John Mayer Talks Music, Not Love

By Constance E. Richards

08/20/2008 at 01:30 PM EDT

John Mayer was all about his music Tuesday night.

Three days after talking to reporters about his recent split from Jennifer Aniston, the singer focused on his songs at his concert in Charlotte, N.C.

Between performing fan favorites like "Waiting on the World to Change," Mayer, 30, dedicated a song to the audience, thanking them for allowing him to express himself artistically. "That's the most freeing thing as an artist," he told the crowd.

During a long rendition of a spoken-word number, Mayer turned pensive. Encouraging the crowd to consider that "life is long," he noted, "If you look back on it, it seems short, but look forward and it's long."

Of Mayer's split from Aniston, a source close to Mayer says, "It's sad things didn't work out. John thinks the world of Jen."