John Hammond Blues Legend Dies
John Hammond, the Grammy-winning blues guitarist and singer, has died at age 83. Hammond was celebrated for his contributions to American roots music and his influence on generations of musicians throughout his decades-long career.
He was the son of the legendary Columbia Records talent scout John H. Hammond Jr., who discovered artists like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Billie Holiday. Despite his father's immense influence, the younger Hammond forged his own career, maintaining a distant relationship with his father after his parents separated when he was five. Hammond is famously the only person to have had both Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix in his band at the same time. This occurred during a five-night stint at the Gaslight Café in New York's Greenwich Village in 1966. He also played a crucial role in the formation of The Band, as his recording session with members of Ronnie Hawkins' band, the Hawks, led to Bob Dylan hiring them for his tour. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Hammond released over 30 albums. His 1985 Grammy for "Blues Explosion" was a collaboration with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Koko Taylor, among others. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011 and won numerous Blues Music Awards, including Acoustic Artist of the Year. Born in New York City on November 13, 1942, John Paul Hammond was a descendant of the prominent Vanderbilt family through his paternal grandmother. He dropped out of Antioch College to pursue music, inspired by artists like Jimmy Reed. Hammond died on February 28, 2026; the news was confirmed by his wife, Marla Hammond.
