John Mayall Net Worth

What is John Mayall's Net Worth?

John Mayall is an English singer-songwriter and musician who has a net worth of $5 million. John Mayall is best known for fronting the band John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. Since its formation in the early 1960s, the band served as an incubator for such major British rock and blues musicians as Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, and Jon Hiseman. With a myriad of shifting lineups, Mayall has released dozens of albums over the years, with some of the most commercially successful being "Crusade," "Bare Wires," and "USA Union."

Early Life and Education

John Mayall was born on November 29, 1933 in Macclesfield, England, and was raised in Stockport. His father was guitarist Murray Mayall. Developing a passion for blues music at an early age, he taught himself how to play the guitar, piano, and harmonica. For his higher education, Mayall attended the Manchester College of Art; meanwhile, he began playing with the band the Powerhouse Four. He continued playing with local musicians after graduating, and in 1963 moved to London to pursue a full-time career in music.

John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers

In London in 1963, Mayall formed John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers with Peter Ward, John McVie, and Bernie Watson. The band regularly played at the Marquee Club, and in early 1964 recorded its first two singles: "Crawling Up a Hill" and "Mr. James." Later in 1964, the Bluesbreakers secured a recording contract with Decca Records and released their first album, the live album "John Mayall Plays John Mayall." In 1965, guitarist Eric Clapton joined the band, bringing the Bluesbreakers to a new level of recognition. The band went on to release its debut studio album, "Blues Breakers," in 1966. Also featuring bassist John McVie and drummer Hughie Flint, the album made it to number six on the UK Albums Chart. When Clapton left after forming the band Cream, Mayall replaced him with Peter Green. The Bluesbreakers subsequently released the album "A Hard Road" in early 1967. Green soon left to form the band Fleetwood Mac, and Mayall brought on Mick Taylor and Keef Hartley. The Bluesbreakers' third studio album, "Crusade," became the band's first to chart in the United States. Even more successful was the subsequent "Bare Wires," which reached number three in the UK and number 59 in the US upon its release in 1968. The Bluesbreakers broke up not long after that.

In 1982, Mayall reunited with his former bandmates Taylor, McVie, and Allen for a two-year world tour. He officially restored the Bluesbreakers name in 1984 as the lineup added Walter Trout, Coco Montoya, Bobby Haynes, and Joe Yuele. Many further lineup changes occurred over the ensuing years, with members including Daniel Friedberg, Rick Cortes, and Buddy Whittington. In 2008, Mayall announced that he was disbanding the Bluesbreakers for a second time to cut back on his busy workload.

(VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

Further Career

After the first dissolution of the Bluesbreakers in the late 1960s, Mayall moved to Los Angeles, California and recorded the album "Blues from Laurel Canyon" with Mick Taylor, Colin Allen, and Stephen Thompson. Taylor soon left to join the Rolling Stones, and was replaced by Jon Mark. The new lineup released the live album "The Turning Point" in 1969. That was followed in 1970 by the studio album "Empty Rooms," which saw Mayall return to the top ten of the UK Albums Chart. He scored another hit with "USA Union," released later in the year and featuring Harvey Mandel as guitarist. Mayall went on to recruit his former bandmates Clapton and Taylor for the double-album "Back to the Roots," which was released in 1971.

Throughout the 1970s, Mayall recorded with various musicians for a number of different labels. With Blue Mitchell, Ernie Watts, Larry Taylor, Ron Selico, Clifford Solomon, and Freddy Robinson, he recorded the live album "Jazz Blues Fusion" in late 1971. Two years later, Mayall released the double-album "Ten Years Are Gone." In 1974, he recorded "The Latest Edition" with Red Holloway, Soko Richardson, Hightide Harris, Randy Resnick, and Larry Taylor. Mayall continued to shift his lineup and switch labels over the decades. In the 1980s, his albums included "No More Interviews," "Road Show Blues," and "Chicago Line." Mayall albums from the 1990s include "Cross Country Blues," "Wake Up Call," "Spinning Coin," and "Padlock on the Blues." His later albums have included "Road Dogs," "Tough," "A Special Life," and "Nobody Told Me."

Personal Life

Mayall has been married twice, and has six children. His second wife was blues performer Maggie, to whom he was wed from 1982 until their divorce in 2011.