John Mayall, the “Godfather of British Blues,” Dies at 90

British guitarist and Bluesbreakers leader John Mayall has passed away at the age of 90. His family announced his death on his official social media accounts, stating that Mayall died in his California home on Monday, July 22, surrounded by loved ones. The statement mentioned unspecified health issues but did not provide an exact cause of death.

John Mayall, often called “the Godfather of British Blues,” was instrumental in nurturing the talents of many musicians early in their careers. In the early 1960s, after moving to London, he formed the Bluesbreakers. This band featured a shifting lineup of musicians, including Eric Clapton (after his time with the Yardbirds and before forming Cream), who recorded the influential 1966 album Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton with Mayall. After Clapton left to form Cream, Peter Green (who would later join Fleetwood Mac) and Mick Taylor (who went on to play with the Rolling Stones) took his place.

Born in 1933 in Macclesfield, England, Mayall grew up learning guitar, piano, and harmonica. He was influenced by his father’s collection of jazz and blues records, featuring artists like Big Bill Broonzy, Lead Belly, and Brownie McGhee. After studying graphic design at Manchester Art School and serving in the Korean War, Mayall worked in advertising before committing fully to music.

The Bluesbreakers formed in London when Mayall was in his early thirties and quickly gained attention. In 1964, Decca offered Mayall a contract, leading to the release of the Bluesbreakers’ debut album, John Mayall Plays John Mayall, in 1965. Clapton joined the band a year later, replacing guitarist Roger Dean.

Mayall played a key role in the rise of young white British rockers who were deeply influenced by Black blues musicians from the Mississippi Delta. “The blues fitted in with the early ’60s, the social way of life at the time,” Mayall told The Guardian in 2014. “It happened here, rather than in America, because at the time, the scene in America was racially segregated—over there, never the twain would meet.”

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Mayall was highly prolific, and he continued to release music for decades. In 2013, he signed with Forty Below Records, experiencing a late-career resurgence with several studio albums. In 2016, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. Although he retired from touring in 2022, Mayall continued to release music, including the third installment of his Live in 1967 series featuring Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie.

Following the news of Mayall’s death, many musicians, including Ronnie Wood, Walter Trout, Mick Jagger, and Eric Clapton, paid tribute to him on social media.