John Clayton Mayer was born on October 16, 1977) . 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.” Before any of his success, though, John Mayer was an attendant at a gas station in high school, which enabled him to save up for his first new guitar.

What’s cool about John Mayer, aside from the fact that he’s a talented musician, is that he doesn’t stick to one pop gimmick like so many mainstream artists do. The way that Mayer has incorporated blues influence into his music is not only less than mainstream–since most would agree that the blues genre isn’t exactly selling records the way Britney Spears and Timbaland productions are–but it is also something that worked out well for him in terms of the listenability of his music. Mayer’s collaborations with other artists including Kanye West and Common gained him praise from hip-hop heavyweight Jay-Z and also Nelly.

Kanye West – “Bittersweet Feat. John Mayer:”

“Go:”
Kanye West – “Bittersweet Feat. John Mayer:” From Common’s record: Be. In 2004, after Mayer, Common and Kanye West saw the movie Ray together, they headed back to the studio to create the track. Mayer came up with the song’s concept — fantasies — and his vocals were sampled for the track.

John Mayer Live at Little Bros. (now closed) covering Ludacris’ “Area Codes:”

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.

“Waiting On The World To Change:”

“Belief:”

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.

“Kid A (Radiohead Cover):”

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 at more than 200 pairs.

January 2005, left to right: David Ryan Harris, John Mayer and Steve Jobs at Macworld 11, San Francisco Moscone Center.

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. Mayer dated Jessica Simpson for about nine months, beginning in the middle 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, and they broke up four months later. They have since resumed dating.

Mayer & Hewitt

Mayer & Simpson:

Mayer & Kelly:

Mayer & Anniston:

“Daughters:”

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.

“Dreaming With A Broken Heart:”

P.S. See what Dave Chappelle and John Mayer have to say about white people dancing while you’re at it. :-)