John Mayall Dies: British Music Icon Whose Bluesbreakers Featured Eric Clapton, Peter Green & Others Was 90
deadline.comJohn Mayall, the newly minted Rock and Roll Hall of Famer whose group the Blues Breakers helped nurture many British music legends including Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and several future members of Fleetwood Mac, died Monday in California.
He was 90. His family released a statement on social media confirming the news but gave few details other than citing “health issues.” “It is with heavy hearts that we bear the news that John Mayall passed away peacefully in his California home yesterday, July 22, 2024, surrounded by his loving family,” the Instagram post reads. “Health issues that forced John to end his epic touring career have finally led to peace for one of this world’s greatest road warriors.” Heralded as “The Godfather of British Blues,” singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mayall had a love of American blues and jazz — and a gift for spotting young talent.
He launched the Bluesbreakers in 1963. During the 1960s, the group would include a who’s-who of British blues and rock royalty, from Clapton and Green to Jack Bruce, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Aynsley Dunbar and future Rolling Stone Mick Taylor.
The group was a commercial force in the Swinging ’60s UK, with five Top 10 LPs from 1966-70. Their 1966 debut Blues Breakers featured hotshot young guitarist Clapton, who had just left The Yardbirds and whose fiery fretwork inspired “Clapton is God” graffiti.
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