music
March 3, 2026
From David Bowie to Fleetwood Mac and Eric Clapton, Mike Vernon’s ear was invaluable to British pop and blues
The musician, producer and label head, who has died aged 81, turned his boyhood passion for blues into a hugely impactful career
TL;DR
- Mike Vernon, who died at 81, had a lifelong passion for blues music that shaped his extensive career.
- He started as a blues fanzine publisher, then worked for Decca Records, producing British blues bands.
- Vernon founded the independent label Blue Horizon, releasing records by African American blues artists and making deals with CBS.
- He produced seminal albums for artists like John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers (featuring Eric Clapton), Fleetwood Mac, and David Bowie.
- Vernon also recorded and performed as a solo artist and band member, and later established Chipping Norton Recording Studios.
- His work brought greater prestige to blues musicians and significantly influenced British pop and blues.
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