Remembering John Mayall: Watch The British Blues Legend Perform On ‘Letterman’ In 1990
See John and guitarist Coco Montoya join Paul Shaffer and The World’s Most Dangerous Band for a performance of “All My Life.”
By Nate Todd Jul 24, 2024 • 2:47 pm PDT
John Mayall sadly died on Monday at the age of 90. In honor of “The Godfather of British Blues,” The Letterman YouTube account shared a John Mayall performance of “All My Life” on Late Night from June 21, 1990.
A talented musician on keyboards, guitar and harmonica, the John Mayall helmed collective the Bluesbreakers was a revolving door of some of the UK’s greatest players including Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Mick Taylor, Jack Bruce, Aynsley Dunbar and more.
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Mayall was also one of the hardest working artists in show business, touring incessantly in the 1970s, ‘80s, ‘90s and into the 2000s. He continued to innovate throughout his career, fusing blues and jazz, as well as collaborate, performing with renowned artists such as Blue Mitchell, Red Holloway, Harvey Mandel and Coco Montoya.
On June 21, 1990, Montoya and Mayall appeared on Letterman, joining The World’s Most Dangerous Band led by Paul Shaffer for a scorching performance of “All My Life,” originally written by Jimmie Lee Robinson. John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers with Paul Butterfield released the song in 1967. Mayall also included the song on his 1990 album, A Sense of Place.
Additionally, John chatted with David Letterman after the performance. Mayall talked about some of his famous collaborators and testified to his road warrior ways, “120 shows a year,” he noted. As the band had to truck up to New Haven after the Letterman taping, he hilariously pointed out that the Bluebreakers rhythm seciton — bassist Daniel “Freebo” Friedberg and drummer Joe Yuele — were sitting in the audience, which got a rise out of Dave.
In honor of John Mayall, watch his appearance on Late Night in 1990 below:
