Mayall Whose Influential Band The Bluesbreakers Served As A Training Ground For Future Rock Stars Died July 22

Obituary: British Blues Musician and Bandleader John Mayall, 90

Mayall, whose influential band The Bluesbreakers served as a training ground for future rock stars, died July 22

Considered one of the pioneers of the British blues scene, Mayall was best known for his work with The Bluesbreakers, a band that featured a rotating cast of musicians who went on to achieve great success in their own right, including Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood, and Peter Green.

Mayall was born in Macclesfield, England, in 1933. He began playing guitar as a teenager and was heavily influenced by American blues artists such as Muddy Waters and B.B. King. In the 1960s, he formed The Bluesbreakers, which quickly became one of the most popular blues bands in Britain. The band's sound was characterized by Mayall's distinctive guitar playing and his raspy vocals.

The Bluesbreakers released a number of successful albums in the 1960s and 1970s, including "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton" (1966) and "Blues from Laurel Canyon" (1968). The band also toured extensively, both in Britain and the United States. In 1969, Mayall disbanded The Bluesbreakers and began a solo career. He continued to release albums and tour throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Mayall was awarded an OBE in 2005 for his services to music. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2015. Mayall died on July 22, 2024, at the age of 90.