90-year-old British singer John Mayall is also dubbed as the “The Godfather of British Blues.” He gained fame for his now-retired band Bluesbreakers and collaborated with some of the greatest musicians of his time including Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor. These collaborations had a significant impact on rock music. Some of his biggest hits include Bare Wires (1968), Empty Rooms (1970), Turning Point (1969), and Looking Back (1969).
For over fifty years, John Mayall has been a source of inspiration and entertainment for his supporters. When he was younger, he used to hit the road and perform for his fans in person, which was a pleasurable experience for him. Although he can no longer keep up with this lifestyle, John continues to create memorable tunes that delight his audience. He is a master of the guitar and harmonica, and his music proves that age is just a number when it comes to creating great music.
Where is The Godfather of British Blues?
In 2021, John Mayall announced his retirement from touring due to the COVID-19 pandemic and his advancing age. He stated that he would no longer be traveling long distances anymore. The 90-year-old legendary singer still performs for local shows near his home in California. Fans of the guitar master were given a big scare in 2008 when he announced his retirement from The Bluesbreakers. Many believed that he was calling it a day. However, there was a huge sigh of relief when Eagle Records asked him to come up with a new album in 2009. As long as his health and strength hold up, we can expect to hear more from him.
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His Early Life and Famous Tree House
John Mayall was born on November 29, 1933, to Murray and Beryl Mayall in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. The two-time Grammy-nominated artiste is currently 90 years old. Due to his parents’ divorce, John lived with his mother and grandfather on Acre Lane in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester.
The blues singer was living uncomfortably in a crowded house with his mother and granddad. To solve this problem, he decided to build himself a backyard tree house. This little house was built about 25 feet above the ground and quickly became a local sensation. It even received a mention in the Manchester Evening News and had three pages in the British tabloid Reveille, as well as other newspapers. In 1970, Mayall wrote the song “Home in a Tree” inspired by his experience of building and living in the tree house.
Growing up, he loved comics. His butcher grandfather provided him with a steady supply of comic books. Before switching to music, he was passionate about arts in school. He spent two years at the Manchester School of Art where he trained in art and graphic design. And if anyone had told him that he would be called the godfather of British blues, Mayall would have found it hilarious. With this skill, the entertainer designed many of his album covers himself.
The British singer’s first brush with jazz and blues came through his father’s record collection. This created a lasting impression on him. And thanks to the art school he attended as a teenager, he learned how to play the piano and guitar and the rudiments of making music.
John Mayall’s Career
At the age of 18, Mayall served the British army and was deployed to Korea. For what should have been a two-year outing, the leader of the defunct Bluesbreakers spent an extra year in national service. He was misled by the recruiting officer who made him believe that he would earn more if he stayed one more year. It was during his military service that he bought his first guitar while on a one-week leave in Japan. One Life to Live is inspired by his experience as a soldier man.
The music maestro returned from Korea and took up a full-time job as a graphic designer focusing more on advertisement. During this time, he was the lead singer for the Powerhouse Four and would spend his nights and weekends playing music. The former soldier man relegated his design job when he turned thirty and started his full-time music career. Since then, he has never looked back.
In 1963, John Mayall left Manchester for London and founded the group Bluesbreakers. Here, he recruited some of the greatest guitarists and pianists to his band. His musical journey wasn’t rosy from the start but it picked up. He would even travel to the USA to pair up with American jazz and blues musicians. The blues maestro has more than 70 albums to his credit. In 1969 alone, he and his band released 11 albums.
To honor his contribution to music, the English singer was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) by the late Queen Elizabeth in 2005. To further add credence to his abilities, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2016. He also has an hour-long documentary in his honor named The Godfather of British Blues. BBC aired the documentary.
John Mayall’s Marriage: Who is the Blues Legend Married To?
John Mayall was married to Pamela Barlow Heap. They tied the knot in May 1957 and divorced 15 years later in 1972. Both of them lived briefly in his famous tree house before he ditched it to live more conventional way.
The famous singer was 44 when he got married to his second wife, Maggie Mayall in 1982. She was 24. Maggie is an American blues singer and songwriter. For reasons not known to the public, the two divorced in 2011.
In his 1971 track titled Marriage Madness, John Mayall had these to say about marriage:
I would never tell you marry
If you found yourself in love
And saw that love returned
That’s no one else’s business
So why would you be signing up a contract with the world
So long as you don’t marry You will always have the freedom and choice to be in love
If you sign up for the preacher When love’s emotions are taking control
You’ve bought legal involvements
If your love dies and bitterness is the toll
Marriage institution’s madness Is killing off the only true law of love
