Main   The Connection Collection   About   History

This page contains ads and links that earn commissions for CRC.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers is a British blues band that was formed in the early 1960s. The band was led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall, who is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the British blues scene.

The classic lineup of the band included Mayall on vocals, harmonica, and keyboards, along with guitarist Eric Clapton, bassist John McVie, and drummer Hughie Flint. This lineup is often referred to as the "Beano" lineup, as the album cover of "Bluesbreakers - John Mayall with Eric Clapton" in 1966 features a photo of Eric Clapton reading a copy of the publication.

Over the years, the Bluesbreakers had many different lineups and featured a number of notable musicians, including Peter Green, Mick Taylor, and Walter Trout. The band's music was characterized by its raw, powerful sound and its emphasis on improvisation.

Some of the Bluesbreakers' most famous songs include "All Your Love," "Hideaway," and "Steppin' Out." The band's influence on the blues and rock music scenes can still be felt today, and John Mayall is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of British blues.


John Mayall's Bluesbreakers I (Jan. 1963 - Mar. 1963)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar - b. November 29, 1933, Macclesfield, England.
  • Sammy Prosser - guitar
  • Davy Graham - guitar
  • Ricky Brown - bass
  • Pete Burford - bass
  • John McVie - bass - b. November 26, 1945, London, England.
  • Sam Stone - drums
  • Brian Mayall - drums

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers II (Apr. 1963 - Jul. 1963)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Sammy Prosser - guitar
  • John Gilbey - guitar
  • John McVie - bass
  • Keith Robertson - drums

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers III (Jul. 1963 - Apr. 1964)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Bernie Watson - guitar
  • John McVie - bass
  • Peter Ward - drums
  • Martin Hart - drums

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers IV (Apr. 1964 - Apr. 1965)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Roger Dean - guitar
  • John McVie - bass
  • Hughie Flint - drums
Album:
  1. "John Mayall Plays John Mayall" (1965)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers V (Apr. 1965 - Aug. 1965)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Eric Clapton - guitar - b. Eric Clapp on March 30, 1945, Ripley, England - formerly with The Roosters, Casey Jones and the Engineers, and The Yardbirds.
  • John McVie - bass
  • Hughie Flint - drums

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers VI (Aug. 1965 - Nov. 1965)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Jeff Krobbett - guitar
  • Peter Green - guitar
  • John McVie - bass
  • Jack Bruce - bass
  • Hughie Flint - drums

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers VII (Nov. 1965 - Jul. 1966)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Eric Clapton - guitar
  • John McVie - bass
  • Hughie Flint - drums
Album:
  1. "Bluesbreakers - John Mayall with Eric Clapton" (1966) (with Eric Clapton)
Eric Clapton leaves to form Cream with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers VIII (Jul. 1966 - Sep. 1966)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Peter Green - guitar
  • John McVie - bass
  • Hughie Flint - drums
Hughie Flint forms McGuinness Flint (with Tom McGuinness, formerly of Manfred Mann).

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers IX (Sep. 1966 - Apr. 1967)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Peter Green - guitar
  • John McVie - bass
  • Aynsley Dunbar - drums
Album:
  1. "A Hard Road" (1967)
Aynsley Dunbar later joins The Jeff Beck Group, Bonzo Dog Band, Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Journey, and Jefferson Starship.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers X (Apr. 1967 - May 1967)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Peter Green - guitar
  • John McVie - bass
  • Mickey Waller - drums
  • Mick Fleetwood - drums
Album:
  1. "The Blues Alone" (1967)
Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood form Shotgun Express (with Rod Stewart), and later form Fleetwood Mac.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XI (Jun. 1967 - Sep. 1967)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Mick Taylor - guitar - formerly with The Gods.
  • John McVie - bass
  • Keef Hartley - drums
  • Chris Mercer - sax
  • Rip Kant - sax
  • Terry Edmonds - guitar
Album:
  1. "Crusade" (1967)
John McVie forms Fleetwood Mac (with Peter Green and Mick Fleetwood).

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XII (Sep. 1967 - Apr. 1968)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Mick Taylor - guitar
  • Paul Williams - bass
  • Keith Tillman - bass
  • Andy Fraser - bass
  • Keef Hartley - drums
  • Chris Mercer - sax
  • Henry Lowther - trumpet
  • Dick Heckstall-Smith - sax
Albums:
  1. "Diary of a Band, vol. 1" (1968)
  2. "Diary of a Band, vol. 2" (1968)
Andy Fraser forms Free (with Paul Rodgers, Paul Kossoff, and Simon Kirke).

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XIII (Apr. 1968 - Aug. 1968)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Mick Taylor - guitar
  • Tony Reeves - bass
  • John Hiseman - drums
  • Chris Mercer - sax
  • Henry Lowther - trumpet
  • Dick Heckstall-Smith - sax
Album:
  1. "Bare Wires" (1968)
Tony Reeves, John Hiseman, and Dick Heckstall-Smith form Colosseum.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XIV (Aug. 1968 - May 1969)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Mick Taylor - guitar
  • Steve Thompson - bass
  • Colin Allen - drums
Album:
  1. "Blues From Laurel Canyon" (1968)
Mick Taylor joins The Rolling Stones.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XV (Jun. 1969 - Jun. 1970)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Duster Bennett - guitar/vocals
  • Jon Mark - guitar
  • Johnny Almond - sax
  • Steve Thompson - bass
  • Alex Dmochowski - bass
  • Larry Taylor - bass
Albums:
  1. "The Turning Point" (1969)
  2. "Empty Rooms" (1970)
Jon Mark and Johnny Almond form The Mark-Almond Band.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XVI (Jul. 1970 - 1971)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Harvey Mandel - guitar - b. March 11, 1945, Detroit, Michigan - formerly with Canned Heat.
  • Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin - b. June 18, 1938, Pasadena, California; d. November 30, 1999.
  • Larry Taylor - bass - formerly with Canned Heat.
Album:
  1. "USA Union" (1970)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XVII (1971)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Eric Clapton - guitar
  • Mick Taylor - guitar
  • Keef Hartley - drums
  • Harvey Mandel - guitar
  • Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin
  • Larry Taylor - bass
Album:
  1. "Back to the Roots" (2-CDs) (1971)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XVIII (1971)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Harvey Mandel - guitar
  • Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin
  • Larry Taylor - bass
Album:
  1. "Thru the Years" (1971)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XIX (1971)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Jimmy McCulloch - guitar - b. 1953, Glasgow, Scotland; d. September 27, 1979, London, England - formerly with Thunderclap Newman and Stone the Crows.
  • Larry Taylor - bass
Album:
  1. "Memories" (1971)
Jimmy McCulloch later joins Paul McCartney's Wings and The Small Faces.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XX (1971)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Freddy Robinson - guitar
  • Blue Mitchell - trumpet
  • Ron Selico - bass
  • Clifford Solomon - saxes

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXI (1971 - 1972)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Freddy Robinson - guitar
  • Blue Mitchell - trumpet
  • Clifford Solomon - saxes
  • Keef Hartley - drums
Album:
  1. "Jazz-Blues Fusion" (1972)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXII (1972)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Freddy Robinson - guitar
  • Blue Mitchell - trumpet
  • Clifford Solomon - saxes
  • Keef Hartley - drums
  • Victor Gaskin - bass
  • Fred Jackson - saxes
  • Charlie Owens - flutes
  • Ernie Watts - sax

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXIII (1972 - 1973)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Freddy Robinson - guitar
  • Blue Mitchell - trumpet
  • Red Holloway - flute/saxes
  • Keef Hartley - drums
  • Victor Gaskin - bass
  • Fred Jackson - saxes
  • Charlie Owens - flutes
  • Ernie Watts - sax
Album:
  1. "Moving On" (1972)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXIV (1973 - 1975)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Freddy Robinson - guitar
  • Blue Mitchell - trumpet
  • Red Holloway - flute/saxes
  • Keef Hartley - drums
  • Victor Gaskin - bass
  • Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin
Album:
  1. "Ten Years Are Gone" (1973)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXV (1975)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Hightide Harris - bass/guitar
  • Red Holloway - flute/saxes
  • Randy Resnick - guitar
  • Soko Richardson - drums
Album:
  1. "The Latest Edition" (1975)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXVI (1975 - 1977)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Don "Sugarcane" Harris - violin
  • Larry Taylor - bass
  • Dee McKinnie - vocals - b. 1950
  • Rick Vito - guitar - b. October 13, 1949, Darby, Pennsylvania.
  • Jay Spell - keyboards
  • Soko Richardson - drums
Albums:
  1. "New Year, New Band, New Company" (1975)
  2. "Notice to Appear" (1975)
  3. "A Banquet in Blues" (1976)
Rick Vito later joins Fleetwood Mac.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXVII (1977)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Larry Taylor - bass
  • Jay Spell - keyboards
  • Red Holloway - flute/saxes
  • Gary Rowles - guitar
  • Frank Wilson - drums
  • Warren Bryant - percussion
  • Pepper Watkins - vocals
  • Patty Smith - vocals
Album:
  1. "Lots of People" (1977)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXVIII (1977 - 1978)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • James Quill Smith - guitar
  • Steve Thompson - bass
  • Soko Richardson - drums
Albums:
  1. "A Hard Core Package" (1977)
  2. "The Last of the British Blues" (1978)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXIX (1979)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
Album:
  1. "Bottom Line" (1979) (with various studio musicians)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXX (1979 - 1980)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • James Quill Smith - guitar
  • Rick Vito - guitar
  • Chris Cameron - piano/clavinet
  • Christian Mostert - saxes/flutes
  • Angus Thomas - bass
  • Ruben Alvarez - drums
  • Maggie Parker - vocals
Album:
  1. "No More Interviews" (1979)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXI (1980 - 1981)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • James Quill Smith - guitar
  • Maggie Parker - vocals
  • Kevin McCormick - bass
  • Soko Richardson - drums
Album:
  1. "Road Show Blues" (1980)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXII (1981 - 1982)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Don McMinn - guitar
  • Bobby Manuel - guitar
  • Jeff Davis - bass
  • Mike Gardner - drums

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXIII (1982) (Reunion)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • John McVie - bass
  • Mick Taylor - guitar
  • Colin Allen - drums
Album:
  1. "The 1982 Reunion Concert" (1994)
Group disbands.

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXIV (1984 - 1985) (reformed)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Coco Montoya - guitar
  • Kal David - guitar - formerly with Illinois Speed Press.
  • Willie McNeil - drums
  • Walter Trout - guitar
  • Bobby Haynes - bass

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXV (1985 - 1990)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Joe Yuele - drums
  • Coco Montoya - guitar
  • Walter Trout - guitar
  • Bobby Haynes - bass
Albums:
  1. "Behind the Iron Curtain" (1986)
  2. "The Power of the Blues" (1987)
  3. "Chicago Line" (1988)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXVI (1990 - 1991)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Joe Yuele - drums
  • Coco Montoya - guitar
  • Freebo - bass
Album:
  1. "A Sense of Place" (1990)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXVII (1991 - 1994)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Joe Yuele - drums
  • Coco Montoya - guitar
  • Rick Cortes - bass
Album:
  1. "Wake Up Call" (1993)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXVIII (1994 - 1995)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Joe Yuele - drums
  • Buddy Whittington - guitar
  • Rick Cortes - bass
Albums:
  1. "Spinning Coin" (1995)
  2. "Blues for the Lost Days" (1997)

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers XXXIX ( ? - Present)
  • John Mayall - vocals/keyboards/harmonica/guitar
  • Joe Yuele - drums
  • Buddy Whittington - guitar
  • Greg Rzab - bass
  • Tom Canning - keyboards
Album:
  1. "Padlock On The Blues" (1999)
  2. "Along For The Ride" (2001) - John Mayall & Friends

Compilations:
  1. "The Best of John Mayall" (1973)
  2. "Archives to Eighties: Featuring Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor" (1988) (with Eric Clapton and Mick Taylor)
  3. "Looking Back" (1990)
  4. "John Mayall: London Blues, 1964-1969" (2-CDs) (1992)
  5. "John Mayall: Room to Move, 1969-1974" (2-CDs) (1992)
  6. "Cross Country Blues" (1994)
  7. "As It All Began: The Best...1964-69" (1998)
  8. "Drivin' On: The ABC Years (1975-1982)" (2-CD box set) (1998)
  9. "Silver Tones: The Best of John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers" (1998)

Links:
Back to Home
Last Revised:  February 5, 2005
© 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005 by Gary S. Hartman.  All rights reserved.
Advertisement

 Navigation ~ Forums TOS
 Privacy & Legal ~ Sitemap

Home

This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com or its affiliates.

Powered by The Classic Rock Connection
Portions copyright ©2010-2024