John Mayer News

Apparently selling millions of records, winning multiple Grammys and being adored by throngs of young girls is enough to give you the blues.

At least that's the case with John Mayer. The 27-year-old guitar whiz has decided to temporarily chuck his sensitive singer-songwriter shtick in favor of fronting a blues trio.

Joining Mayer in his new blues band, dubbed the John Mayer Trio, are bassist Pino Palladino (who's played with the Who and Jeff Beck) and drummer Steve Jordan (Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones).

The "No Such Thing" singer professes to having a love affair with the blues ever since a neighbor gave him a Stevie Ray Vaughan cassette years ago.

Back in December, he gave an L.A. audience a sneak peak at his blues guitar skills at an industry gig at the Viper Room--where he was joined by ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons for an impromptu jam.

Mayer first hooked up with Jordan and Palladino last fall for a tsunami aid benefit. After more rehearsing, the threesome performed a rendition of Mayer's "Daughters" at the 2005 Grammy Awards in February.

"Something happened that I had hoped my entire life would happen, which is that thing about how a band got together for the first time, and everyone in the room just knew there was something special," Mayer says in a press release. "So it became a band."

"This trio tour isn't just an excuse to blow on the guitar," he continues. "It's an opportunity to present my fans with something live, in the sense of living now--that classic palate."

Mayer's new outfit will embark upon a 24-date tour this fall, starting with a two-night stand at San Francisco's Fillmore Sept. 6-7, and including three opening stints for the Rolling Stones.

After breaking through with songs chronicling the typical suburban teen experience on his first two albums, 2001's Room for Squares and 2003's Heavier Things, Mayer has expanding his repertoire. Aside from his blues odyssey, the Connecticut-born Mayer has become the unlikeliest of sought-after hip-hop session musicians.

He contributed backing vocals to Common's "Go" off the Kanye West-produced Be. Even Jay-Z is a fan.

"I like John Mayer," Jay-Z recently told MTV. "[He's] smooth. You can throw it on in the car, you know, get lost in your thoughts."

While Mayer says he has been writing new songs for the trio, there is no word yet if or when the band will record an album. But Mayer is committed to his new sound.

"I have a whole new appetite for something different," Mayer says. "I want people to feel, and share, this excitement that I have."