John Mayall (1933–2024) was an English blues musician, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist widely regarded as the “Godfather of British Blues.” His band the Bluesbreakers served as a key training ground for future stars including Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor, helping shape the British blues-rock scene of the 1960s.
“So Hard to Share” is a track from Mayall’s 1969 live album The Turning Point, recorded at New York’s Fillmore East with a quieter, drummer-less acoustic lineup featuring Jon Mark on acoustic guitar, Johnny Almond on sax and flute, and Steve Thompson on bass. The song explores the emotional difficulty of sharing a lover with someone else, delivered in Mayall’s distinctive blues style.
- Written by John Mayall and performed live in July 1969.
- Part of an experimental, low-volume acoustic approach that marked a shift from his louder electric Bluesbreakers sound.
- The album also includes the better-known “Room to Move” and became one of Mayall’s commercial successes, earning a gold disc.
- Mayall produced the record himself.
Decades later, “So Hard to Share” remains a fine example of Mayall’s versatility and deep commitment to the blues.