John Mayall was born 29th of November 1933 in Macclesfield, a small English village near the industrial hub of Manchester--a far cry at that time from the black American blues culture we are familiar with today. The eldest of three from humble working class origins, and in the shadow of WWII, this skinny English lad grew up listening to his guitarist father’s extensive jazz record collection and felt drawn to the blues. Strongly influenced by such greats as Leadbelly, Albert Ammons, Pinetop Smith, and Eddie Lang, from the age of 13 he taught himself to play and develop his own style with the aid of a neighbor's piano, borrowed guitars, and secondhand harmonicas.

John Mayall's first brush with fame, however, was not for his music. As a teenager, he decided to move out of the house, and, showing the signature eccentricities and artistic qualities that have added to his legendary status, he moved into his backyard treehouse. This gained him notoriety enough to receive newspaper attention. Even more so, since, upon returning from a stint in Korea, he brought his first wife Pamela to live with him there.

From an art college training, to three years with the British Army in Korea, to a successful career in graphic design, his blues singing and playing took a back seat until he reached the age of 30. From 1956 until 1962, John was performing publicly on a part-time basis fronting The Powerhouse Four and, later on, The Blues Syndicate. It was then that Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated pioneered what was to become known as The British Blues Boom of the Late 60's. Alexis was quick to encourage and help John make his move to London where he soon secured enough club work to be able to turn professional under the name John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. After a couple of years and a constant turnover of musicians, he met his soulmate in Eric Clapton, who had quit the Yardbirds in favor of playing the blues. This historic union culminated in the first hit album for the Bluesbreakers and resulted in worldwide legendary status.

After Clapton and Jack Bruce left the band to form Cream, a succession of great musicians defined their artistic roots under John's leadership, and he became as well known for discovering new talent as for his hard-hitting interpretations of the fierce Chicago-style blues he'd grown up listening to. As sidemen left to form their own groups, others took their places. Peter Green, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood became Fleetwood Mac. Andy Fraser formed Free, and Mick Taylor joined the Rolling Stones. As Eric Clapton has stated, "John mayall has actually run an incredibly great school for musicians."

In 1969, with his popularity blossoming in the USA, John caused somewhat of a stir with the release of a drummerless acoustic live album entitled "The Turning Point", from which his song "Room To Move" was destined to become a rock classic. He received a gold record for this album. Attracted by the West Coast climate and culture, John then made his permanent move from England to Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles and began forming bands with American musicians. Throughout the 70's, John became further revered for his many jazz/rock/blues innovations featuring such notable performers as Blue Mitchell , Red Holloway, Larry Taylor, and Harvey Mandel. He also backed blues greats John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker, and Sonny Boy Williamson on their first English club tours.

The year 1979 proved to be a pivotal, transitional, and climactic year for John Mayall, both personally and professionally. With the public climate being at an all-time low for blues music, Mayall struggled to keep his live and recording career afloat. Personally, however, he began the 20+year relationship with his current wife Maggie (Parker, née Mulacek), a singer/songwriter from Chicago who had been hired with Harvey Mandel’s band as Mayall’s backup. And extreme misfortune came his way when a brush fire destroyed his hand-crafted and legendary Laurel Canyon home, taking with it his scrupulously-kept diaries, his father's diaries, master recordings, extensive book & magazine collections, Mayall artwork, and much much more. Determined to rise from the ashes, Mayall persevered.

Motivated by nostalgia and fond memories, in 1982, John (together with Mick Taylor and John McVie) decided to re-form the original Bluesbreakers for a couple of tours and a video concert film entitled Blues Alive, which featured Albert King, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Etta James, and Sippie Wallace and others. A whole new generation of followers could get a taste of how it all sounded live two decades before at the birth of the British Blues explosion. By the time Mick and John had returned to their respective careers, public reaction had convinced Mayall that he should return to his driving blues roots. As John McVie returned to Fleetwood Mac and Mick resumed his solo career, mayall returned to Los Angeles to select his choices for a new incarnation of the Bluesbreakers. Officially launched in 1984, it included future stars in their own right, guitarists Coco Montoya and Walter Trout, as well as drummer Joe Yuele, who is still john's rhythmic mainstay.

With onstage popularity gaining each year, the 90's kicked in with the release of several John Mayall albums that have set new standards in rock blues: "Behind The Iron Curtain", "Chicago Line", "A Sense of Place", and the Grammy-nominated "Wake Up Call" that featured guest artists Buddy Guy, Mavis Staples, Albert Collins, Mick Taylor. In 1993, Texas guitarist Buddy Whittington joined the Bluesbreakers and during the last seven+ years he has energized the band with his unique and fiery ideas. Making his recording debut on Mayall's "Spinning Coin" album , he has proven to be more than equal to following in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessors. Since then, John released another two modern classics: "Blues For the Lost Days" and "Padlock On The Blues", (the latter co-produced by John and his wife Maggie, featuring a rare collaboration with the great blues legend John Lee Hooker,who has been Mayall's close friend since the early 60's). These albums have all garnered great reviews, critical and popular acclaim and represent Mayall's ongoing mastery of the blues and his continuing importance in contemporary music. In addition, he has released three CD's available on his new Web site. They are "Time Capsule" (containing historic 1957-62 live tapes-no longer available), "UK Tour 2K" (live recordings from the Bluesbreakers 2000 British tour), and a selection of solo performances from John entitled "Boogie Woogie Man". Mayall continues to strive to remain true to the timeless music that first inspired this skinny young British lad, living in the shadow of WWII, to teach himself the guitar, harmonica and piano so many years ago.

On his 2001 release (under the banner "John Mayall and Friends"), "Along For The Ride", Mayall re-teamed with a number of his former mates, including Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, as well as ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, Jonny Lang, Steve Miller, Billy Preston, Steve Cropper, Otis Rush, Gary Moore, Jeff Healey, Reese Wynans of Steve Ray Vaughan's band and Shannon Curfman for an amazing display of blues power at its finest.

Produced by David Z, this album featured Mayall duets with soul great Billy Preston, blues legend Otis Rush and young blues/rock teen sensation Shannon Curfman. "Along For The Ride" also features the first appearance together in over 30 years by Bluesbreakers alumni Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, who last appeared together as members of the original Fleetwood Mac.

Following the recording of this album, Mayall expanded the Bluesbreakers to 5 to include keyboardist Tom Canning, while Hank Van Sickle firmly anchors the band on bass guitar, with fellow veterans Joe Yuele and Buddy Whittington completing the powerful lineup.

Barely back from touring in support of that album, Mayall returned to the studio in February 2002 with the Bluesbreakers. This time they recorded a BLUESBREAKERS album, without a string of guest artists, again produced by David Z. The outcome is the August 27, 2002 release "STORIES", which debuted the Billboard blues charts at #1.

John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers continue yet another full year of touring in support of this incredible album and are making plans for exciting projects in 2003. As for the man himself, the father of six and grandfather of six, at 69 years young, John Mayall shows no signs of slowing down and plans to keep the blues alive for many years to come.

Discography of Original Albums

CD's currently available in stores are indicated with a *

• 1965 John Mayall Plays John Mayall (Decca*)
• 1966 Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (Decca*)
• 1967 A Hard Road (Decca*)
• 1967 Crusade (Decca*)
• 1967 Blues Alone (Ace of Clubs*)
• 1968 Diary of a Band Volume 1 (Decca*)
• 1968 Diary of a Band Volume 2 (Decca*)
• 1968 Bare Wires (Decca*)
• 1968 Blues from Laurel Canyon (Decca*)
• 1969 Looking Back (Decca*)
• 1969 Primal Solos (Decca)
• 1969 The Turning Point (Polydor*)
• 1970 Empty Rooms (Polydor*)
• 1970 USA Union (Polydor*)
• 1971 Back to the Roots (Polydor*)
• 1971 Memories (Polydor*)
• 1972 Jazz Blues Fusion (Polydor*)
• 1973 Moving On (Polydor)
• 1973 Ten Years Are Gone (Polydor)
• 1974 The Latest Edition (Polydor)
• 1975 New Year,New Band,New Company (ABC - One Way*)
• 1975 Notice to Appear (ABC - One Way*)
• 1976 Banquet in Blues (ABC - One Way*)
• 1977 Lots of People (ABC - One Way*)
• 1977 A Hard Core Package (ABC - One Way*)
• 1978 Last of the British Blues (ABC - One Way*)
• 1979 The Bottom Line (DJM)
• 1980 No More Interviews (DJM)
• 1982 Road Show Blues (DJM*)
• 1982 Return of the Bluesbreakers (Aim Australia)
• 1985 Behind the Iron Curtain (GNP Crescendo*)
• 1987 Chicago Line (Entente - Island*)
• 1988 The Power of the Blues (Entente*)
• 1988 Archives to Eighties (Polydor*)
• 1990 A Sense of Place (Island*)
• 1992 1982 Reunion Concert (One Way*)
• 1992 Cross Country Blues (One Way*)
• 1993 Wake Up Call (Silvertone*)
• 1995 Spinning Coin (Silvertone*)
• 1997 Blues for the Lost Days (Silvertone*)
• 1999 Padlock on the Blues (Eagle*)
• 1999 Rock the Blues Tonight (Indigo*)
• 1999 Live at the Marquee 1969 (Eagle*)
• 2001 Along For The Ride (Eagle/Red Ink*)
• 2002 STORIES (Eagle/Red Ink*)

To Collectors: There have been, and will continue to be, literally countless re-titled and/or compilation releases throughout the years, and so to list them all would only confuse an already lengthy discography. Therefore, this up-to-date and accurate list will serve as a comprehensive guide for collectors who wish to have a complete set of original recordings by John Mayall.

Good luck and good hunting!

Photos courtesy of Mayall Family archives
© 1999-2003 Magnolia Blue