John Mayall’s death like “losing a musical father”

Mick Fleetwood has paid tribute to late English blues pioneer John Mayall – see what Fleetwood had to say below.

Yesterday (July 24), it was revealed that Mayall had died at the age of 90, shortly before he was due to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. During his lengthy and illustrious career, Mayall gave many young musicians such as Fleetwood, John McVie, Eric Clapton and more, a platform through his band the Blues Breakers.

Following Mayall’s death, Mick Fleetwood has now shared a post honouring and remembering his late musical collaborator. Fleetwood wrote on Instagram: “The news of John Mayall’s passing… in many ways hit me as losing a musical father!! John Mayall was a guiding light to so many of us young English players!”

He also credited Mayall with indirectly creating Fleetwood Mac: “To have spent time as part of his band the “Blues Breakers“ led the three of us, Peter Green, John McVie, and myself to form Fleetwood Mac back in 1967!! He is owed much gratitude from so many in the musical world.”

See the full post below.

Shortly after the news of Mayall’s death, Eric Clapton – who was also a member of Mayall’s band – shared his own tribute: “I want to say thank you chiefly for rescuing me from oblivion, and god knows what. I was a young man, around the age of 18 or 19, when I decided I was going to quit music.”

“He taught me all I really know, and gave me the courage and enthusiasm to express myself without fear, without limit,” he continued.

Over the course of his career, Mayall recorded and released well over 30 albums – both as the member of a band, and as a solo artist – with his last recording coming in the form of 2022’s ‘The Sun Is Shining Down’.