Jason Mraz

Infobox musical artist
Name = Jason Mraz

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Img_capt = Jason Mraz performing at Gröna Lund In Stockholm, Sweden 2008
Landscape = yes
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Jason Mraz
Born = birth date and age|1977|6|23
Died =
Origin = Mechanicsville, Virginia
Instrument = Guitar, vocals
Genre = Pop rock, adult contemporary
Occupation = Singer, Songwriter
Years_active = 1999–present
Label = Atlantic (2005-present)
Elektra (2002–2005)
Associated_acts = Speechwriters LLC
Raul Midon

URL = [http://www.jasonmraz.com www.jasonmraz.com]
Notable_instruments =

Jason Mraz (IPA: IPA|/ˈdʒeɪsʌn mɜrˈæz/ [See [http://inogolo.com/pronunciation/d1642/Jason_Mraz inogolo:pronunciation of Jason Mraz] .] , born June 23, 1977) is a singer-songwriter, born and raised in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Mraz's stylistic influences include pop, rock, folk, jazz, and hip hop. He has played with various artists, including Dave Matthews Band, James Blunt, Gavin DeGraw, Paula Cole, John Popper, Alanis Morissette, The Ohio Players, Rachael Yamagata, James Morrison, Jewel and Colbie Caillat.Fact|date=September 2008

Biography

He attended Longwood University for a short time and then after a brief stint studying musical theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, he moved to San Diego from Virginia.

In 2002, Mraz signed to Elektra Records, returning to Virginia to work with producer John Alagía on his major label debut release, "Waiting for My Rocket to Come", which would be certified platinum by the RIAA in July 2004 and reach #2 on "Billboard"'s Heatseekers Chart. [Cohen, Jonathan. (April 20,2005) [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000892433 Mraz Nails Down New Album, Alanis Dates] "Billboard.com" Accessed July 1, 2007] His first single, "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)," was co-written by music production team The Matrix. Mraz's friend and former roommate Billy "Bushwalla" Galewood also collaborated on the album, co-writing "Curbside Prophet", the album's third single, and "I'll Do Anything".

In June and July 2005, Mraz opened for Alanis Morissette during her "Jagged Little Pill Acoustic" Tour. On July 26, 2005, he released his second major-label album, "Mr. A-Z", for Atlantic Records. It entered the "Billboard" 200 album chart at number 5.Zahlaway, John. (August 12, 2005. [http://www.livedaily.com/news/Jason_Mraz_books_headlining_fall_tour-8592.html?t=1 Jason Mraz books headlining fall tour] "LiveDaily.com" Accessed July 1,2007.] In December, the album earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, while its producer, the prolific Steve Lillywhite, received a nomination for Producer of the Year. [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178108,00.html Fast Facts: 48th Annual Grammy Nominees] December 8, 2005. Accessed July 1, 2007.]

Mraz began his long-running tour in support of "Mr. A-Z" at the San Diego Music Awards on September 12. The tour featured a variety of opening acts, including Bushwalla and Tristan Prettyman, with whom he had co-written the duet "Shy That Way" in 2002. [Jacobs, Jay S. (2005). [http://www.popentertainment.com/tristanprettyman.htm Tristan Prettyman Rides the Crest] Accessed July 1,2007.] Mraz and Prettyman dated, ending their relationship in 2006. They also co-wrote the song "All I Want For Christmas is Us".Fact|date=March 2008

In November 2005, Mraz opened for the Rolling Stones on five dates during their 2005–2006 world tour. Also in 2005, Mraz was one of many singers featured in the fall advertisement campaign for The Gap entitled "Favorites". The music-themed campaign also featured other singers including Tristan Prettyman, Michelle Branch, Joss Stone, Keith Urban, Alanis Morissette, Brandon Boyd, and Michelle Williams. [ [http://news.softpedia.com/news/GAP-Favorites-Alanis-Morissette-Joss-Stone-Destiny-s-Child-singer-Michelle-Williams-and-Keith-Urban-5662.shtml July 31, 2005] ] In December 2005, Mraz released the first part of his ongoing podcast.

In March 2006, Mraz also performed for the first time at a sold-out (one month before the actual performance date) performance in Singapore with Toca as part of the annual Mosaic Music Festival.Fact|date=March 2008

In May 2006, Mraz toured mostly small venues and music festivals in the U.S., along with a few shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The tour included a May 6, 2006 acoustic show with P.O.D., Better Than Ezra, Live, and The Presidents of the United States of America. Mraz was featured as a headlining guest of St. Louis's annual Fair St. Louis and performed a free concert at the base of the Arch on July 1, 2006.

In December 2006, "", the live, online-only album recorded during the Songs for Friends Tour, was released. "Selections for Friends" features Jason's favorite songs from the Schubas Tavern and Villa Montalvo shows he played in July 2006.

Jason Mraz began 2007 by debuting his new single "The Beauty in Ugly", an earlier track penned by Mraz entitled "Plain Jane" that he rewrote for the ABC TV show "Ugly Betty". The song was featured as a part of ABC's "Be Ugly in '07" campaign. [iTunes [http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=210445555&s=143441 iTunes: Jason Mraz: The Beauty in Ugly] ] He has since released a song in Spanish entitled "La Nueva Belleza (The New Beauty)". [iTunes [http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=216664958&s=143441 iTunes: Jason Mraz: La Nueva Belleza] ]

In 2007, "American Idol" contestant Chris Richardson performed "Geek in the Pink", which subsequently garnered the song mass recognition and increased downloads at the American iTunes Store. It was also performed later that year by "Canadian Idol" contestant Greg Neufeld.Fact|date=March 2008 "Geek in the Pink" peaked at #22 on the U.S. iTunes Store on March 10, 2007, but it was ineligible for the site's Hot 100.Fact|date=March 2008

The tape-recording of bootlegs during Mraz's shows is explicitly supported by him and his management. [www.jasonmraz.com]

Jason is currently promoting his latest studio album, "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." which was released on May 13, 2008. "Lucky", the third song in the album, features Colbie Caillat.

Mraz's single "I'm Yours" has been #1 on AAA radio charts in the US for 3 weeks as of 6/15/08 and was made famous by a live recording from his acoustic show at the Villa Montalvo Winery which received millions of hits on his Myspace. In September 2008, the song became Mraz's first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking so far at #6.His cousin Brandon McCourt, considered a star in Europe and Asia helped write the song.

Jason is a 'raw foodist' which means that he eats all his food raw and does not eat anything which has been cooked or processed. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBymS3jpuFQ] .

Jason currently lives in San Diego, CA, with his cat Holmes.

Discography

tudio albums

* "Waiting for My Rocket to Come" (2002) #55 U.S. (Platinum)
* "Mr. A-Z" (2005) #5 U.S.
* "We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things." [ [http://www.sandiegotroubadour.com/content/features/parlorshowcase.aspx The San Diego Troubadour ] ] (2008) #3 U.S. #110 UK

EPs and other releases

* "A Jason Mraz Demonstration" (1999)
* "Live at Java Joe's" (2001)
* "From the Cutting Room Floor" (2001)
* "Sold Out (In Stereo)" (2002)
* "The E Minor EP in F" (2002)
* "" (2004) #49 U.S.
* "Wordplay - EP" (2005)
* "Extra Credit - EP" (2005) - Digital EP
* "" (2005) - iTunes
* "Geekin' Out Across the Galaxy" (2006) - Digital Live EP
* "Selections for Friends" (2007) - Digital Live LP #22 Top Digital Albums
* "" (2008) - U.K. iTunes [U.K. iTunes - [http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=276098600&s=143444 iTunes Home: Music: Rock: Jason Mraz: iTunes Live: London Sessions - EP] ]
* "We Sing. - EP" (2008)Via Atlantic Records - [http://www.marketwire.com/mW/release.do?id=823320 Jason Mraz releases/Tour talk!] ] #101 U.S.
* "We Dance. - EP" (2008) #52 U.S.
* "We Steal Things. - EP" (2008)

ingles

;Notes:
*A^ Current single.

Guest contributions

* "Curbside Prophet '04", from the "New York Minute Soundtrack" (2004)
* "I Melt with You", from the "50 First Dates Soundtrack" (2004)
* "Summer Breeze", from the "" (2004)
* "Dramatica Mujer", with Alex Cuba"(2005)
* "Shy That Way", with Tristan Prettyman from the album "twentythree" (2005)
* "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy", from the album "" (2005)
* "Keep on Hoping", with Raul Midon from the album "State of Mind" (2005)
* "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall", from the album "" (2005)
* "Winter Wonderland", from the album "Sounds of the Seasons: the NBC Holiday Collection" (2005)
*"Unravel", "The Boy's Gone", and "Plain Jane", from the album "Hear Music XM Radio Sessions Volume 1" (2005)
* "The Joker/Everything I Own", a duet on the "" with Chrissie Hynde (2006)
* "Slummin' In Paradise", background vocals for Mandy Moore, from the album "Wild Hope" (2007)
*"Something to Believe In", with Van Hunt and Jon McLaughlin from the album "Randy Jackson's Music Club, Vol. 1" (2008)
*"Beauty in Ugly" for Ugly Betty
*"Long Road to Forgiveness" (with Brett Dennen, from the album "Songs for Survival") (2008)
*"Silent Love Song", from the benefit album "Fire Relief: A Benefit for the Victims of the 2007 San Diego Wildfires" (2008)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* [http://www.jasonmraz.com/ Official Jason Mraz website]
* [http://www.rightkindofphrase.com Right Kind of Phrase: Official Jason Mraz Message Board]
*myspace|jasonmraz|Jason Mraz
*imdb name|610669|Jason Mraz
*YouTube channel|OfficialJasonMraz
* [http://www.ilike.com/artist/Jason+Mraz Official Jason Mraz iLike Page]
* [http://apps.facebook.com/ilike/artist/Jason+Mraz Jason Mraz on Facebook's iLike application]
* [http://www.archive.org/details/JasonMraz Jason Mraz collection] at the Internet Archive's live music archive
* [http://www.jasonmraz.fr Official French Website]