John Mayall at Newport Jazz Festival, 1966

John Mayall, known as the ‘godfather of British Blues’, died at his home in California on 22 July 2024, aged 90.

He formed his band, the Bluesbreakers, in the early 1960s and it became a platform for the development of many great musicians, including Eric Clapton, John McVie, Peter Green, Jack Bruce and Mick Taylor. He was a wonderful musician and bandleader and I have very happy memories of seeing him perform.