While John Mayall - born November 29, 1933, in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England -
was never a household name nor did he achieve significant mainstream success,
yet his influence on contemporary British music was massive. Often referred to
as the ‘godfather of the British blues movement,’ John Mayall was effectively
the catalyst for many great guitarists, including Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and
Mick Taylor. The son of a jazz guitarist, he was inspired by American blues
icons Leadbelly, Pinetop Smith, Albert Ammons, and Eddie Lang and taught himself
to play guitar, piano, and harmo...