Welcome to the Official Maggie Mayall website. Here's where you can learn a little about me.
I'm a song stylist. Mostly what I do in my live show is pay homage to the styles of early Blues and R & B, with a little jazz thrown in. I do quite a few vintage styles, honoring the Queens of the era of early rock and roll and blues, like Ruth Brown, Big Mama Thornton and early Etta James. It's a Rockin Blues Mama Show with lots of boogie!
Hear some clips on the "Music" page to get a taste of my style.
I was born in the mid-50's in Phoenix, and grew up near Chicago. I got my first professional singing gig when I was 16. It was for a local TV show. I originally wanted to be an actress and went to Illinois State University, on a scholarship, majoring in Theatre, supporting myself singing in a college-town bar. My pals there would later start Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. I turned down the theatre and a pile of graduate programs, though, to join a band and go on the road! Shortly thereafter, I joined guitar player Harvey Mandel's band. We were later hired by blues great John Mayall as his band, in 1978. I fell in love with my boss! We were officially married in Northern England in 1982.
In 2006, I released my new CD anthology, called "dig this". This anthology is a collection of recordings that I've had in our Private Stash at home. It covers my career from 1986 to 2001.
Back in 1986, I started an ALL-WOMAN blues band called Maggie Mayall & The Cadillacs, which featured Debbie Davies on guitar. We were the REAL THING and we were hot! We were like a cross between The Fabulous Thunderbirds and The Stray Cats.
Later, I went on to pursue my own career and later joined a Rock Musical-Comedy group called The Housewives (1988-1989). We did a lot of television, including a spot on the Oprah Winfrey show. We "shopped" a TV show of our own around Hollywood and came close a bunch of times, but like a lot of TV deals, it never panned out.
Then I took a long hiatus from my singing career, almost 10 years, to regroup. I got my Master's degree, raised a second child, and I still work for my husband, John. I designed and manage his website, run his merchandise business, write songs and produce for him. I learned how to keep score for Little League, take yoga, cycle and I love to travel. We have 2 sons, Zak, 26, and Sammy, 15. I am also writing a book. You can read a few of my monthly personal essays here on my News page.
About my CD, "dig this": In 2006 I started an archeological DIG, into all the recordings I had made over the years. First order of business: Give the world Maggie Mayall & The Cadillacs, because the world needed to hear it. I follow up The Cadillacs with some of my own songs, some great covers of some classics, add a little Housewives, and finish it off with a jazz jam! The album, released June 13th, 2006, is on Private Stash Records.
Maybe one day there will be another album...
I hope you can "dig this"!
Peace and Love, Maggie