Today’s special guest on the Good Tidings Podcast is none other than Grammy Award winner, Jason Mraz. Host Larry Harper welcomes Mraz and highlights his philanthropy and kindness. You will learn about Mraz growing up and gravitating towards music while in elementary school. You will hear what it was like for Mraz to be living his dream and some of the risks that he took. He talks about the best part of his career involving his foundation and how he gets to give for fun! You will also learn how Mraz is supporting the movements he believes in and the meaning behind his new album Look for the Good!
Jason Mraz shares about growing up in Virginia and how much he values the access he had to music in his public school. He says, …”Were it not for music rooms, much like the one we’re in right now, I don’t know if I would’ve put in enough hours to become the musician and person I am- so I know how vital these rooms are.” Mraz shares a turning point for him when he worked in a smoke shop in Virginia. He said that there were not very many customers which gave him a lot of time alone to practice music. He would bring his guitar to work with him and was able to practice while at work which he considers very valuable.
Larry asks Mraz about his trip to Las Vegas that ended up changing his life. At this time, Mraz was living in Farmville, Virginia and he heard a voice in his head saying, “You need to go West…Get in your car and go right now… go go go go.” For spring break, he decided to drive to California and ended up at a party in Las Vegas where he performed for the guests. He played his guitar that day for his eventual manager and booking agent! They guided him to San Diego where he immersed himself in the thriving coffee shop scene. He goes on to say, “…and it would be months before I was honest with my parents that I was not returning to college and that I was now living in San Diego. And I only elected to not tell anyone because I felt really great about the decision and I didn’t need anybody to talk me out of it…”
Larry asks Jason about his experience starring on Broadway in the “Waitress”. Mraz describes this time as being on vacation. You will hear Mraz talk about writing songs and trying them out with an audience. He says when a song moves him, he takes it to the stage to see if it moves other people as well.
Jason Mraz’s latest album, Look for the Good, was released on Juneteenth and he shares his support of advancing equality. You will hear Larry and Jason discuss their belief of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Jason shares about the Jason Mraz Foundation. It’s Mission is “to shine for inclusive arts education and the advancement of equality. Our purpose is to cause peace in the world.”
Mraz will be performing for the 25th Anniversary of the Good Tidings Foundation in the future!
Watch a short clip of Larry Harper interviewing Jason Mraz for the podcast, in the newly renovated Jason Mraz Studio in National City, CA.
GH020004 from Good Tidings Foundation on Vimeo.
Learn more about Larry Harper.
Learn more about and support the Good Tidings Foundation.
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Learn more about the podcast sponsor at responseresponsibility.org.
Learn more about Jason Mraz
Check out the new album Look for the Good
Learn more about the Jason Mraz Foundation
Learn more about Jason’s performance in “Waitress”
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