John Mayall, the legendary British guitarist, passed away at 90 in his California home on July 22nd.
Known as “the Godfather of British Blues,” John helped many musicians launch their careers. After moving to London in the early ’60s, he formed the Bluesbreakers with members like Eric Clapton and later Peter Green and Mick Taylor.
Growing up in Macclesfield, England, Mayall learned guitar, piano, and harmonica. He loved listening to his dad’s jazz and blues records by artists like Leadbelly and Big Bill Broonzy. Before focusing on music full-time, he studied graphic design and served in Korea.
In his thirties, John moved to London where he formed the Bluesbreakers. They played gigs around town until Decca signed them in 1964. Their debut album came out in 1965; a year later Clapton joined the band.
The rise of young white British rockers who admired Black blues musicians from Mississippi was partly due to Mayall’s influence. In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, he mentioned how America’s racial segregation made it harder for such musical crossover there compared to Britain.
John’s music career spanned decades with numerous albums released during the ’60s and ’70s. He found new success after signing with Forty Below Records in 2013 and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame three years later.
Even though he stopped touring in 2022, John kept releasing music until last year when he put out another album featuring Peter Green and others from his classic lineup.
