John Mayall's Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers was a pioneering British blues band that included such luminaries as Eric Clapton (Cream), Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) and Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones, Don Harris, John McVie (Fleetwood Mac), Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), Harvey Mandel, Larry Taylor (Canned Heat), Jack Bruce (Cream), Aynsley Dunbar, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Andy Fraser, Free, John Almond and Jon Mark.
The Bluesbreakers were formed in the early 1960s with an ever-evolving lineup. Eric Clapton joined in 1965 just a few months after the release of their first album. Clapton brought the blues influences to the forefront of the group, as he had left The Yardbirds in order to play the blues. The group lost their record contract with Decca that year, which also saw the release of a single called "I'm Your Witchdoctor", followed by a return to Decca in 1966. Bluesbreakers, a full length album, was released later that year; it reached the Top Ten in England.
Clapton and Jack Bruce left the group that year to form Cream. Clapton was replaced by Peter Green for A Hard Road, after which he left to form Fleetwood Mac. Finally, in 1969, the third Bluesbreaker-guitar virtuoso left the group that made him famous when Mick Taylor joined The Rolling Stones. By the time the 1960s were over, the Bluesbreakers had finally achieved some success in the United States.
During the 1970s and early 1980s the Bluesbreakers continued to tour and release a few albums, though they never achieved the critical or popular acclaim of their earlier material.
Referenced By
1948 in music | 1960s in music | Jeff Beck | Jeff Beck Group | Music of the United Kingdom (1950s and 60s) | Timeline of trends in music (1960-1969)
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