When John Mayor was 17 years old, he was hospitalized for a weekend, due to dysfunction in his heart. The incident was a life-changing moment for the ‘Shouldn’t Matter But It Does’ singer because it marked the beginning of his life as a songwriter. As soon as Mayer left the hospital, he scribbled his very first lyrics.
Two years later, he enrolled at the Berklee College of Music. In his first semester, Mayer had the goal of becoming one of the best guitar players in the world. But soon thereafter, Mayer abandoned that idea, and only lasted one more semester at Berklee. What he has become since is a Grammy Award-winning artist with a $70 million net worth to show for his time in the music industry. Here is how Mayer spends his fortune:
7 An Expensive Watch Collection
Time and again, Mayer has shared his obsession with watches. For him, watches are not really possessions to flaunt, but passion-based products that he purchases simply for the love of it. His love affair with watches began with a Rolex. “It’s cool to see people accept someone showing off their collection as more than just showing off their wealth,” Mayer said back in 2019. His collection of watches includes Rolexes, each having a different meaning to him, and a Patek Philippe, which, while purchasing, he had to convince his business manager he wasn’t too crazy, given the amount he was spending on the timepiece.
6 A Collection Of Over 200 Guitars
If his watch collection is anything to be amazed by, wait until you hear about Mayer’s guitar collection. Mayer’s love affair with the guitar began when he watched a Michael J. Fox’s performance. This prompted Mayer’s father, then a high school principal, to rent him a guitar at the age of 13. The ‘Your Body is a Wonderland’ singer owns not five, not ten, but over two hundred guitars. That includes a Fender Stratocaster, which he was inspired to buy after watching Stevie Ray Vaughan. His vast collection of guitars also includes one that was previously owned by Jimi Hendrix. In the event that Mayer decides to go on tour, he is always accompanied by at least 40 guitars from his collection.
5 That Includes His Signature ‘Black One’
According to Mayer, any single guitar can absolutely do the job for one person. At the time he was seeking ‘The Black One’, he was looking for his main guitar. Right after a tour, he went down to a customs shop. At the shop, he was wowed by the staff’s attention to detail, and how they ensured he got to be part of the guitar-making experience. ‘The Black One’, Mayer says, has the fourth position pickup from heaven. When he set out to get it, Mayer wanted a guitar with no paint. The idea seemed a little too rustic at the time, so he ended up with ‘The Black One’, which has served him quite well.
4 An Impressive Car Collection
His love for guitars and watches aside, Mayer loves his cars fast. Through the years, he has been spotted in many bad boys, including a Ferrari 599 GTB, a Gulf Oil Ford GT, and an Audi R8. When it comes to cars, John Mayer apparently hates a clean one. “You ever been driving down the street and you see some kind of 4x4 and it’s just caked down with mud and you go ‘Those people had a good time!’ That’s what you want people to see. Not, ‘That guy’s car is clean.'” Mayer says about his preference for cars and fun.
3 A Million Dollar Home
Back in 2018, it was reported that Mayer had bagged himself a bachelor pad, formerly owned by Adam Levine and his wife, Behati Prinsloo. The five-bedroom, seven-bathroom mansion, rumored to be acquired at a price of $13 million, has several over-the-top amenities, including a swimming pool, a basketball court, and an in-house movie theatre. Only months after his purchase, it was reported that, while Mayer was out promoting a song, a burglar had broken in and gotten away with personal property estimated to be worth $100,000.
2 A Getaway Never Hurt
Everyone needs a little downtime. John Mayer does need to take a break from his hectic life once in a while. In the past, we’ve seen him go for a romantic getaway with then-girlfriend Katy Perry, who’s now in a happy relationship with Orlando Bloom. Mayer loves vacations so much, he has a song dubbed "Carry Me Away”, dedicated to what he did once while on a summer vacation. Mayer has also vacationed with his friend Andy Cohen in Brazil. And speaking of Cohen…
1 A Californian Road Trip
In his book Superficial Andy Cohen gave details of a trip he took throughout California in the company of John Mayer. Mayer and Cohen set out to experience the 50th anniversary of the Grateful Dead rock band. The pair got into the "most hetero" vehicle Cohen has been in and hit the ground running. On their way, the supreme court passed a law on marriage equality. To celebrate, Mayer decided to hit a gay bar with Cohen, who had to give him a complete tutorial.
