John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers

Although he may not be a household name, John Mayall looms large over the birth of the British blues boom that kick-started a rock revolution in the UK. Here are just a few of the musicians who came to prominence after stints in Mayall bands: Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones), Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker (Cream),  and Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac). Guests on John Mayall albums have included Gary Moore, Mavis Staples, Steve Cropper, Billy Person, Chris Rea, Buddy Guy… the list goes on and on. The man is a legend.

The son of a guitarist and jazz/blues lover, young John Mayall felt an early affinity with classic American artists such as Albert Ammons and Lead Belly. Forming his first band in the mid-1950s, Mayall was encouraged to move to London by another UK roots music legend, Alexis Korner. John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers really took off after Eric Clapton joined them after leaving The Yardbirds. 'Slowhand' was followed by Peter Green then Mick Taylor as a series of vital and successful albums followed.

Singing and playing piano, rhythm guitar, and harmonica, Mayall has released over sixty studio and live albums in a career spanning an astonishing seven decades. From Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton in 1966 to The Sun Is Shining Down in 2022, John Mayall is synonymous with the blues.