John Mayall is considered the father of the British blues phenomenon of the 1960s. Unlike his students, he never truly became rich. He passed away at the age of 90 in his adopted home of California.
What do the guitarists of the Rolling Stones, Cream, Led Zeppelin, and Fleetwood Mac have in common? Guess what. They all went through the school of the multi-instrumentalist John Mayall, fondly referred to as the father of British blues. Mick Taylor, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Peter Green learned their craft in Mayall’s band The Bluesbreakers, which he first introduced in 1962 at the Marquee Club in London.
As the son of a jazz musician, John Mayall, born in 1933 near Manchester, was never interested in being merely an epigone of an American style. Nevertheless, as a young man, he enjoyed accompanying American greats like John Lee Hooker on their tours in England. From them, he learned to play softly and develop dynamics. He proudly stated in a 2001 interview with “Presse” that he established the Hammond organ, once regarded as a cheap gimmick, as a legitimate instrument of blues.
It sounded most impressive on the masterpiece “Bare Wires,” released in 1968, which reached number 3 on the British charts. A year later, this early long-haired musician emigrated to California and lived a hippie life in a treehouse. His 1969 release “Blues From Laurel Canyon” is considered untouchable in its musical quality by later generations. Talent in the USA also connected with him. For instance, he recorded his hit “Room To Move” with the later successful duo Mark-Almond. Jonny Lang also played with him later.
In shorts at Porgy & Bess
Unlike his students, Mayall never became rich. Thus, he toured annually through the USA and Europe until 2021. He always sold his albums before concerts. The colorful price and information signs designed in the late 1960s were painted by him, a trained graphic designer. Eight years ago, on a bitterly cold winter’s day in Vienna, the then 82-year-old surprised the visitors of Porgy & Bess by wearing shorts. The sun in his heart shone intensely until the end. Now he has passed away, having long been immortal, at the age of 90 in California.