4 Classic Songs Featuring Members of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers in Honor of the Late U.K. Blues Legend

The music world is mourning the loss of British blues-rock legend John Mayall, who died on Monday, July 22. Mayall, who was 90, is best known as the longtime leader of his band The Bluesbreakers, with whom he helped introduce classic American blues music to audiences on his home country.

Particularly during the mid-to-late 1960s, The Bluesbreakers served as a proving ground for young, talented blues musicians to hone their craft. Among the musicians who enjoyed stints in Mayall’s Bluesbreakers lineup before finding fame in other groups were guitarists Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor; drummers Mick Fleetwood and Aynsley Dunbar; and bassists John McVie and Jack Bruce. All of those musicians also are Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

[RELATED: Eric Clapton Pays Homage to His “Mentor” and “Surrogate Father” John Mayall; Others Salute Late U.K. Blues Legend]

In commemoration of Mayall’s passing, and in honor of his musical legacy, here are four classic songs by various well-known groups featuring musicians who previously played with The Bluesbreakers.

“Sunshine of Your Love” – Cream (1967)

Clapton famously joined The Bluesbreakers in April 1965 after quitting The Yardbirds. During his stint with Mayall’s band, Bruce also briefly played bass with the group.

Clapton exited The Bluesbreakers in July 1966, and joined forces with Bruce and drummer Ginger Baker to form the supergroup Cream.

One of Cream’s signature songs was “Sunshine of Your Love,” which was co-written by Clapton, Bruce, and lyricist Pete Brown. The tune was featured on the band’s second album, Disraeli Gears, which was released in 1967. The song combined heavy blues-rock and psychedelic influences.

“Sunshine of Your Love” was Cream’s highest-charting song in the U.S., peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached No. 25 on the U.K. singles chart.

“Oh Well” – Fleetwood Mac (1969)

After Clapton left The Bluesbreakers, he was replaced by Green, another virtuosic blues guitar player. McVie, meanwhile, was the founding bassist of The Bluesbreakers, who’d been playing with the band since 1963.

Fleetwood became The Bluesbreakers’ drummer in April 1967. The short-lived lineup of Mayall, Green, McVie, and Fleetwood lasted until June 1967, when Mick was fired from the band.

That same month, Green quit The Bluesbreakers and formed a new group with Fleetwood called Fleetwood Mac. You might have heard of them. The two musicians also wanted McVie to be part of the group, but he initially declined, because he felt The Bluesbreakers offered a more stable paying gig. In September 1967, McVie decided to leave The Bluesbreakers and join Fleetwood Mac.

With Green fronting the band, Fleetwood Mac became hugely popular in the U.K. One of the group’s classic early hits was the riff-laden Green-penned blues-rock gem “Oh Well.”

“Oh Well” was released as a non-album single in 1969, and peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. singles chart. It also became Fleetwood Mac’s first song to land on the U.S. Hot 100 tally, reaching No. 55.

“Honky Tonk Women” – The Rolling Stones (1969)

Green was replaced in The Bluesbreakers by Taylor, who was just 18 when he joined the group in June 1967. After The Rolling Stones fired founding member Brian Jones in June 1969, Mayall suggested to Mick Jagger that he hire Taylor.

One of the first tracks Taylor contributed to was the Stones classic “Honky Tonk Women.” The track was almost finished before Taylor joined the band, but he helped elevate the tune to a new level by adding some deft and gritty blues-infused fills.

“Honky Tonk Women” became a massive hit for The Stones, topping both the U.S. and U.K. singles charts for multiple weeks during the summer of ’69.

“Wheel in the Sky” – Journey (1978)

Dunbar was a member of The Bluesbreakers from September 1966 to April 1967, playing drums alongside Mayall, Green and McVie.

He subsequently played with the Jeff Beck Group and Frank Zappa before joining Journey in 1974. Dunbar played on Journey’s first four studio albums—Journey (1975), Look into the Future (1976), Next (1977), and Infinity (1978).

Infinity was Journey’s first album with singer Steve Perry. The album featured the band’s first charting hit, the soaring rock anthem “Wheel in the Sky.” The tune reached No. 57 on the Hot 100, and has gone on to become a staple on classic-rock radio.