Way Back When … 1995

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Way back in 1995 a young, talented student at Fairfield High School played the guitar at the high school’s “Spring Jam.” It was on May 12 in the gymnasium of what is now Fairfield Warde High School. The student, a senior, was the now-famous and still extremely talented John Mayer. Mayer grew up in Fairfield and attended the local public schools. He is pictured here in a photo from the Fairfield Citizen with his band “Villanova Junction,” playing lead guitar and singing vocals.

Just last week Mayer was interviewed by Joe Coscarelli and featured in the New York Times. The interview was published on March 24 and included some references to Mayer’s hometown. Here’s what he said.

“I’m still always going to be a kid from Fairfield, Conn. They don’t make rock stars in Fairfield. They don’t. They make good people who get a job, get married, they watch TV together, they start a life together and make other good people.”

Mayer’s thoughts about Fairfield will certainly make locals smile, and First Selectman Mike Tetreau even posted about it on Facebook.

Mayer, who is 39, said he is hoping he will settle down in light of the fact that his brother just had a daughter, and he compared his life as a celebrity to being on the International Space Station:

“It’s just the life that I have, which is fabulous — it’s just a bit more time on the International Space Station. Don’t ever let me give you the sense that I don’t love being on the International Space Station. It’s a pretty cool reason why you haven’t settled down — because you’re an astronaut. I’ve never hated it. Sometimes I get upset at the way that it is, but the real question is: Will the appearance of this job prevent what I’m absolutely entitled to psychologically? That’s the scary part.”

Mayer’s new album, The Search for Everything: Wave Two, was recently released. His tour is happening now, and he was at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. He’ll be here in Connecticut at the Xfinity Theater in Hartford on August 20.

The Fairfield Museum and History Center is located at 370 Beach Road. Learn more about the history and culture of Fairfield, view rotating exhibitions and purchase Fairfield-themed gifts at the Museum Shop. For more information visit Fairfieldhistory.org or call (203) 259-1598; Fairfieldhistory.org.