Called “the godfather of British blues” by the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader was a pioneer of Blues music in England during the 1960s. He was appointed Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005. Mayall was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2016.
“Continually expanding the reach of the blues without ever watering them down, John Mayall has had a major influence on rock music,” his biography on the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website states.
In the early 1960s, Mayall brought musicians together to form the Bluesbreakers rock band. Under his leadership, the band’s debut album, “Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton,
” soon became a best-selling classic.
After moving to Los Angeles in 1969, Mayall continued leading bands and releasing albums throughout the 1970s, becoming renowned for his jazz, rock and blues innovations, his biography states. He released dozens of albums and toured throughout the United States and Europe.
Throughout his influential career, Mayall collaborated with notable musicians including Joe Walsh, Steve Van Zandt and Alex Lifeson.
“Celebrated for the many iconic musicians he recruited for his band the Bluesbreakers – including guitarists Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor; bassists Jack Bruce and John McVie; and drummers Mick Fleetwood and Aynsley Dunbar – Mayall displayed a talent for mentoring gifted young musicians and bringing out the best in them,” the Hall of Fame says.
