John Mayall is the undisputed Godfather of British Blues.
On 22 July 2024, at the ripe age of 90 years old, the blues traiblazer joined Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmy Reed, Robert Johnson and others for an endless blues jam in the sky.
This is my blog tribute to this Blues Visionary.
Originally from England, he moved to the US in 1968, residing in Laurel Canyon, where he lived for the rest of his amazing life.
By the end of his illustrious creative life, he was honoured in the UK with an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) and will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in USA in October 2024 – deserving life-time honours from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, from his birth home and adopted home.
John Mayall married twice, has six children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A Full, Creative and Busy and Accomplished Life indeed.
My John Mayall CD collection (above image).
John Mayall had a knowing ear for up-and-coming pre-fame guitarists like Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor and paved crucial runways for them to take off and soar into legendary stardom. Other Bluesbreakers alumni included guitarists like Harvey Mandell, Walter Trout, Coco Montoya as well as Mick Fleetwood (the Fleetwood) and John McVie (the Mac).
I had the pleasure and honour of attending John Mayall and the Bluebreakers concert in Singapore in 5 & 6 October 1993. Coco Montoya was the lead guitarist in the band at that period.
I’ll always treasure Coco’s weathered guitar pick that he presented me from the concert (above image). But wait, I also see Eric Clapton’s picks also around Coco’s picks. John Mayall’s disciples indeed.
Back in the day, there were four formidable “music institutions” from which you need to graduate from if you’re worth your music chops – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Frank Zappa’s Mothers Of Invention, Steely Dan and Miles Davis’ band.
Being in the Bluesbreakers is like attending the Harvard of British Blues; and John Mayall is the Guv’nor!
In all, John Mayall released over 70 albums, the last being “The Sun Is Shining Down” in 2022.
Well Played, John Mayall!
R.I.P. Sir!
