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John Mayall has died. The legendary musician known as the Godfather of British Blues passed away in his sleep at his home on Monday. He was 90.
The news broke today on Mayall’s official Instagram. The tribute reads:
It is with heavy hearts that we bear the news that John Mayall passed away peacefully in his California home yesterday, July 22, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. Health issues that forced John to end his epic touring career have finally led to peace for one of this world’s greatest road warriors. John Mayall gave us ninety years of tireless efforts to educate, inspire and entertain.
In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, John reflected, “[blues] is about – and it’s always been about – that raw honesty with which [it expresses] our experiences in life, something which all comes together in this music, in the words as well. Something that is connected to us, common to our experiences.” That raw honesty, connection, community and playing of his will continue to affect the music and culture we experience today, and for generations to come.
An appointed OBE (Officer of the British Empire), 2x Grammy-nominated artist and recent inductee to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, John is survived by his 6 children, Gaz, Jason, Red, Ben, Zak and Samson, 7 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. He is also surrounded with love by his previous wives, Pamela and Maggie, his devoted secretary, Jane, and his close friends. We, the Mayall family, cannot thank his fans and long-list of bandmembers enough for the support and love we were blessed to experience secondhand over the last six decades.
John closed that same Guardian interview by reflecting further on the blues, “To be honest, I don’t think anyone really knows exactly what it is. I just can’t stop playing it.” Keep on playing the blues somewhere, John. We love you.
John Mayall was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire in 1933. He taught himself to play the piano, guitar, and harmonica before serving in the army. On a period of leave, he purchased his first electric guitar, later enrolling at Manchester College of Art and playing in several groups. Alexis Korner, known as a founding father of British Blues, served as Mayall’s mentor and convinced him to move to London and start a full-time music career.
In 1963, Mayall formed his band the Bluesbreakers with Peter Ward, John McVie, and Bernie Watson, the latter of whom would be replaced by Roger Dean. They released a live album that failed commercially. However, Eric Clapton replaced Dean and the group garnered attention and their second album charted well.
Clapton was later replaced by Peter Green, who stayed with the band for a few years beginning with 1967’s A Hard Road, but he soon left to found Fleetwood Mac. Then came Mick Taylor, who was only 18 when he was recruited for the group, as well as drummer Colin Allen. Taylor played on four Mayall albums between 1967 and 1969, then departed to join the Rolling Stones. Allen exited to join Stone The Crows. Acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Jon Mark and flautist-saxophonist John Almond entered, and Mayall attempted a new format with no drummer. They recorded the live album The Turning Point and the studio album Empty Rooms. Soon, he welcomed guitarist Harvey Mandel and bassist Larry Taylor, both from Canned Heat.
Mayall released over a dozen solo albums before reviving the Bluesbreakers in the early ’80s. His final studio album was 2022’s The Sun Is Shining Down. In April of this year, he was named as an inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in the Musical Influence category.