Dubbed ‘The Godfather of British Blues’ by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, John Mayall passed away on July 22nd of this year, aged 90, in his house in California. No frank cause of death has been made public, but an issued statement alongside a picture of the two-time Grammy nominee on Facebook from his page revealed that “health issues” were the culprits in his death. Yes, the origins of the blues go way back, however, Mayall fortified the genre’s roots and let it spread to capture our ears and hearts.
The recognized music great was born in Cheshire, England, in 1933. Early exposure to American jazz and blues captivated his ears, leading him to develop his musical skills and learn how to play the piano, guitar, and harmonica. Mayall then gave birth to the Bluesbreakers rock band, fronting it with his keyboards, harmonica, and guitar. In addition, he penned dozens of original songs and had over 70 members throughout the band’s inception. These members included some iconic names that one can never forget, such as Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Jack Bruce, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and Aynsley Dunbar.
In the Palace of the Bluesbreakers
The now-deceased musician commenced his professional career in the early 1960s in London, emerging himself among iconic Brit-blues bandleaders such as Alexis Korner, Cyril Davies, and Graham Bond. Then, between 1965 and 1969, he added some of the most phenomenal and legendary guitarists known to the rock world: Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor. However, Clapton later exited to form Cream, and Green formed Fleetwood Mac with Mayall’s rhythm section of Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. As for Taylor, as per Mayall’s recommendation, he replaced Brian Jones in the Rolling Stones.
The band leader reincarnated the Bluesbreakers in 1984, featuring Coco Montoya and Walter Trout, a two-guitar lineup that ignited a new interest in Mayall’s music. Furthermore, he landed a high-profile label deal with Silvertone Records. Silvertone Records, a U.S. label famously known for blowing the dust off of Buddy Guy’s blues career and bringing it back to life.
The Road Warrior John Mayall
In the early 1970s, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he joined forces with exemplary American blues artists such as guitarist Harvey Mandel, violinist Don ‘Sugarcane’ Harris, and bassist Larry Taylor, creating USA Union together. John Mayall took to touring in the early 1970s and into the 1980s, having reunited with Mick Taylor and John McVie for a lengthy world tour in 1982. He shone as a frontman with his improvisations that gave his music the life and essence of what makes him the established and widely recognized ‘godfather’ of the scene.
His turn-of-the-century inspiration started off the 2000s with Along for the Ride, a celebrity-filled album that left its mark in the new millennium, and a 70th birthday concert in Liverpool got him back with Clapton and Taylor. As time went on, Mayall had top guitarists such as Sonny Landreth, Robben Ford, and Carolyn Wonderland to back him up in his latter-day bands. His final studio album was The Sun Is Shining Down, which was released in 2022. The album included unique guests such as Mike Campbell, Marcus King, and Buddy Miller.
A Name to Remember
Through his efforts, John Mayall was appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2005. Additionally, he was inducted into America’s Blues Hall of Fame in 2016 and was a two-time Grammy nominee, one of the nominations being for the song Wake Up Call in his final album. He was also named an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was set to induct him into its ranks in October of this year.
B.B. King, one of the iconic and infamous bluesmen who paved the way for the genre, attested to the fact that Mayall was the master of the blues and that that British twist was essential for the blues to evolve. Other musicians attested to what it’s like playing with John Mayall on stage. For instance, Walter Trout stated:
You could play with B.B. King or Buddy Guy, but you’re just gonna play chords all night. This guy features you. You get to play solos. He yells your name after every song, brings you to the front of the stage, and lets you sing. He creates a place for you in the world.
The Blues icon is survived by his six children—Gaz, Jason, Red, Ben, Zak, and Samson —along with seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, in addition to his former wives, Pamela and Maggie, and a devoted secretary, Jane.
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