The world’s oldest man has died at the age of 112, the Guinness World Records has announced.
John Tinniswood was born in Liverpool on 26 August 1912, the year the Titanic sank. He was a lifelong Liverpool FC fan, born just 20 years after the club was founded.
He died on Monday at a care home in Southport, Guinness World Records said.
In a statement, his family said: “His last day was surrounded by music and love.
“John always liked to say thank you. So on his behalf, thanks to all those who cared for him over the years, including his carers at the Hollies Care Home, his GPs, district nurses, occupational therapist and other NHS staff.”
In April 2024, aged 111, he became the world’s oldest living man, following the death of 114-year-old Juan Vicente Perez from Venezuela.
Image: Mr Tinniswood was born in Liverpool on 26 August 1912, the year the Titanic sank. Pic: Guinness World Records
Mr Tinniswood’s key advice for staying healthy was to practice moderation. “If you drink too much or you eat too much or you walk too much; if you do too much of anything, you’re going to suffer eventually.”
But when asked the secret to his longevity after turning 112 in August, Mr Tinniswood put it all down to “just luck”.
“I can’t think of any special secrets I have,” he said. “I was quite active as a youngster, I did a lot of walking.
“Whether that had something to do with it, I don’t know. But to me, I’m no different [to anyone]. No different at all.
“I just take it in my stride like anything else, why I’ve lived that long I have no idea at all.”
Image: Mr Tinniswood was named the world’s oldest man in April this year.
Pic: Guinness World Records
Apart from a portion of battered fish and chips every Friday, Mr Tinniswood did not follow any particular diet, and said earlier this year he felt “no different” turning 112.
“I don’t feel that age, I don’t get excited over it. That’s probably why I’ve reached it.
“I just take it in my stride like anything else, why I’ve lived that long I have no idea at all.”
He lived through both world wars and was a Second World War veteran – having worked in an administrative role for the Army Pay Corps.
In addition to accounts and auditing, his work involved logistical tasks such as locating stranded soldiers and organising food supplies. He went on to work as an accountant for Shell and BP before retiring in 1972.
He met his wife, Blodwen, at a dance in Liverpool. They were together for 44 years before Blodwen died in 1986.
Image: Mr Tinniswood was the oldest surviving male Second World War veteran.
Pic: Guinness World Records
Mr Tinniswood is survived by his daughter Susan, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, and lived to be the fourth-oldest British man in recorded history.
His family added: “John had many fine qualities. He was intelligent, decisive, brave, calm in any crisis, talented at maths and a great conversationalist.
“John moved to the Hollies rest home just before his 100th birthday and his kindness and enthusiasm for life were an inspiration to the care home staff and his fellow residents.”
The oldest ever man was Jiroemon Kimura from Japan, who lived to the age of 116 years 54 days and died in 2013.
The world’s oldest living woman, and oldest living person, is Japan’s 116-year-old Tomiko Itooka.
Barbara Taylor Bradford, the bestselling novelist who wrote A Woman Of Substance, has died at the age of 91.
The Leeds-born author, who sold more than 90 million books, died peacefully at her home on Sunday after a short illness and was “surrounded by loved ones to the very end”, a spokeswoman said.
Taylor Bradford, who was often labelled “the grand dame of blockbusters”, hit the big time when A Woman Of Substance was published in 1979, making her an overnight success.
The story sold millions of copies and traced the journey of Emma Harte from life as a servant in rural Yorkshire to heading a business empire.
The rags to riches story was followed by many other successful books with the author’s works being published in more than 40 languages across 90 countries.
Image: The author on her 21st birthday. Pic: Bradford Enterprises/PA
Charlie Redmayne, chief executive of publisher HarperCollins, said the author was a “natural storyteller”, adding: “Barbara Taylor Bradford was a truly exceptional writer whose first book, the international bestseller A Woman Of Substance, changed the lives of so many who read it – and still does to this day.”
Taylor Bradford, who was made an OBE in 2007 for services to literature, wrote a total of 40 novels during her career – her most recent was The Wonder Of It All, published last year.
Image: Taylor Bradford with her husband Robert in 1993. Pic: PA
Born in May 1933 as the only child of Winston and Freda Taylor, she worked as a typist for the Yorkshire Evening Post before becoming a reporter and then the paper’s first woman’s editor.
At the age of 20, she moved to London and worked in Fleet Street for Woman’s Own and the London Evening News.
She met her husband, American film producer Robert Bradford, in 1961 and they married in London on Christmas Eve in 1963 before moving to New York the following year.
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The couple were married for 55 years until he died from a stroke in 2019.
Following a private funeral in New York, the author will be buried alongside her late husband at the city’s Westchester Hills Cemetery.
Former Labour deputy prime minister John Prescott has died aged 86, following a battle with Alzheimer’s, his family has announced.
The former trade union activist and ex-merchant seaman served as MP for Kingston upon Hull East for 40 years and was a key part of New Labour under Sir Tony Blair.
His family said he had “spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment”.
Lord Prescott died peacefully, surrounded by relatives at his care home on 20 November.
Read more:Labour’s stalwart who pulled no punches
Image: John Prescott and his wife Pauline.
Pic: PA
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The John Prescott ‘punch’ moment from 2001
In a statement released after his death, his wife Pauline and sons Johnathan and David said that representing the people of Hull had been his “greatest honour”.
They said: “We are deeply saddened to inform you that our beloved husband, father and grandfather, John Prescott, passed away peacefully yesterday at the age of 86.
“He did so surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery.
“John spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment, doing so from his time as a waiter on the cruise liners to becoming Britain’s longest-serving Deputy Prime Minister.
“John dearly loved his home of Hull and representing its people in Parliament for 40 years was his greatest honour.”
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Former deputy PM John Prescott dies
They continued: “We would like to thank the amazing NHS doctors and nurses who cared for him after his stroke in 2019 and the dedicated staff at the care home where he passed away after latterly living with Alzheimer’s.
“In lieu of flowers and if you wish to do so, you can donate to Alzheimer’s Research UK.
“As you can imagine, our family needs to process our grief so we respectfully request time and space to mourn in private.
“Thank you.
“Pauline, Johnathan and David Prescott.”
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A political giant
Mhari Aurora
Political correspondent
@MhariAurora
The death of John Prescott – the longest-serving deputy prime minister in British history – has sent shockwaves through British politics.
Serving in Neil Kinnock’s shadow cabinet before becoming Tony Blair’s deputy, Prescott was a political giant and an incredibly influential working-class voice in the Labour movement.
The son of a railway signalman and the grandson of a miner, Prescott offered a fresh working-class perspective in stark contrast to Tony Blair’s wealthy Oxbridge background: something that Blair has said undoubtedly contributed to Labour’s electoral success.
Current deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has been compared to John Prescott for providing Starmer with a working-class teammate with a trade union background, but Prescott’s colourful life and authenticity – even when that meant punching a protester for throwing an egg at him – can never be emulated.
Whatever he’s remembered for – from the Kyoto Protocol, being a mediator between Blair and Brown, or perhaps his personal issues – there is no doubt that his career will go down in history as a consequential contribution to the Labour movement.
‘A great man and great servant of country and party’
Lord Prescott served as deputy leader under Sir Tony and was seen by many as a key link to the party’s traditional working-class values amid the modernising push.
The two of them became known as “the odd couple”.
Paying tribute, Sir Tony said he was “devastated” by news of Lord Prescott’s death.
Sir Tony described him as “one of the most talented people I ever encountered in politics” who could “talk in the bluntest and sometimes bluest language”.
Image: The ‘odd couple’ at the Brighton races, in 1995.
Pic: PA
He added: “He was from proud traditional working-class stock yet understood instinctively and completely the aspirations of that class and their desire to better themselves.
“It is no exaggeration to say the Labour Party could never have won three consecutive full terms without John.”
Sir Tony continued: “Underneath what could be a fierce exterior, and a manner some undoubtedly found intimidating, beat a loving, kind and compassionate human heart.
“John was as good a friend as you could ever hope to have, with a deep sensitivity, even vulnerability.
“He will deservedly occupy a special place in the pantheon of the Labour leadership; he will be mourned by his many friends and fans around the world and for me personally, today is a day of profound sadness but also immense pride in having known him and worked with him: a great man and great servant of country and Party.”
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Image: (L-R) Blair, Prescott and Brown at the Labour Party conference in 1998.
Pic: PA
Lord Prescott famously punched a protester who threw an egg at him during an election campaign visit in North Wales in 2001.
During much of his time in office, Lord Prescott acted as a mediator between Sir Tony and then-chancellor Gordon Brown.
Mr Brown said: “Few achieve something akin to heroic status in their own lifetime, particularly when having to deal with the compromises of being in government, but John Prescott became – and will remain – a legend of the Labour Party”.
He added: “John Lennon said the working class hero is a difficult thing to be, but I think John would be just fine with being remembered that way.”
Image: Pic: AP
He also served as secretary of state for the environment, transport and regions and helped negotiate the international climate change treaty the Kyoto Protocol.
Former US vice president Al Gore worked with Lord Prescott on the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.
He said he had “never worked with anyone in politics – on my side of the pond or his – quite like John Prescott”.
He added: “He possessed an inherent ability to connect with people about the issues that mattered to them – a talent that others spend years studying and cultivating, but that was second nature to him.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “deeply saddened” to hear the news of Lord Prescott’s death.
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While a loyal supporter of Sir Tony in office, Lord Prescott subsequently became critical of parts of the legacy left behind by New Labour.
This included denouncing Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War.
He also defended Jeremy Corbyn during his time as party leader in the face of fierce criticism.
Image: John Prescott diving off the coast of Northumberland in celebration of World Oceans Day in 1997.
Pic: PA
Image: John Prescott takes a close look at a Chinese Mitten Crab called Dennis, during a news conference about the Millenium flood defences.
Pic: PA
He was ennobled in 2010 but ceased to be a member of the upper House in July after facing health difficulties.
He had only spoken once in the chamber since suffering a stroke in 2019, and had not voted since February 2023.
Born in Prestatyn, Wales, on 31 May 1938, the son of a railwayman left school aged 15 to work as a trainee chef, then as a steward on the Cunard Line before entering politics in a career that spanned decades.
Jon Kenny, an Irish comedian and actor known for D’Unbelievables and roles on Father Ted, has died aged 66.
His wife Margie told local news outlet the Limerick Leader that the comedian had died on Friday evening in Galway Clinic.
In a statement to the newspaper, Kenny’s family said he had a cardiac arrest early on 10 November. They added the comedian “grabbed life and shook it as hard as he could getting every ounce of fun, madness and love from it”.
They also said: “His wit, humour, generosity and kindness will outlast his passing. The memories and stories of those who knew him will be his legend.”
Kenny was best known as half of the comedy duo with Pat Shortt called D’Unbelievables in the 1980s. He also made two guest appearances in Father Ted as Michael Cocheese and Fred Rickwood.
The comedian was reunited with Shortt in the 2022 film The Banshees of Inisherin, where both had small roles.
Paying tribute, Shortt said on social media: “I was lucky to spend so many years touring with Jon and learning from him, creating some great shows and videos.
“Hilarious hours in the rehearsal room and playing great tunes. But sitting in the kitchen with Margy and Caroline just having the craic in Lough Gur will never be forgotten. Thanks Jon.”
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Taoiseach Simon Harris also called the Limerick actor a “gifted performer,” while Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald called him a “comedic genius”.
In a statement, Mr Harris said: “Jon had the ability, that very few people possess, to make his audiences crack up laughing with a glance or a single word.
“Behind that seemingly effortless talent to joke, there was a gifted performer and an extremely deep thinker.”
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The Taoiseach added he was in Limerick on Friday “when word of his death came through and to say he is beloved, is a huge understatement”.
Ms McDonald also said of Kenny: “Along with his compadre Pat Shortt – [he] connected with the unique humour and wit of the Irish people in a very special way.
“He leaves the best legacy – he made people laugh and smile. Jon Kenny will be deeply missed.”
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Fellow Irish comedian Dara O Briain said on social media Kenny “was a lovely, lovely man, and a comedy powerhouse”.
He said: “D’Unbeliveables opened the door to all the rest of us, doing epic tours and dragging the audience, sometimes bodily, into a mad world of their creation.
Actor Timothy West has died peacefully in his sleep aged 90, “with his friends and family at the end”.
He was known for many roles in television and the theatre, including popular soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders.
Husband to Prunella Scales – who played Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers – the pair travelled together on UK and overseas canals in the Channel 4 series Great Canal Journeys.
His children Juliet, Samuel and Joseph West said in a statement issued by his agent: “After a long and extraordinary life on and off the stage, our darling father Timothy West died peacefully in his sleep yesterday evening. He was 90 years old.
“Tim was with friends and family at the end. He leaves his wife Prunella Scales, to whom he was married for 61 years, a sister, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. All of us will miss him terribly.
“We would like to thank the incredible NHS staff at St George’s Hospital, Tooting and at Avery Wandsworth for their loving care during his last days.”
The couple married in 1963 and had two sons, actor Samuel and Joseph.
West was previously married to actor Jacqueline Boyer from 1956 to 1961, with whom he had a daughter, Juliet.
Image: West with his wife, Prunella Scales. Pic: Geoff Pugh/Shutterstock
Image: West with his wife at a charity dinner in 1998. Pic: PA
In 1984, West was appointed CBE for his services to drama in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
He was the winner of an RTS television award for his lead role in Churchill And The Generals, released in 1979, according to imdb.com.
In his career, he played Winston Churchill three times, including in The Last Bastion (1984) and in Hiroshima (1995).
Image: West with his son Samuel in 1999. Pic: PA
West was also nominated for best actor in the 1976 BAFTAs for his part as Edward VII in the historical drama.
Four years later, he was nominated in the same category for a number of roles, including as best actor in Crime And Punishment.
Image: West (right) in BBC drama, Last Tango In Halifax. Pic: PA
After a small part as Eric Babbage in Coronation Street in 2013, West appeared in 2014 for the first time as Stan Carter in EastEnders.
He also held other popular TV roles, such as in BBC comedy-drama Last Tango In Halifax.
In the long-running BBC comedy, Not Going Out, he played Geoffrey, the father of Lucy Adams, played by Sally Bretton.
He was the ruthless self-made businessman Bradley Hardacre in comedy-drama Brass, playing the role from 1982 to 1984 before returning for a third series in 1990.
Image: West as King Lear during a 2003 English Touring Theatre production of William Shakespeare’s tragedy. Pic: PA
In 2019, the Bradford-born actor played Private Godfrey in Dad’s Army: The Lost Episodes, a recreation of three missing episodes of the BBC comedy.
His film roles included Commissioner Berthier in The Day Of The Jackal (1973), King Francis in From Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998), and Nazi physician and war criminal Karl Gebhardt in Hitler: The Last Ten Days (1973).
He was also a regular performer of Shakespeare, playing Lear in 2002 and 2016.
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The actor performed at the Piccadilly Theatre, with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, and the West End, portraying many classic roles, including Shylock, Falstaff, and Macbeth.
Prior to acting, West attended the John Lyon School and Bristol Grammar School.
He worked as an office furniture salesman and a recording technician before becoming an assistant stage manager at Wimbledon Theatre in 1956.
Scottish comedian Janey Godley has died a month after she moved to a hospice for end-of-life care, her agent has said.
The 63-year-old, who found viral fame with her dubbed imitations of Nicola Sturgeon’s COVID-19 news briefings during the pandemic, had announced last month that she was receiving end-of-life care for terminal cancer.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our client Doctor Janey Godley on 2nd November,” her agent said on Saturday.
“Janey died peacefully in the wonderful Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow surrounded by her loved ones. She will be hugely missed by her family, friends and her many fans.
“She will be remembered for her legendary voice overs of Nicola Sturgeon during the pandemic, her hilarious and outspoken comedy, but most of all for just being ‘Janey’.”
Image: Pic: BAFTA/PA
‘We got her longer because of all the support’
Her daughter, comedian Ashley Storrie announced the news on social media, writing: “We got her longer because of all of the support and the love in the world”.
Thanking fans for their support in a short video, she said: “I believe in my heart of hearts that she felt every bit of love you sent to her. And I think it kept her going.
“I think genuinely we got her longer because of all of the support and the love in the world. But that’s it over now. So, thank you once again and bye.”
A post on Godley’s X account also thanked fans, confirming: “Earlier this morning Janey passed away in her sleep.
“Her family were with her. The love and support from all her friends and fans during this cancer journey brought her enormous joy. It has also been a huge comfort to us, her family and close friends, thank you.”
Paying tribute, Scottish First Minister John Swinney wrote on X: “Very sorry to hear of the death of Janey Godley.
“She brought joy and laughter on many occasions when we needed it most. My condolences to her family. May she Rest in Peace.”
That infamous Trump sign
In September, Godley cancelled her autumn tour, titled Not Dead Yet, due to her stage four ovarian cancer, which had been treated over the last few years, but had returned with added complications.
At the time, Godley said it was “devastating” to be facing the end of her life, adding “but we all come to an end sometime”.
She also joked: “I don’t know how long I’ve got left before anybody asks. I’m not a TikTok.”
In 2016, Godley went viral after protesting at Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf resort with her infamous “unwelcome” sign (Godley’s sign used slightly spicier language).
Born into poverty in the East End of Glasgow in 1961, Godley left school aged 16 with no qualifications. She later revealed both she and a sister had been abused by her uncle as a child, for which he served a two-year sentence.
After running a pub with her husband during the 1980s and 1990s, she began her stand-up career in 1994, going on to co-present BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends, as well as fronting BBC Radio 4 series The C Bomb.
She also appeared on shows including Have I Got News For You, Scottish soap opera River City, and crime drama Traces.
In 2023, she won the inaugural Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival.
A fierce supporter of Scottish independence, Godley was also a vocal advocate of transgender rights, she continued campaigning on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community up until her death.
She leaves behind her husband of 44 years, Sean Storrie, and her daughter, comedian Ashley Storrie.
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Former Premier League footballer George Baldock has died at the age of 31.
The Greek defender was found on Wednesday in a swimming pool at his home in the southern Athens suburb of Glyfada, police sources told the Reuters news agency.
His cause of death remains unknown.
Baldock spent seven years at Sheffield United, having arrived from MK Dons in 2017.
He amassed over 200 appearances for the club before joining Greek side Panathinaikos earlier this year.
In a post on X, Sheffield United said the club is “shocked and extremely saddened” to learn of his death.
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It said he was “extremely popular with supporters, staff and teammates” during his time at Bramall Lane.
Both Panathinaikos and the Greece national team blackened their profile pictures on social media on Wednesday evening.
The full-back, who was not named in the Greece squad to face England on Thursday, featured in Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Olympiacos.
Image: Baldock before a Euro 2024 qualifier in March. Pic: AP
The Greek Super League said in a post: “The entire Super League football family expresses its deep sorrow for the untimely loss of Panathinaikos and our National Team footballer, George Baldock, and extends its deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
England international and former Sheffield United player Harry Maguire posted “RIP” and a heartbreak emoji alongside an image of Baldock on Instagram.
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Northampton Town, where Baldock had a loan spell in 2011, said it was “deeply saddened”.
“George made five appearances in 2011 before playing for Oxford United and Sheffield United. Sending our sincerest condolences to George’s family and friends,” the club’s statement read.
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Born in England, but with Greek ancestry in his family, Baldock was convinced by then-Greece head coach Gus Poyet to play for the national team and went on to earn 12 caps, last playing for his country earlier this year.
He also previously played for Oxford United and Tamworth.
“Trailblazing” actress Cleo Sylvestre who starred in films, soap operas and stage plays has died aged 79, her agent has said.
Sylvestre, also known as Cleopatra Palmer, appeared in productions as diverse as Crossroads, Shakespeare’s As You Like It and the first Paddington movie.
A spokesperson for Fulcrum Talent said: “It is with deep regret that I have to announce the sad news that Cleo Sylvestre MBE died this morning.
“Much loved and admired by her peers, she will be remembered as a trailblazer and a true friend. She will be sorely missed by so many.”
Image: Sylvestre and Susan Hanson in Crossroads. Pic: ITV/Shutterstock
Sylvestre was also a singer and recorded with The Rolling Stones, who backed her on a 1964 cover of To Know Him Is To Love Him. She later worked as a musician with her blues band Honey B Mama And Friends.
Born in Hertfordshire in April 1945, she was brought up in London by her mother Laureen Sylvestre and studied at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.
She was made an MBE in 2023 for services to drama and charity and was married to Ian Palmer until his death in 1995.
Sylvestre enjoyed roles in some of TV’s best-known shows, including playing Melanie Harper, the adopted daughter of Meg Richardson in ITV’s long-running Crossroads, during the 1970s.
Other TV roles came in The Bill, New Tricks, Till Death Do Us Part, Grange Hill, Doctor Who and Coronation Street.
Image: Sylvestre in 1968. Pic: ITV/Shutterstock
Her more recent parts included ITV thriller Platform 7, and Channel 5’s revamp of All Creatures Great And Small.
Sylvestre began her acting career on the stage and was the first black actress to take a leading role in a National Theatre production – in National Health in 1969.
She made her Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) debut playing Audrey in a 2023 production of As You Like It.
Her film roles have ranged from the 2014 film Paddington, Kidulthood from 2006 and 1993’s The Punk.
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US-born playwright and author Bonnie Greer wrote on X that Sylvestre was “one of the reasons that-from my vantage point in NYC (New York City) that I thought that this country has the best anglophone theatre, and the best place to be a Black woman in it”.
She added: “I still think that. Thank you, Cleo!”
Dame Elizabeth Anionwu, the UK’s first sickle cell nurse specialist, wrote that she was “devastated” at the death of her “wonderful, kind friend”.
Former Premier League defender Sol Bamba has died at the age of 39 after falling ill before a match in Turkey.
Bamba, who used to play for Cardiff City and captained Leeds United, was the technical director at Turkish side Adanspor.
A club statement read: “Our technical director Souleymane Bamba, who fell ill before the match against Manisa Football Club yesterday, was taken to Manisa Celal Bayar University Hospital and unfortunately lost his battle for life there.
“Our condolences to his family and our community.”
Bamba was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021 while at Cardiff, but was declared cancer-free after a course of chemotherapy and returned to play again for the Bluebirds and Middlesbrough.
His career also took in the likes of Leicester, Hibernian and Dunfermline, in addition to 46 international appearances for the Ivory Coast.
Image: Sol Bamba with an award for PFA Championship Team of the Year in 2018, while he was with Cardiff City. Pic: PA
Cardiff City, where Bamba won promotion to the Premier League in his first season, described him as a “club legend”.
“As a player and coach, Sol’s impact on our football club was immeasurable,” they said in a statement.
“He was a hero to all of us, a leader in every dressing room and a true gentleman. Our thoughts are with his friends, family and everyone lucky enough to know and love Sol.”
Leeds United said they are “devastated” by the news.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends at this tragic time,” a statement read.
“Rest in peace, Sol, you will be forever in our hearts.”
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Bamba finished his career with Middlesbrough, where he played for one season.
The club said their thoughts are “with Sol’s family and friends at this time”.
John Mayall, the British blues musician whose band was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, has died aged 90.
A statement on Mayall’s Instagram page said he died on Monday at his home in California.
“Health issues that forced John to end his epic touring career have finally led to peace for one of this world’s greatest road warriors,” the post said.
Mayall is credited with helping develop the English take on urban, Chicago-style rhythm and blues that played an important role in the blues revival of the late 1960s.
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At various times, his band the Bluesbreakers included Clapton and Jack Bruce, later of Cream; Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac, Mick Taylor, who played for five years with the Rolling Stones, Harvey Mandel and Larry Taylor of Canned Heat and Jon Mark and John Almond, who went on to form the Mark-Almond Band.
Although Mayall never approached the fame of some of his illustrious alumni, he was still performing in his late 80s.
“I’ve never had a hit record, I never won a Grammy Award, and Rolling Stone has never done a piece about me,” he said in an interview with the Santa Barbara Independent in 2013.
“I’m still an underground performer.”
Image: Mayall performs at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2018. Pic: Amy Harris/Invision/AP
Born on 29 November, 1933, in Macclesfield, Mayall once said: “The only reason I was born in Macclesfield was because my father was a drinker, and that’s where his favourite pub was.”
His father also played guitar and banjo, and his records of boogie-woogie piano captivated his teenage son.
Mayall was often called the “father of British blues” but when he moved to London in 1962 he aimed to soak up the blues scene led by Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies.
The Bluesbreakers drew on a fluid community of musicians who drifted in and out of various bands.
His 1968 album Blues from Laurel Canyon signalled a permanent move to the United States and a change in direction.
In 1982, he reformed the Bluesbreakers, recruiting Taylor and McVie, but after two years the personnel changed again.
In 2008, Mayall announced that he was permanently retiring the Bluesbreaker name, and in 2013 he was leading the John Mayall Band.
