John Mayall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Mayall OBE
Mayall in 1968
Background information
Born	(1933-11-29)29 November 1933 Macclesfield, Cheshire, England
Died	22 July 2024(2024-07-22) (aged 90) California, U.S.
Genres	British blues blues rock jazz rock
Occupations	Musician songwriter producer
Instruments	Vocals keyboards guitar harmonica
Years active	1956–2024
Labels	Decca London DJM ABC Eagle Snapper Polydor Silvertone GNP Crescendo

John Mayall (born November 29, 1933 – died July 22, 2024) was a famous English musician. He was known for playing blues and rock music. He was also a songwriter and producer. In the 1960s, he started a band called John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Many famous blues and blues-rock musicians played in this band.

John Mayall was a singer, guitarist, harmonica player, and keyboardist. His music career lasted for almost 70 years! He was one of the oldest musicians still performing at 90 years old. In 2024, Mayall was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. People often called him the "godfather of the British blues".

John Mayall's Early Life and Start in Music

John Mayall (right) with Greg Rzab and Jay Davenport in 2017

John Mayall was born in Macclesfield, England, on November 29, 1933. He grew up in a town called Cheadle Hulme. His father, Murray Mayall, was a guitarist who played in local pubs.

From a young age, John loved the sound of American blues musicians. He taught himself to play the piano, guitar, and harmonica.

How John Mayall Started His Music Career

John Mayall served in the military in Korea. While on leave in Japan, he bought his first electric guitar. When he returned to England, he went to Manchester College of Art. He also started playing with a band called the Powerhouse Four.

After college, he worked as an art designer. But he kept playing music with local artists. In 1963, he decided to become a full-time musician and moved to London. His art skills helped him design covers for many of his future albums.

In 1956, Mayall and a college friend, Peter Ward, formed the Powerhouse Four. They played at local dances. In 1962, Mayall joined the Blues Syndicate. This band wanted to mix jazz and blues music. John and his band became very popular at the Twisted Wheel club in Manchester.

A musician named Alexis Korner encouraged Mayall to move to London. Korner helped him meet other musicians and find places to play.

The Bluesbreakers and Early Success

In late 1963, John Mayall's band, now called the Bluesbreakers, started playing at the Marquee Club. The band included Mayall, Peter Ward, John McVie on bass, and Bernie Watson on guitar.

In 1964, Mayall got his first chance to record music. The band recorded two songs, "Crawling Up a Hill" and "Mr. James". Later, Hughie Flint became the drummer, and Roger Dean played guitar. This band even played with the famous blues musician John Lee Hooker on his British tour.

Mayall signed a recording deal with Decca. On December 7, 1964, they recorded a live show. They also released a single called "Crocodile Walk". But neither the album nor the single became popular, and the contract ended.

In April 1965, a new guitarist joined the band: Eric Clapton, who used to be in The Yardbirds. This was a very important moment for John Mayall's career.

The Bluesbreakers: Famous Guitarists and New Sounds

Eric Clapton's Time with the Bluesbreakers (1965–1966)

Mayall in 1970

With Eric Clapton on guitar, the Bluesbreakers started to get a lot of attention in 1965. They recorded two songs for a single, "I'm Your Witchdoctor" and "Telephone Blues".

Clapton left the band for a short time in August. Other guitarists tried to fill in, but then Peter Green took over. John McVie was also replaced for a while by Jack Bruce.

In November 1965, Clapton returned to the Bluesbreakers. McVie also came back. Mayall recorded some of their live performances. These recordings later appeared on albums like Looking Back and Primal Solos.

In April 1966, the Bluesbreakers went back to the studio to record their second album. It was called Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton and was released on July 22, 1966. This album was a huge success for Mayall. It reached No. 6 on the UK music charts. The album became a classic, especially because of Eric Clapton's amazing guitar playing.

However, Eric Clapton soon left to form a new band called Cream. His last show with the Bluesbreakers was on July 17.

Peter Green's Time with the Bluesbreakers (1966–1967)

Mayall needed a new guitarist, and he convinced Peter Green to return. Over the next year, they recorded about 40 songs. The album A Hard Road was released in February 1967. This album is also considered a classic.

But Peter Green soon decided to start his own band, Fleetwood Mac. This new band eventually included three former Bluesbreakers: Green, McVie, and drummer Mick Fleetwood.

Mick Taylor's Time with the Bluesbreakers (1967–1969)

Mayall's next choice for guitarist was 18-year-old Mick Taylor. Taylor quickly joined the band.

In May 1967, Mayall recorded an album called The Blues Alone. He played most of the instruments himself to show his skills.

A six-person band, including Mayall, Mick Taylor, John McVie, and others, recorded the album Crusade in July 1967. The Bluesbreakers toured a lot that year. Mayall recorded their shows, and these recordings became the album Diary of a Band, Vols. 1 & 2.

The band's lineup changed a few times. Mick Taylor stayed, and new members like drummer Colin Allen and bassist Stephen Thompson joined. In August 1968, this new group recorded Blues from Laurel Canyon.

On June 13, 1969, after almost two years with Mayall, Taylor left to join the famous band Rolling Stones.

New Sounds and Moving to the US (1969–1971)

After Mick Taylor left, Mayall tried a new style of music. He used acoustic instruments and didn't have a drummer. He brought in acoustic guitarist Jon Mark and flutist-saxophonist John Almond. This new band sounded very different from his earlier projects.

Mayall also decided to move to Los Angeles, California. The new band played their first US show at the Newport Jazz Festival. Their performance at the Fillmore East became the live album The Turning Point. They also recorded a studio album called Empty Rooms.

Mayall continued to experiment with bands without drummers. He brought in new musicians like guitarist Harvey Mandel and bassist Larry Taylor from the band Canned Heat. They recorded albums like USA Union and Memories.

In November 1970, Mayall started a big recording project. He invited many famous musicians he had played with over the years. This double album, Back to the Roots, featured Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, and many others. Mayall wrote all the songs and played many instruments himself.

By this time, Mayall was living in Los Angeles. He had helped many musicians become famous in the British blues-rock scene.

John Mayall in the 1970s and Beyond

By the early 1970s, Mayall was living in the United States. He spent the next 15 years recording with local musicians for different record labels. In 1971, he produced a jazz-focused session for blues musician Albert King.

A live album called Jazz Blues Fusion was released in 1972. Mayall played harmonica, guitar, and piano on it. He continued to release many albums throughout the 1970s. His music started to include jazz, funk, and pop sounds.

The Bluesbreakers Return

Mick Taylor during his return to the Bluesbreakers on tour in Cleveland, Ohio in the early 1980s

In 1982, Mayall reunited with Mick Taylor, John McVie, and Colin Allen. These were musicians from his 1960s bands. They went on a two-year world tour.

In 1984, Mayall brought back the name Bluesbreakers for his band. This lineup included guitarists Walter Trout and Coco Montoya.

John Mayall in the 2000s

To celebrate 40 years of his career, Mayall invited many musicians to record an album called Along for the Ride in 2001. It featured many famous names, including former Bluesbreakers and new artists.

For his 70th birthday, Mayall had a special concert on July 19, 2003. Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, and Chris Barber joined him. This concert helped raise money for Unicef.

In November 2008, Mayall announced that he was ending the Bluesbreakers band. He wanted to work with other musicians and have more freedom. He then started a solo world tour with a new backing band.

In 2015, a book about John Mayall's life and music was published. In 2018, he added his first female lead guitarist, Carolyn Wonderland, to his band.

Forty Below Records and Later Years

Mayall performing in Seattle, 2019

In 2013, Mayall signed with a record label called Forty Below Records. He released four studio albums with them, including A Special Life and Nobody Told Me. The label also re-released some live recordings from 1967. In 2016, Mayall was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Mayall's autobiography, Blues From Laurel Canyon: My Life As A Bluesman, was published in 2019. In 2024, he was chosen for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his musical influence.

John Mayall's Personal Life

John Mayall started living in the US part-time in the late 1960s and full-time by the early 1970s. In 1979, a brush fire destroyed his house in Laurel Canyon. He lost many personal items, including old antiques and his diaries.

Mayall was married twice and had six children and six grandchildren. His second wife, Maggie Mayall, was also a blues performer. She helped manage his career for many years. They were married in 1982 and divorced in 2011.

John Mayall passed away at his home in California on July 22, 2024, at the age of 90.

Honours and Awards

In 2005, John Mayall was honored with the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). This is a special award in the United Kingdom.

Band Members

As of 2020, the band members were:

• John Mayall – vocals, keyboards, harmonica, rhythm guitar (1963–2024)
• Greg Rzab – bass guitar, occasional percussion (1999–2000, 2009–present)
• Jay Davenport – drums, percussion (2009–present)
• Carolyn Wonderland – lead guitar, backing vocals (2018–present)

Discography

Studio albums

See also

In Spanish: John Mayall para niños

• British blues