(CelebrityAccess) — John Mayall OBE, a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, and blues and rock legend, passed away on Monday in Los Angeles at the age of 90.
His family announced his passing in a statement, mentioning that he died peacefully at home, although the cause of death was not disclosed.
Mayall is best known as the founder and sole constant member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, the British blues-rock band that released over 70 albums, including 35 studio albums and 34 live albums, while fostering the careers of some of the biggest names in rock.
Over the years, the Bluesbreakers lineup included artists such as Eric Clapton, future Fleetwood Mac members John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and Peter Green, future Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, and Jack Bruce, who later became the bassist and lead vocalist for Cream.
Born in Cheshire in 1933, Mayall served in Korea before attending Manchester College of Art, where he studied art design. While still in school, he played in local bands before deciding to pursue a career in music.
Mayall founded the Bluesbreakers in 1963 and performed in London clubs until 1965 when Eric Clapton, fresh from a split with the Yardbirds, joined as guitarist.
In the 1970s, Mayall moved to the U.S. and began producing records for other blues artists, including Albert Collins, Shakey Jake Harris, and Buddy Guy, among others.
To mark the 40th anniversary of his career, Mayall assembled some of the biggest names in blues and rock, such as Gary Moore, Steve Miller, Johnny Lang, Otis Rush, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Healey, and Steve Cropper, for “Along for the Ride,” an anniversary album released in 2001.
He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2016 and was scheduled to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a Musical Influence in October.
Mayall is survived by his six children — Gaz, Jason, Red, Ben, Zak, and Samson — seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and his ex-wife Maggie Mayall, who guided the latter part of his career.
In a 2014 interview with The Guardian, Mayall shared his thoughts on what the blues meant to him, stating, “[Blues] is about — and it’s always been about — that raw honesty with which [it expresses] our experiences in life, something which all comes together in this music, in the words as well. Something that is connected to us, common to our experiences.”
He closed the interview by noting, “To be honest, I don’t think anyone really knows exactly what it is. I just can’t stop playing it.”
