Mayer Hawthorne

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Mayer Hawthorne
Mayer Hawthorne.jpg
Background information
Birth name Andrew Mayer Cohen[1][2]
Also known as Haircut[3]
Born (1979-02-02) February 2, 1979 (age 34)
Origin Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA[1]
Genres Soul,[1][3] neo soul[4]
Occupations Singer, producer, songwriter, arranger, audio engineer, DJ, rapper and multi-instrumentalist[1][3][5]
Years active 2008–present[6]
Labels Stones Throw Records,[1][3] Universal Republic
Website StonesThrow.com/MayerHawthorne[6]

Andrew Mayer Cohen (born February 2, 1979), better known by the stage name Mayer Hawthorne, is an American singer, producer, songwriter, arranger, audio engineer, DJ, rapper and multi-instrumentalist[1][3][5] based in Los Angeles, California.[1] The stage name "Mayer Hawthorne" is a combination of Cohen's real middle name (Mayer) and the name of the street he grew up on in Michigan (Hawthorne Rd).[2] "Mayer Hawthorne and The County" is a name Cohen often uses when performing or recording as Mayer Hawthorne with other artists. In Cohen's words, "The County" is basically anyone who plays an instrument or sings on his album. It is also his band when he performs live.[3] Cohen also performs and records hip hop under the stage name Haircut, sometimes as part of the groups Now On and Athletic Mic League.[3][7]

Contents

Early life [edit]

Cohen was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan.[1][5]

Musical influences [edit]

Mayer Hawthorne draws influence from the music of Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry, Barry White, Smokey Robinson and the legendary songwriting and production trio of Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, and Edward Holland, Jr. (known collectively as Holland–Dozier–Holland).[1][5] Taking umbrage at the notion that his is a purely "throwback" soul sound, however, Hawthorne also cites more contemporary artists, such as J-Dilla, as significant influences.[8]

Career [edit]

He moved to Los Angeles in 2006 and was eventually signed to Stones Throw Records by label head Peanut Butter Wolf.[1][5] Originally the Mayer Hawthorne tracks were meant to be just side projects for pleasure, but upon hearing them Peanut Butter Wolf insisted they be made into an album. Hawthorne has had no previous vocal training.[1][5]

His debut single, "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out"/"When I Said Goodbye", was released on a red heart-shaped 7" record on Stones Throw Records on November 4, 2008.[6] His second single "Maybe So, Maybe No"/"I Wish It Would Rain" was released on a 12" record on Stones Throw Records on April 19, 2009.[9] His debut album, A Strange Arrangement was released on CD and LP on Stones Throw Records on September 8, 2009.[10]

In July 2009, Hawthorne was featured on the cover of the third anniversary issue of Beyond Race magazine (BRM).[11]

The song "When I Said Goodbye", was featured in the Kanye West/Spike Jonze short film We Were Once a Fairytale.

Hawthorne's song, "Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'" was featured in the fourth season of Ugly Betty in its finale episode, "Hello Goodbye". The song begins in the scene at Betty's goodbye party when Marc asks Troy if he would like to dance.

In 2011, Hawthorne performed guest vocals for the SebastiAn song "Love in Motion" featured on SebastiAn's 2011 album Total

Discussing How Do You Do, Hawthorne says, "I found my own unique sound on this album, which I'm excited about." The album has a vintage sound, which involves twelve '70s inspired tracks, filled with orchestral pop and funky bass lines—"I've taken what I can from the classic heroes of soul and updated it with the music I grew up listening to and loving like Public Enemy and Juan Atkins and Cybotron." He first found his musical voice in hip-hop and rap from his father, who plays in a band in Detroit, Michigan.[12]

On July 15, 2011, Mayer Hawthorne was a guest, along with famed Memphis/Stax Records keyboardist Booker T. Jones, on Episode 43 of Daryl Hall's Live from Daryl's House webcast. Hawthorne, Hall, and Jones combined with Hall's house band on "Strange Arrangement," "Green Onions", "No Strings," "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out," and "Your Easy Lovin' Ain't Pleasin' Nothin'" and Hall's "You Make My Dreams" and "Private Eyes." During Hall's dinner for the group, Hawthorne stated that, when working as a hip hop DJ, he began recording his own Motown-style tracks to avoid paying fees for sampling other artists' work. He also played all the instruments on each of those tracks, in addition to recording all his own vocals.[13]

Mayer Hawthorne and The County were musical guests on the Conan TV show on October 17, 2011, and the Late Show with David Letterman on October 25, 2011. On both shows, the group performed "The Walk", their first single from How Do You Do.

In 2012 Hawthorne released the six-track live EP, KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic, as a part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday.[14]

Discography [edit]

Singles [edit]

  • "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out"/"When I Said Goodbye" 7" single (November 4, 2008, Stones Throw Records, STH7028)[6][15]
  • "The Ills"/"The Ills (instrumental)" 7" single (2009, Stones Throw Records, STH7035)
  • "Maybe So, Maybe No"/"I Wish It Would Rain" 12" single (April 19, 2009, Stones Throw Records, STH2212)[9]
  • "No Strings" 10" single (April, 2011, Stones Throw Records, STH2265)
  • "A Long Time" digital single (May, 2011, Universal Republic)
  • "The Walk" (August, 2011, Universal Republic) #45 US Rock Songs
  • "Thin Moon" (2011, Stones Throw Records)
  • "Dreaming" (2011, Universal Republic Records)
  • "The Walk" featuring Rizzle Kicks (spring, 2012, Universal Republic)
  • "Get Ready" (2012, Universal Republic Records)

Albums [edit]

Other [edit]

Guest appearances [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Hammerstein, B.J. (May 17, 2009). "Chatting With… Mayer Hawthorne". Detroit Free Press. 
  2. ^ a b Cohen, Andrew (May 17, 2009). "Mayer Hawthorne: URB Next 100". URB Magazine. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Radna (February 15, 2009). "A Chat With Mayer Hawthorne". Future Vintage.
  4. ^ Mayer Hawthorne at AllMusic
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Mayer Hawthorne". Stones Throw Records. 
  6. ^ a b c d "Introducing: Mayer Hawthorne & The County". Stones Throw Records. 
  7. ^ Jones, Kevin. "Mayer Hawthorne's Chance Arrangement". Exclaim!. 
  8. ^ Fuchs, Ben (November 9, 2009). "Mayer Hawthorne: "I'm Not a Throwback Artist"". Dunce Cap Quarterly. 
  9. ^ a b "Mayer Hawthorne "Maybe So, Maybe No"". Stones Throw Records. 
  10. ^ "Mayer Hawthorne - "A Strange Arrangement"". Stones Throw Records. 
  11. ^ Cohen, Andrew (July 2009). "Mayer Hawthorne: The Soul Man". Beyond Race. 
  12. ^ Mayer Hawthorne's New Good Days 2011 Interview at exclaim.ca
  13. ^ Live from Daryl's House, Episode 43
  14. ^ Mayer Hawthorne Brings Early Morning, Long After Dark
  15. ^ "Mayer Hawthorne - "Just Ain't Gonna Work Out"". Stones Throw Records. 

External links [edit]

Stones Throw Records
Madlib
Other Members
See also
Authority control
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mayer_Hawthorne&oldid=556073676"