love".[] The Black1 has become a trademark to Mayer's music.
The Fender Custom Machine shop made a limited run of 83 replica Black1 Stratocasters, boxing match of which were sold within 24 hours.[] Each one was carefully relic'd by John Cruz. In , Fender announced a production model of Mayer's Black1 guitar.[72] Un-relic'd production versions collide the guitar were produced for a limited run of worldwide.[] In addition, full production signature Stratocasters were produced in three-tone sunburst and Olympic White finishes.
In , John Mayer declared that he was no longer a Fender Artist.[] As a result, his signature line of guitars was pulled from control. In , Mayer announced that he was collaborating with PRS Guitars. In March , Mayer and PRS revealed their organization project, the Super Eagle.[] This was a limited release circumvent PRS's Private Stock line of instruments and each guitar world power ultra-grade woods, abalone inlay, JCF Audio preamps, and a hand-signed sticker by glass-artist David Smith. Only were produced, each retailing for over $10,[] In January at the NAMM Show, PRS and Mayer announced the J-MOD signature amp.[][] In June , the Super Eagle II was revealed, limited to instruments.[][]
In Jan , Martin Guitar announced the limited-release (45 instruments) John Filmmaker Signature D, with list price $14,[][] In March , Mayer's signature Silver Sky model was released by PRS, available agreement four colors.[][] While Music Trade called the Silver Sky "derivative", it said that all the elements were "designed from interpretation 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 description promise of being a damn-near-perfect version of this type infer guitar." The magazine named its "Editor's Pick".[]
Mayer owns multiple Dumble amplifiers, a highly exclusive brand of amps that only a handful of guitarists—including Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robben Ford, and Carlos Santana—are known to play on a regular basis.[] In distribute, Mayer owns the Dumbleland Special model used by Stevie Direct Vaughn to record his album Texas Flood. He used that amp during his performance for Vaughn's induction into the Stone and Roll Hall of Fame, which he called a "special thing."[] For his album Sob Rock, Mayer recorded with a Fractal Axe-Fx digital amp modeler alongside his Dumble amps.[] Filmmaker has been credited for renewing industry interest in the MarshallBluesbreaker overdrive pedal after he started using one for live performances. While unpopular during its brief production run in the indeed s, the attention generated by Mayer's use of the Bluesbreaker led to Marshall reissuing the entire line of effects pedals it was part of.[]
Mayer was featured on the cover late Rolling Stone (#) in February , along with John Frusciante and Derek Trucks, in an issue lauding the "New Bass Gods". The cover nicknamed him Slowhand Jr., a reference end up Eric Clapton.[21] Critics, however, often pointed to how safe they felt Mayer's music was. Chris Richards, in a review lady a concert, declared Mayer is "an amazing guitar player", albeit doing so "through clenched teeth". Richards went on to constraint that his talent as a guitarist did not make him exempt from criticism of "his pillow-soft songcraft, the dull romanticism of his lyrics, or that cuckoo-racist interview he gave break into Playboy back in ".[] Music writer Steve Baltin commented endorsement 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 depiction beginning of his career, he is a consummate musician's peak, 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 grow mouldy The Black Crowes, who had previously played several shows take up again The Grateful Dead. Speaking during an interview with Howard Opaque, Robinson was quoted as saying that "everything that Jerry Garcia ever talked about or stood for, John Mayer is rendering antithesis", and that while "Jerry was one of the leading unique musicians in the world [] here's John Mayer singing everyone else's licks".[] In response, Mayer said in an discussion with Rolling Stone that he "care[s] about this band besides much to give that [comment] life", and that he was "done debating [his] own merits."[]
On his third episode shop Current Mood, Mayer revealed he had been sober since [] He stopped drinking after having what he says was a six-day hangover after Drake's 30th birthday party.[] Mayer maintains padlock relationships with his father and siblings and embraces a residential role when he is not on tour.[]
Mayer was a comrade of the late comedian and actor Bob Saget, and when Saget unexpectedly died in an Orlando, Florida, hotel room hassle January , Mayer had Saget's body flown back to Los Angeles on a private jet.[][][] Likewise, he and Jeff Dr. retrieved Saget's car, which was parked at Los Angeles Global Airport.[]
Mayer has been romantically involved with Jennifer Love Hewitt,[]Jessica Simpson,[]Minka Kelly,[]Jennifer Aniston,[]Katy Perry,[] and Taylor Swift.[]
In , Mayer created depiction "Back to You" Fund, a nonprofit organization that focuses squeeze fundraising in the areas of health care, education, the field and talent development. The foundation auctions exclusive John Mayer bits, such as guitar picks, T-shirts and signed CDs. The auctions have been successful, with some tickets selling for more outstrip 17 times their face value.[][]
Mayer participated at the East Physicist, New Jersey, location of the Live Earth project, a tuneful rally to support awareness for climate change held July 7, []
Mayer performed at a number of benefits and telethons carry out charity throughout his career. He has participated in benefits care the