Originally from Mechanicsville in Virginia, Mraz described his childhood as idyllically American. He moved around a lot after his education, he enrolled at the American Musican & Dramatic society in New York before returning home and attended Longwood University, but instead of going to classes he went road tripping west and eventually ended up settling in San Francisco.
He threw himself into the musical scene of the city, becoming a roadie for Elgin Park and released a rough demo album of tracks including '1000 Things' and 'Halfway Home'. Elektra Records released his first full length in 2002 which spawned his first appearance on the US billboard charts with his single 'The Remedy' and earned him an opening slot for Tracy Chapman at London's Royal Albert Hall.
His next major success came in 2008 when he released his third album 'We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things' which charted at number three in the US and within the top ten in the UK, building on Mraz's already growing reputation, the album has gone on to sell almost two million copies in the States. It features Jason's most successful single to date, the tender 'I'm Yours' which has sold 9.5 million copies to date. The other two songs released from the album did not fare as well commercially but scored Mraz two Grammy awards.
A huge foundation to build on, 'Love Is A Four Letter Word' charted highest on the US and UK album charts and featured his second most successful 'I Won't Give Up'. He released his fifth album 'Yes!' this summer and it saw more success in the US.
Jason Mraz is an amazing artist, not only is he a great musician and singer, but he is also a great looking guy with an awesome personality to match.
My favourite Jason Mraz gig has to be when I saw him at St. Pancras Old Church in London, a couple of years back. Somehow that atmosphere seemed to fit with his intimate voice and sometimes fragile sound. His fans really love him and are so respectful during the songs – often he closes his eyes as he sings, and you want to do the same, letting him transport you to somewhere else. He really knows how to put on a great show and all you can do is focus on him as he performs.
One of the things I love about Jason Mraz concerts is the fact that he doesn't need a big band and backing singers – often it's just him and another musician or singer. That kind of setup is very simple throughout his shows. If you are a fan of his music (at least you must have heard his big hit "I'm Yours"?), just wait until you hear him live and in concert, it is such a different experience.
There's something vulnerable about Jason Mraz: he's standing up there alone, wearing his trademark hat, pouring his soul into a microphone, and making you feel like you're the only person in the world. There's no question that you'll definitely get your money's worth, he sings most of his hit songs from his albums old and new and you get a great show no matter what. "Coyotes" is my absolute favourite song (along with many others), though I am sure if you ask anyone they will tell you it is hard to choose just one song by Jason! He puts on a great show and it is one concert not to not miss: thank you Jason!