British blues legend John Mayall died on Monday, July 22, at age 90. Mayall’s passing comes less than three months before he was set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
In the wake of his death, a variety of well-known musicians have paid tribute to the influential artist. On the top of this list is Eric Clapton.
Clapton famously joined Mayall’s band The Bluesbreakers after leaving The Yardbirds in 1965.
[RELATED: Blues Icon John Mayall Dies Ahead of His Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction]
Clapton played on Mayall & the Bluesbreakers’ 1966 debut album, Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (also known as the “Beano” album), before exiting the band and co-founding Cream that same year.
The guitar great has posted a video homage on his socials in which he shared strong praise, gratitude and affection toward Mayall.
Clapton Discussed Mayall’s Important Role in His Life and Career
“I want to say a few words about my friend John,” Clapton began his message. Continuing he wrote, “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, 19, when I decided that I was gonna quit music. He found me and took me into his home, and asked me to join his band.”
Eric then noted, “And I stayed with him, and I learned all that I really have to draw on today, in terms of technique and desire to play the kind of music I love to play. I did all my research in his home, in his record collection, the Chicago blues that he was such an expert on.”
Clapton went on the discuss his stint with Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.
“I played with his band for a couple of years, with [drummer] Hughie [Flint] and [bassist] John [McVie], and it was a fantastic experience,” Eric said. “And [Mayall] taught me that it was OK just to play the music you wanted to play without dressing it up or making anybody else like it, whether it mattered whether they like it or not. To listen to myself, to my inner motivations.”
Considered Mayall a “Mentor” and “Surrogate Father”
Clapton, who grew up without a father, said that Mayall “was my mentor, and a surrogate father too.” He added, “He taught me all I really know, and gave me the courage and enthusiasm to express myself without fear or without limit.”
Apologized for Being a Bad Influence on Mayall
At this point, the message gets a little dark. Clapton admits that he himself was a bad influence on Mayall.
“[A]ll I gave [John] in return was how much fun it was to drink and womanize, when he was already a family man,” Eric shared. “And I wish to make amends for that. I did that while he was alive, and I’ve obviously since learned that is not the best way to carry on.”
Conclusion of Clapton’s Homage
Clapton concluded his homage by saying, “I shall miss him … but I hope to see him on the other side. So, thank you, John. I love you and I’ll see you soon, but not yet … as they say in the Gladiator movie. God bless you.”
Other Musicians Paid Tribute to Mayall
A variety of other musicians who either collaborated with Mayall, were friends with him, or were influenced by his music also have posted homages. Here is a look at a handful of these tributes:
The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood
Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler
Ex-Genesis Guitarist Steve Hackett
Joe Bonamassa
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