John Mayall, considered the father of British blues and the godfather of Eric Clapton and Mick Fleetwood among many others, has passed away at the age of 90 in his Californian exile. The announcement of his death was made public on his own Instagram account: "Health issues forced John to end his epic career of music tours. Rest in peace to one of the greatest road warriors in the world." "I never had a big hit, never won a Grammy, and Rolling Stone never dedicated a piece to me," was the proud lament Mayall expressed in The Santa Barbara Independent in 2013, while still active. "I am still an underground performer." With that label, he went to his grave, despite now receiving the highest accolades for the crucial role of his band, The Bluesbreakers, in the late '60s blues revival. Mayall himself described The Bluesbreakers as a "fluid community," through which not only Clapton and Fleetwood passed, but also Jack Bruce, John McVie, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor, who played with the Rolling Stones for five years. Born in 1933 in Macclesfield, near Manchester, John Mayall boasted of his peculiar origins: "The only reason I was born there was because my father was a big drinker and that was his favorite pub." His father also played the guitar and banjo, and his boogie-woogie record collection provided the soundtrack to the rebellious boy's childhood, who learned to play the piano, guitar, and harmonica. He spent three years in the military in South Korea, studied graphic design, and made his way as a performer with Blues Syndicate. He continued to have a conflicted and creative relationship with his father, who allowed him to build a treehouse in his garden. He lived there until he got married at the age of 30.
In 1963, he made the leap to London as a professional musician, during the boom of rhythm and blues that saw the birth of bands like the Rolling Stones, the Animals, or the Spencer Davis Group. "In the United States, there was a lot of segregation, but in Europe, the blues broke down racial barriers and reached a much larger audience," said John Mayall in an interview with The Guardian. "We discovered Elmore James, Freddie King, JB Lenoir, and they all spoke directly to our lives and feelings. We were hooked." In his role as a one-man band (vocals, guitar, and keyboards), Mayall saw the cream of the London scene pass through The Bluesbreakers. In 1964, they released their first single and toured with Sonny Boy Williamson and T-Bone Walker, preaching the blues as authentic evangelists. Eric Clapton sought refuge in his band after leaving the Yardbirds. Together, they released their first album in 1966, Blue Breakers with Eric Clapton. Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood joined the band before the birth of Fleetwood Mac. And Mick Taylor made his debut at 17 before replacing Brian Jones in the Rolling Stones.
The Bluesbreakers reached the UK Top 10 three times, with Bare Wires reaching number 3 as their greatest commercial success. In 1969, Mayall headed to California and gave an unexpected acoustic twist to his music, although in 1971 he returned to his roots with Back to the Roots, with Clapton and Taylor as guests. Touring extensively across America, that album revived the spirit of the Bluesbreakers, eventually bringing together 20 special guests on Along for the Ride (2001). He reinvented himself time and time again, solo or alongside John Lee Hooker, Steve Miller, Billy Gibbons, or guitarist Carolyn Wonderland, with whom he regularly performed from 2018 until his retirement from the stage in 2022 at the age of 88. John Mayall had six children, four with his first wife, Pamela, and two with Maggie Parker, also a blues performer and 20 years his junior (with whom he miraculously survived a terrifying fire at their Laurel Canyon home). Before his death, the soul of The Bluesbreakers could celebrate at least one piece of news: this year he will finally enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rest in peace.