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John Mayall
artist

John Mayall

John Mayall is a blues artist formed in 1933. 111 releases are catalogued on Riffiter.

Blues · Best blues albums

111
Releases
1966–2026
Active years
1933
Formed

Discography

68Rank them 1 vs 1 →Two covers at a time. Pick the one you rate higher, we build the order.
Jazz Blues Fusion cover

Most popular

Jazz Blues Fusion

1972 · 7 tracks

Singles & EPs

9

Live & compilations

34

Credits

1

Records John Mayall worked on for other artists — the roles are as credited on each release.

Collaborators

8

Community

More about John Mayall

John Mayall at a glance

Born in
Macclesfield
From
United Kingdom
Active since
1956
Instruments
piano, guitar, harp, harmonica, musical keyboard, voice
Member of
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
Labels
Polydor Records, Decca
Educated at
Manchester Metropolitan University
Children
Gaz Mayall

Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Children listed are those with their own public record, so the list may be incomplete.

About

Born in Macclesfield, Cheshire in 1933, Mayall's father was Murray Mayall, a guitarist and jazz music enthusiast. From an early age, John was drawn to the sounds of American blues players such as Lead Belly, Albert Ammons, Pinetop Smith, and Eddie Lang, and taught himself to play the piano, guitars, and harmonica. Mayall spent three years in Korea for national service and, during a period of leave, he bought his first electric guitar. Back in Manchester, he enrolled at Manchester College of Art (now part of Manchester Metropolitan University) and started playing with semi-professional bands. After graduation, he obtained a job as an art designer but continued to play with local musicians. In 1963, he opted for a full-time musical career and moved to London. His previous craft would be put to good use in the designing of covers for many of his coming albums. Since the end of the 1960s Mayall has lived in the US. A brush fire destroyed his house in Laurel Canyon in 1979, seriously damaging his musical collections and archives.

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Mayall has been married twice, and has six grandchildren. His second wife, Maggie Mayall is an American blues performer, and since the early 1980s took part in the management of her husband's career. The pair divorced in 2011. In 2005 Mayall was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Honours List.

John Mayall in brief

How many John Mayall releases are on Riffiter?
111 releases are catalogued, spanning 1966 to 2026.
When was John Mayall formed?
John Mayall formed in 1933.
What genre is John Mayall?
John Mayall is catalogued under Blues.
What is the most recent John Mayall release on Riffiter?
A Gentle Kind of Love, released in 2026.
Does John Mayall have children?
Gaz Mayall is a child of John Mayall on public record.

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