Jason Mraz

Raised in Mechanicsville, Va., Jason Mraz grew up under the sway of local jam-circuit heroes Agents of Good Roots and regional favorites like the Dave Matthews Band, but it wasn't until he moved west that his own career began to take off. Following in Jewel's footsteps, Mraz secured a weekly slot at San Diego's Java Joe's, and by 2002 he signed with Elektra and brought on the Agents of Good Roots as his own backing band to release his debut, Waiting for My Rocket to Come. After extensive touring and a handful of live recordings, Mraz released his second studio album, Mr. A-Z, in 2005, and he continued to refine his fusion of soft rock and coffee-shop spunk with 2008's We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.