John Clayton Mayer (born October 16, 1977) is a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter who plays pop music. In 2005, he made a transition towards the blues genre.
Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Mayer grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut and attended Fairfield Warde High School for his freshman, sophomore, and senior years. He attended Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk, Connecticut for his junior year, where he was enrolled in the Center for Global Studies Abroad (Then known as the Center for Japanese Studies Abroad), a magnet program for students in Fairfield County wanting to learn Japanese.
Mayer listened to pop music, but it was not until the age of thirteen that his inspiration for playing the guitar began. When a neighbor gave him a Stevie Ray Vaughan tape, Mayer discovered the blues and learned how to play the guitar. After two years of practice, he started playing at blues bars and other venues in the area. While in high school, he was in a band called Villanova Junction with Joe Beleznay, Tim Procaccini, and Rich Wolf.
After playing the guitar for several years, Mayer enrolled in the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts at the age of 19. He soon realized that instead of studying music, he was more interested in writing and playing it. He chose to cut his studies short in favor of a move to Atlanta, Georgia. He began his career in earnest there, quickly making a name for himself in the local coffeehouse and club circuit.
In 2003, he won the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the 2002 release of the single "Your Body Is A Wonderland" from the album Room for Squares. In February of 2005, he was awarded the Song of the Year Grammy for his song "Daughters" from the album Heavier Things. For this award, he beat out such contenders as Alicia Keys, and Kanye West. He dedicated this award to his grandmother, Annie Hoffman, who passed away in May of 2004. He also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, beating Elvis Costello, Prince and Seal to the Award.
