Blues luminary Joe Bonamassa has expressed disappointment with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s delayed induction of British Blues icon John Mayall, who will receive the Musical Excellence Award posthumously this year.
Mayall, who passed away at the age of 90 earlier this month, played a pivotal role in launching the careers of Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac, Mick Taylor of the Rolling Stones, and numerous others.
In a recent appearance on Artists on Record, Bonamassa voiced his feelings on Mayall’s delayed recognition, stating, “I’m glad he was aware that he was going into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I am sad and slightly pissed off that he didn’t live to see it because he deserved to go in decades ago.”
Bonamassa also highlighted the induction of Alexis Korner alongside Mayall, emphasizing the importance of timely recognition: “He deserved to go in, these are first, second-ballot people. There’s a lot of omissions that I think they need to start reconciling quickly, because you cannot wait for them all to die to then go, ‘Well, we’re gonna put you in posthumously.'”
Reflecting on the significance of such accolades, Bonamassa pointed out, “It means something. It would have meant something to John to get that statue. It would have meant something to people like my friend Chris Squire from Yes. Yes goes in the year after he dies – it would have meant something.”
The delay in recognizing influential figures like Mayall has sparked discussions about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s selection process and the timing of inductions, prompting calls for a reassessment of how honorees are chosen and honored.
