RIP thread

[Thumpalumpacus]

Blues Legend John Mayall Dead at 90 (msn.com)

John Mayall, legendary blues guitarist and founder of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, died on Monday at the age of 90, Vanity Fair reports.

Born in Macclesfield, England in 1933, Mayall taught himself to play the piano, guitars and harmonica as a kid. After graduating from the Manchester College of Art, he maintained a side hustle playing with local musicians. In 1963, he founded the Bluesbreakers with drummer Peter Ward, bassist John McVie (who would later join Fleetwood Mac) and guitarist Bernie Watson. Together they helped bring the sound of American Delta blues — artists like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Elmore James — to English venues and audiences. In 1965, Eric Clapton, who’d quit the Yardbirds, joined the lineup...

Goddamn.

Mayall singing and harpin':





Aside from his devotion to the blues, laudable of itself, he brought Eric Clapton and Peter Green into the public ear. He also mentored Jack Bruce (later of Cream alongside Clapton) as well as Mick Fleetwood and John McVie of Fleetwood Mac.