John Mayall, “the Godfather of British Blues,” died at 90 on July 22. A singer, guitarist, harmonica player, and keyboardist, Mayall continued performing till shortly before his death—just before he was to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. As a teen he was drawn to American blues, and in 1962 formed the Bluesbreakers. Mayall said, “I’m a band leader and I know what I want to play in my band — who can be good friends of mine. It’s definitely a family. It’s a small kind of thing really.” That small kind of thing included such renowned band members as Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Mick Taylor. Although he worked steadily and was lauded as the father of British blues, Mayall groused later in life that “I’ve never had a hit record, I never won a Grammy Award, and Rolling Stone has never done a piece about me. I’m still an underground performer.”
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