SOURCE: Atlantic Records

 
 
May 11, 2009 19:47 ET

Jason Mraz Unveils His "Gratitude Café Tour" Kicking Off July 25th at Merriweather Post Pavilion Featuring Special Guests G. Love & Special Sauce Among Others; New Single "Lucky," With Colbie Callait Bullets Into Top 10 at Hot AC, as San Diego-Based Troubadour Is Honored With Songwriters Hall of Fame's Hal David Starlight Award

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - May 11, 2009) - Jason Mraz has announced details of his eagerly awaited summer tour schedule. The Grammy-nominated tunesmith will headline the "Gratitude Café Tour," set to kick off on Saturday, July 25th at the world famous Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland (see below itinerary). Atlantic recording artist Mraz will be joined on the North American trek by very special guest G. Love & Special Sauce along with K'naan and Bushwalla.

Tickets for these shows will go on sale to the general public beginning on Friday, May 15th -- check local listing for details. A second leg of Mraz's "Gratitude Café Tour" will be announced in coming weeks, and will include additional shows to take place in September and October.

A uniquely engaging and energetic performer, Mraz will continue his massive world tour prior to the North American leg, with headline dates and festival appearances slated for the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, France, Belgium, Germany, Monaco, Spain, Portugal, and The Netherlands. The success of his global #1 hit single, "I'm Yours," and his latest album, "WE SING. WE DANCE. WE STEAL THINGS." (more than 2.5 million sold worldwide) have created demand for his concerts in every corner -- and he will have visited every continent by the time he slows down in late October.

The San Diego-based troubadour will make his live return to the US on Friday, July 24th, joining Dave Matthews Band at Hershey, Pennsylvania's Hersheypark Amphitheatre. Mraz will then team up with DMB once more for an end-of-summer spectacular, set for August 30th at Fresno, California's Save Mart Center.

As if all that weren't enough, Jason will make main stage appearances at two upcoming North American festivals -- Montreal's annual Osheaga Music and Arts Festival on August 1st and at San Francisco's Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival at the end of August.

"I'm Yours," Mraz's record-breaking, 3x RIAA platinum-certified, Grammy-nominated hit single, made history earlier this year as the first song EVER to top the charts at four pop radio formats, Hot AC, CHR/Top 40, Triple A, and AC (where it currently reigns at #1 for the 13th consecutive week). "I'm Yours" first arrived at Triple A radio last February. Since then, the blockbuster single has spent time atop the airplay charts at Triple A, CHR/Top 40, and Hot AC, where it held the #1 slot for 10 weeks -- the most amount of time for any artist in 2008.

Furthermore, "Lucky," the second single from Mraz's RIAA platinum-certified third album, "WE SING. WE DANCE. WE STEAL THINGS.," looks likely to duplicate its predecessor's historic success, having just bulleted into the top 10 at Hot AC outlets nationwide. The track -- a duet with Colbie Callait -- is on its way to being RIAA-certified platinum, having sold over 940,000 copies here in the US. Outside of the US, it looks to be a big hit as well where the song has been sitting on the European Airplay Top 10 Chart for 3 weeks and counting.

Having made his debut performance on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" earlier this year, Jason is set to appear as part of NBC's "The Today Show's" "Summer Concert Series 2009," slated for Friday, August 7th (check local listings).

In other news, Mraz will be honored with the Songwriters Hall of Fame's esteemed "Hal David Starlight Award," to be presented at the Songwriters Hall of Fame 40th Anniversary Awards Gala, Thursday, June 18th, at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel. The award -- given to gifted songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs -- has previously gone to such artists as Rob Thomas, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, and John Legend.

In the year since its initial release, "I'm Yours" has proven a true international sensation. "WE SING. WE DANCE. WE STEAL THINGS." debuted at #3 on the SoundScan/Billboard 200 album chart upon its May 2008 release. Produced by Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall, Ron Sexsmith), the album has also earned a range of international certifications. Along with its platinum certification here in the US, the album has received a double platinum award in Korea and platinum in Australia, along with gold records in the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, Canada, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, Switzerland and France.

For further information, including news, tour dates, and on-sale bulletins, please visit www.jasonmraz.com or www.myspace.com/jasonmraz and www.gratitudecafetour.com

(TOUR ITINERARY BELOW)

                   JASON MRAZ - On Tour 2009
       All Dates Part Of The "Gratitude Café Tour" Except *

JULY
24      Hershey, PA         Hersheypark Amphitheatre * w/Dave Matthews Band
25      Columbia, MD        Merriweather Post Pavilion
27      Atlanta, GA         Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
28      Charlotte, NC       Uptown Amphitheatre
29      Cary, NC            Cary's Booth Amphitheatre
31      Hartford, CT        Mohegan Sun Arena

AUGUST
1       Montreal, QUE       Osheaga Music and Arts Festival *
2       Canandaigua, NY     CMAC
4       Boston, MA          Bank of America Pavilion
5       Boston, MA          Bank of America Pavilion
7       Wantagh, NY         Nikon @ Jones Beach Theater
8       Holmdel, NJ         PNC Bank Arts Center
9       Philadelphia, PA    Festival Pier @ Penn's Landing
13      Chicago, IL         Charter One Pavilion
14      Detroit, MI         Freedom Hill
15      Toronto, ONT        Molson Amphitheater
17      Cleveland, OH       Time Warner Cable Amp at Tower City
18      Indianapolis, IN    Indiana State Fair
20      Minneapolis, MN     Xcel Arena
28-30   San Francisco, CA   Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival *
                            (performance date TBA)
30      Fresno, CA          Save Mart Center * w/Dave Matthews Band
For more information please contact:

Sheila Richman (national)
Atlantic Records
212.707.3063
Sheila.Richman@atlanticrecords.com

Ashley White (national)
Atlantic Records
212.707.2050
Ashley.White@atlanticrecords.com

Marisa Bianco (regional)
Atlantic Records
212.707.2025
Marisa.Bianco@atlanticrecords.com