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Issue date: 3/1/07 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Jasmijn Hattinga Verschure John Mayer delivered a stellar concert and in-depth In Motion interview during a recent return visit to Central Florida. Mayer won two Grammys for 'Continumm'.

John Mayer is on a roll. He recently won two Grammys, he's dating one of Hollywood's most wanted blondes, Jessica Simpson and Rolling Stone calls him one of the most promising guitar-players of our time.
His "extracurricular activity," stand-up comedy, is drawing attention and his voice is heard both on the Internet and through his songs that often carry urgent messages.
The five Grammy nominations and two Grammy Awards Mayer received - including the prestigious category Album of the Year - were obviously great recognition of his achievements. The nominations reflect a wide array of Mayer projects over the past year, including the soundtrack of Disney's animated movie "Cars" and the heavily blues influenced John Mayer Trio.
About the latter Mayer says in a telephone interview, "That's probably the coolest nomination I ever got. Even just the nomination alone is in recognition of 'evolving.' To know that people pick up on it as something that's worthwhile is a huge boost to wanna do it again."
Mayer describes the Trio's 2005 album "Try!" as something to make up the balance for all the "poppy" things he did previously, things that won him Grammys for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album.
The recognitions feeds expectations, such as his being the next Stevie Ray Vaughan or Eric Clapton, both of whom he idolizes.
"I'll just try to do the same thing they did. A legendary career is really just like anyone else's career. It has ups and downs. And I'm not really sure what the next project will be for me, but I take it as it comes. I wait until I get that fresh feeling, a new idea that comes to mind, that excites me in the same way as I was excited to write my first record. Just like it was the case with 'Continuum.' I don't think I will make another record until I decide what it is that brings about that feeling again," Mayer says.
One thing that definitely matters to Mayer is his urge to get a message across. That message is conveyed through his music, through his widely read blog, or through the column he writes for Esquire magazine. In one Esquire column titled "The Pen, the Sword and the Song," Mayer preaches that songs should contain more political messages and social issues since music is such a powerful tool.

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