New Tour After Months of Rest, No Vocals
Tickets went on sale recently for part-time Pine Creek, Mont., resident John Mayer’s first major tour in three years. The Blues artist goes officially vocal July 6 at SummerFest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with American Idol’s Phillip Phillips as his opening act.
Suffering from vocal problems caused by the stress of constant touring and performing, Mayer had been resting his voice, a prescription that included evenings at Chico Hot Springs Saloon, in Pray, Mont., with friend Katy Perry. After two surgeries, he has been receiving treatment from Dr. Steven Zeitels, the same laryngeal expert Adele thanked at the recent Grammy Awards for helping her vocally.
In Sept. 2011, Mayer posted on his blog that his new record, Born and Raised, was being delayed due to granulomas discovered in his throat that were found next to the vocal cords, and said to be treatable.
Mayer had surgery in October of 2011 and released the first single from Born and Raised in February 2012. Then, in March, he announced he’d had another setback and was forced to cancel his tour and refrain from singing indefinitely.
After a second surgery in August 2012, he began appearing again despite not being able to sing. As an accomplished guitarist, as well as a singer-songwriter, Mayer played several high-profile stand-in gigs including Saturday Night Live, and joined the Rolling Stones on stage at a December concert in New Jersey.
Last January, Mayer returned to do a benefit concert in Bozeman, Montana, to help cover costs resulting from last summer’s Pine Creek fire. Mayer did not sing at the concert, but played guitar.
After opening at Milwaukee’s SummerFest on July 6, Mayer will appear on stage across the country, including shows at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater on July 16, and wrapping up at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles Oct. 5.
“John Mayer has an extremely loyal following. His recovery is especially welcome, as we’ve seen other singers such as Lady Gaga and Morrissey have similar issues, causing them to cancel their tours recently,” said Felina Martinez at online ticket marketplace BuyAnySeat .com. “Just as with his past tours, it is expected that all of John Mayer’s concerts will sell out.”
Mayer tuned up for his tour recently by performing at the Crossroads Guitar Festival, the 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies, and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.
Mayer has won seven Grammys from 19 nominations, and sold over ten million albums in the U.S. and over 20 million worldwide. His other pursuits include stand-up comedy, graphic design, and writing. The singer is also active in charity work and various environmental causes.