John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers at Wildflower 2016 -

Article and photos by: Dennis Mitchell

RICHARDSON, TX- Legendary British blues rocker John Mayall is still out there touring and keeping the blues alive and well. Since founding the The Bluesbreakers in the early 1960’s, the band has seen some of the finest musicians around. The list is a long one with so many familiar names including Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Peter Green, John McVie, and in recent years Ft. Worth bluesman Buddy Whittington. Now in his 80’s, Mayall continues the tradition by adding Oak Cliff’s very own Rocky Athas to the band. Like the Bluesbreakers alumni, the list of albums Mayall has released over the years is quite lengthly and worth looking into for blues fans. Along with John Mayall covering keyboards, harmonica, and guitar, we have Greg Rzab on bass, Jay Davenport on drums, and of course, Rocky Athas on guitar. While born in the UK, Mayall has lived in the US since the late 1960’s and has been immersed in blues and jazz his entire life. Greg Rzab and Jay Davenport both hail from the southside Chicago blues scene, keeping the groove on stage rock solid. Rocky Athas has been a big part of Texas blues and rock bands since he was in his 20’s.

Blues fans of all ages filled the courtyard for an afternoon of both original and traditional blues tunes that Mayall is known for. The Bluesbreakers played a great set, with Rocky Athas reminding us that the DFW area continues to produce some of the finest musicians Texas has to offer. If you missed the show at Wildflower, then check out Jahn Mayall’s latest release “Find A Way To Care” which features the current Bluesbreakers line up.

For more information on John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, visit http://www.johnmayall.com. Mayall’s latest CD is available through Amazon.com.