Rock icon Eric Clapton shared a deeply emotional tribute on social media Wednesday, following the passing of his mentor and legendary blues musician, John Mayall, on Tuesday.
Mayall, aged 90, was a monumental figure in the British blues scene and had recently been selected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was within Mayall’s band, the Bluesbreakers, that Clapton first found his footing and began to carve out his storied career.
Clapton took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his profound gratitude and sorrow in a heartfelt video message. “I want to say a few words about my friend John, who I learned passed last night or sometime yesterday,” Clapton began. “Thank you, chiefly, for rescuing me from oblivion and God knows what. When I was a young man around the age of 18 or 19, and I decided I was going to quit music, he found me, took me into his home, and asked me to join his band. I stayed with him and learned from him.”
Clapton reminisced about his formative years under Mayall’s wing, crediting him for instilling the passion and technique that would define his music career. “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. I did all my research in his home, exploring his vast record collection of Chicago blues that he was such an expert on. Playing with his band, alongside Huey and John, was a fantastic experience. He taught me that it was okay to play the music you wanted to play without dressing up or worrying about making others like it. To listen to myself, to my inner motivations. He was my mentor, and a surrogate father, too.”
In his tribute, Clapton continued to shower Mayall with praise, acknowledging the lasting impact his mentor had on him. “He taught me all I really know and gave me the courage and enthusiasm to express myself without fear or limit,” Clapton said. He also reflected on the less admirable aspects of their time together, expressing a desire to make amends. “And all I gave him in return was how much fun it was to drink and womanize when he was already a family man. I wish to make amends for that. That I did that while he was alive, and I have obviously since learned that is not the best way to carry on. I shall miss him,” Clapton added. “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, not yet, as they say in the Gladiator movie. God bless you. Thank you.”
Clapton’s emotional farewell underscores the profound influence Mayall had on his life and career. Mayall’s death was publicly announced on Tuesday via his Instagram account, where it was revealed that he passed away peacefully in his California home on July 22, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. The post noted that health issues, which had forced Mayall to retire from his epic touring career, had finally led to peace for one of the world’s greatest road warriors.
Clapton’s time with the Bluesbreakers was brief but impactful, as they released the seminal album Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton in 1966 before Clapton moved on to form Cream. Mayall’s legacy, however, endures not only through his own music but also through the countless musicians, like Clapton, whose lives and careers he shaped.
