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John Mayer Profile |
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Birth Date: October 16, 1977
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Birth Place: Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
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Birth Name: John Clayton Mayer
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Height: 6'3"
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Biography |
John Mayer is an American musician. Originally from
Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music before
moving to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1997, where he refined his
skills and gained a following. His first two studio albums,
Room for Squares and Heavier Things, did well commercially,
achieving multi-platinum status. In 2003, he won a Best Male
Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for "Your Body Is a
Wonderland".
Mayer began his career performing mainly acoustic rock, but
gradually began a transition towards the blues genre in 2005
by collaborating with renowned blues artists such as B. B.
King, Buddy Guy, and Eric Clapton, and by forming the John
Mayer Trio. The blues influence can be heard on his album
Continuum, released in September 2006. At the 49th Annual
Grammy Awards in 2007 Mayer won Best Pop Vocal Album for
Continuum and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Waiting
on the World to Change". Mayer's career pursuits have
extended to stand-up comedy, design, and writing; he has
written pieces for magazines, most notably for Esquire. He
is also involved in philanthropic activities through his
"Back to You" fund and his concern over global warming.
John Mayer was born to Margaret (an English teacher) and
Richard (a high school principal). He grew up in nearby
Fairfield, the second of three children. There, he became
friends with future tennis star James Blake. Mayer attended
the former Fairfield High School, although he was enrolled
in the Center for Global Studies at Brien McMahon High
School in Norwalk, Connecticut for his junior year. (Then
known as the Center for Japanese Studies Abroad, it is a
magnet program for students wanting to learn Japanese).
During an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, he
said that he had played the clarinet for a while in middle
school, with minor success. After watching the Marty McFly
character's (Michael J. Fox) guitar performance in Back to
the Future, he became fascinated with the instrument.
Subsequently, when Mayer was thirteen, his father rented one
for him.
Soon after Mayer got his guitar, a neighbor gave him a
Stevie Ray Vaughan cassette, which began Mayer’s intense
love of the blues. Despite the reservations of his parents,
Mayer became consumed with playing the guitar, and after two
years of practice, he started playing at blues bars and
other venues in the area, while in high school. In addition
to performing alone, he was in a band called Villanova
Junction with Tim Procaccini, Joe Beleznay, and Rich Wolf.
Around this time, at age 16, Mayer dated Annie Averill, a
girl he later called his "first love" and the muse for Room
for Squares.
When Mayer was seventeen, he was stricken with a cardiac
arrhythmia that sent him to the hospital 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 got home. Shortly thereafter, he began
suffering from crippling panic attacks, and even now he
keeps Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, with him. After
graduation, he worked for fifteen months at a gas station
until he saved up enough money to buy his first proper
guitar—a 1996 Stevie Ray Vaughan signature Stratocaster.
Mayer has a number of tattoos. These include: "Home" and
"Life" (from the song title) on the back of his left and
right arms respectively, "77" (his year of birth) on the
left side of his chest, and a koi-like fish on his right
shoulder. His entire left arm is covered in a sleeve tattoo
that he acquired gradually, ending in April 2008; it
includes: "SRV" (for his idol Stevie Ray Vaughan) on his
shoulder, a decorated rectangle on his biceps, a dragon-like
figure on his inner arm, and various other floral designs.
In 2003, he got a tattoo of three squares on his right
forearm, which, he has explained, he will fill in gradually.
As of 2008, two are filled.
He is an avid collector of watches and owns timepieces worth
tens of thousands of dollars. Mayer also has an extensive
collection of sneakers, estimated (in 2006) at more than 200
pairs.
Mayer dated Jennifer Love Hewitt briefly in 2002. In a
comedy routine in May 2006, he joked that they never
consummated their relationship; he later apologized to her
for the raunchy routine. Despite rumors to the contrary,
Mayer did not date Heidi Klum in 2003. Mayer dated Jessica
Simpson for about nine months, beginning in the summer of
2006. Rumors started in August of that year with a People
magazine article, but kicked into high gear when Mayer and
Simpson spent New Year's holiday together in New York City,
both attending Christina Aguilera's New Year's Eve party.
When Ryan Seacrest asked Mayer on the red carpet of the 2007
Grammy Awards, about his relationship with Simpson, Mayer
responded in Japanese. Despite some initially conflicting
translations, he said, "Jessica is a lovely woman, and I'm
glad to be with her." Simpson also accompanied Mayer for
several dates of his 2007 Continuum tour, and the two went
on a trip to Rome in March of that year. However, the couple
split in May 2007. He began dating actress Minka Kelly in
September 2007, although the two broke up before the year's
end. Mayer began dating actress Jennifer Aniston in April
2008, however they broke up that following August.
Mayer splits his time between his home in the Los Angeles
suburbs (with his roommate and sound engineer, Chad
Franscoviak) and his apartment in the New York City
neighborhood of SoHo. |
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Other Information |
Attended Berklee School of Music in Boston
He decided to call the album Room for Squares, a
characteristically wry take on jazz sax player Hank Mobley's
1963 LP, No Room for Squares
He is the second of three children
Was lead guitarist of a band called Villanova Junction when
he was in high-school.
Has an older brother named Carl and a younger brother named
Ben. Ben is 18 months younger than John.
His favorite condiment is A1 Sauce because you can put it
"on anything."
Tried out for acting in 6th grade, but never got a manager.
Used to play clarinet.
His favorite band is The Police, but he also enjoys music by
Stevie Ray Vaughan, Coldplay and Ben Folds Five.
His favorite song of his own is 3x5 from the album Room for
Squares
His favorite foods are sushi, kobe beef and other Japanese
food, as well as veal.
His favorite movie is Good Will Hunting
Drives a steel-blue BMW
His first job was in a supermarket in Fairfield,
Connecticut. Later he worked in a gas station.
His parent's ages are 19 years apart
Played flute in elementary school
Started playing guitar at 13
Used to play violin
Wrote his Grammy award winning song "Daughters" in the
shower
The movie 'Back To The Future' inspired him to play guitar.
Drives a silver Porsche Cayenne.
His parents are Richard and Margaret Mayer
Is a big fan of Opie & Anthony and also Ron & Fez on XM
Satellite Radio. He debuted the single "Waiting On the World
to Change" when he dropped by unannounced at their New York
studio on June 14, 2006. Since then, he has regularly
checked in with both shows, either calling in to contribute
to the topic or just stopping by to hang out.
When he was seventeen, he was suddenly stricken with a
cardiac arrhythmia that sent him to the hospital for a
weekend. The trauma of the incident sparked his songwriting,
and he penned his first lyrics the night he got home.
Shortly thereafter, he began suffering from crippling panic
attacks that only subsided when he was twenty-six, and even
now, he keeps a Xanax (an anti-anxiety drug) with him, just
in case. |
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