How Music and John Mayer Help Me Fight Cancer
It’s rule #1 when I have guests over… Turn on some tunes! My wife would argue it should be to make sure our wine fridge is stocked, but hey, that’s what makes us a fun couple.
Music just has a way of putting me at ease, especially during the day while I’m alone at the apartment. Spotify and Pandora are constantly by my side and if you’re wondering why both, I prefer’s Spotify endless library but like being surprised by Pandora’s playlist which it keeps to itself.
Whether I’m reading with jazz in the morning, or walking laps to more upbeat tracks, the right vibe always seems to elevate my mood. I even like to throw on a spa soundtrack while using my infrared sauna. During chemotherapy, my friends put together a “song of the day” e-mail chain and some epic playlists to boost my spirits. It was a great way to connect and distract from all the chaos… and I gotta say, there were a few choices I never saw coming that left me feeling like I suddenly knew them better.
After hip surgery, I was immobile for a while and unable to sleep more than an hour or two at a time. To pass time, all I could think of was watching TV which got old real quick. It was my mother-in-law who nudged me to show her live music on YouTube, and that opened the door to a whole new format. The quality online these days is better than ever. If you have the right TV and speakers it’s pretty damn close to being right there in the crowd. And watching my favorite bands unleash their set lists jolted me with electricity! I felt alive again.
That’s the power of music: when the right chord, harmony or solo strikes, it can take you to a higher place. Any scary thoughts or nagging to-do-list items suddenly vanish right into thin air. I picked up guitar after college and it’s one of the best decisions I ever made. Playing some days, I find myself completely locked in the zone - all of a sudden, it’s 3 hours later and I barely remember what happened… just the feeling of one long, incredible high. It’s been a welcome distraction and often crucial outlet for anxiety.
Guitar also keeps the brain sharp. My well known love for John Mayer’s music started after I tried learning a few of his songs. The more I studied, the more I began to respect the talent and nuances in his technique. He’s rarely satisfied using standard chords or playing styles and always throws in something fresh. It’s clear he works hard to stay tasteful, and rather than super fast shredding - which can sometimes lack “the right feel” - there’s intent behind each note like he’s telling a story. At this point, I treat new releases as a chance to see new angles of creativity and grow from the musical crumbs his songs leave behind.
I appreciate the artistry and more importantly, thanks to clever networking by my buddy Alex, John learned of my situation and generously donated to my fundraising campaign a few years ago. He’s literally played a role in saving my life.
As I continue fighting for my health each day, I look forward to music being a big part of the process… and if John keeps doing his part, more songs to inspire me along the way.
Start Here: 3 John Mayer Guitar Highlights
Covered In Rain - Live in Philly - first off, the guy in the audience’s scream when he recognizes the song is fantastic… Great track overall. I like to let the vibe build but if you’re feeling antsy, skip to the solo at 3:00.
Slow Dancing In a Burning Room - Live in Rio - skip to the mid solo at 2:15 and watch how he controls the dynamic, building up emotion at just the right pace. My favorite part comes later - the face melting, bring it on home solo at 5:30… bang.
Neon - Live in LA - showing off some acoustic mastery, the intro is pretty incredible and then just the sheer skill of being able to sing while holding down that groove… Not easy.
If you’ve enjoyed and want more, check out the instagram account, @johnmayersolos which is always posting short and sweet highlights from live shows around the world.