Born & Raised:

Real name: Andrew Mayer Cohen. His stage name is a combination of his middle name and the street he grew up on, Hawthorne Avenue.
Born: Feb. 2, 1979 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Early Life:

Andrew Cohen, who would later become Mayer Hawthorne, grew up just outside of Detroit, Michigan, the original home to one the great dynasties in American music history, Motown Records. He grew up in the 1980s and '90s listening to artists from the 1960s and '70s, and has said in the past that most of the good music that has originated in the U.S.

came out of Detroit. The Motown sound would later be a big influence on his career as a Soul singer. While in his 20s, Mayer moved to Los Angeles and pursued a career in music.

Career:

Mayer was working behind the scenes in the music industry and had recorded a few songs on his own when he was introduced to the head of indie hip-hop label Stones Throw Records by a mutual friend. Mayer eventually signed with the label, then in 2009 released his debut album, A Strange Arrangement. In May 2011, Mayer left the indies for the majors by signing with the Universal Republic label and released his second studio album, How Do You Do, in October of that same year.

Multi-Talented:

In addition to being a self-taught singer, Mayer also plays multiple musical instruments. he also is a hip-hop DJ, producer and rapper, and performs under the stage name Haircut.

Selected Discography:

2011: How Do You Do
2011: Impressions: The Covers (free digital EP)
2009: A Strange Arrangement

Notable Quote:

"I'm not interested in being a throwback artist.

I'm very conscious that everyone is going to try to label me as a throwback artist, so I'm always making sure that I'm moving the music forward and creating something new." -- Mayer Hawthorne, speaking to the Detroit Free Press, 2009.