10 Legendary Blues Rock Songwriters of the 1960s

Blues Rock songwriters are just as important as the musicians that make them famous. In some cases, the writer and the performing artist are the same person but not always. Sometimes the songwriting is performed by more than one person as in the case that one provides the lyrics and the other provides the actual music for the lyrics. Then there are the times that the song may be written and recorded by one person but later covered by another artist whose version becomes the recognized one.

In this article we share 10 legendary blues rock songwriters of the 1960s.

Alvin Lee

Alvin Lee was a renowned British blues rock guitarist/singer/songwriter who was best known as the frontman of Ten Years After. He was influenced by American artists like Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley and formed Ten Years After in 1966. The band’s first eponymous album comprised a mix of original compositions and covers. The band’s appearance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 was included in the film released in 1970 and helped springboard their popularity. A combination of Lee’s mesmerizing performance, guitar playing, and songwriting ability gave them commercial success. Original compositions by Alvin Lee comprised the contents of the dozen Ten Years After albums released and the dozen solo albums before his death in 2013.

Booker T. Jones & William Bell

“Born Under a Bad Sign” was co-written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell when they were writing a song for Albert King. Jones was the bandleader for STAX Records house band Booker T. and the MG’s at the time and wrote the music for the song while Bell provided the lyrics. The lyrics were inspired by a combination of influences including blues songs from the 1940s and 1950s to the public’s burgeoning interest in astrology in 1967. It was released as a 45 rpm single on the STAX record label and later that year for King’s first compilation album including the song as its title which became a blues standard recorded by countless other blues artists over the decades.  

Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry is primarily known as a pioneer of rock and roll but his music is deeply rooted in the blues and he influenced musicians from all genres. His distinctive guitar style blended rhythm and blues with country and his songs often featured blues structures and themes but were delivered with a faster tempo and were more upbeat. He was a prolific songwriter and his compositions were danceable and foundational in the development of rock and roll. Some of his most memorable tunes were “Nadine,” “No Particular Place to Go,” “Little Marie” and “Roll Over Beethoven” to name some.

Gregg Allman

Gregg Allman along with his brother Duane Allman formed the Allman Brothers Band in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969. They became a cornerstone of Southern rock with Gregg as the primary songwriter who created some of the band’s most iconic songs. His compositions were characterized by a combination of blues, rock, and country influences which created a unique sound. Some of his most notable tunes include “Whipping Post,” “Melissa” and “Midnight Rider” which showcased Gregg’s carefully crafted compositions with deeply personal lyrics and captivating melodies.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is a member of the 27 Club comprised of artists who died at that age like Alan Wilson, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Brian Jones. In Jimi’s short life he accomplished an amazing volume of great music. Not only is he considered by most to be the greatest electric guitar player in the instrument’s history but he is equally accomplished as a songwriter. Hendrix released three studio albums during his lifetime with nearly four dozen cuts that were all original compositions except for three. Songs like “Foxey Lady,” “Purple Haze” and “Voodoo Child Slight Return” were all signature hits. In the case of his cover of Bob Dylan’s song “All Along the Watchtower,” he made it a bigger hit than Dylan.

John Fogerty

John Fogerty was the lead guitarist, singer, and primary songwriter for Creedence Clearwater Revival. After CCR broke up in 1972, John Fogerty continued to write and perform as a solo artist. He wrote numerous songs that contributed to the blues rock genre like “Proud Mary,” “Born on the Bayou,” “Green River,” “Fortunate Song”  and “Run Through the Jungle” to name some. The songs feature Fogerty’s signature gritty vocals and guitar work that blend rock and blues influences to create the distinctive sound of CCR.

John Mayall  

John Mayall became a pivotal figure in the British blues rock scene in mid 1960s. He formed the Bluesbreakers and released a live album in 1965 with ten original compositions along with some covers. Over the decades the Bluesbreakers became the breeding ground for great guitar players beginning with Eric Clapton and Peter Green. His prolific output of authentic blues includes over 60 albums over 60 years and solidifies his status as the “Godfather of British Blues.” Some of his most popular compositions from the plethora that he penned include “Room to Move,” “Walking on Sunset” and “California” to name a few.

Mick Jagger & Keith Richards

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have a partnership as the collective songwriters for the Rolling Stones. Their partnership is the creative force behind most of the Rolling Stones’ most iconic songs. They first met in grade school but reconnected in 1960 through their mutual love of blues and rock & roll. In 1962 the duo formed the Rolling Stones with Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman and primarily performed blues covers.  By the mid-1960s the Jagger/Richards songwriting team began to pump out hits like “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” “Paint It Black” and “Ruby Tuesday.”

Peter Green

Peter Green first gained attention in 1967 when he replaced Eric Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers as its lead guitarist. Soon afterward he left Mayall and formed Fleetwood Mac as a blues rock band that he wrote and released classic songs like “Black Magic Woman,” “The Green Manalishi,” Albatross and “Oh Well”. He inspired many other blues rock musicians from Gary Moore to Carlos Santana who recorded “Black Magic Woman and made it a bigger hit than Fleetwood Mac had. Unfortunately, Green’s career as a songwriter, musician, and performing artist began to deteriorate after his mental health was damaged by excessive drug use and a bad LSD trip. He drifted in and out of Fleetwood Mac and then formed the Splinter Group in the 1990s and died in 2020.

Willie Dixon

Willie Dixon was a seminal American blues musician, songwriter, and producer. He’s widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of blues music. He moved to Chicago in the late 1930s from his home in Vicksburg, Mississippi where he learned from the rich traditions of African American music. He was a prolific songwriter and bass player who helped define the Chicago blues sound through his work with Chess Records. He wrote classic blues standards like “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” “Little Red Rooster” and “Spoonful.” The songs were originally recorded by Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and Koko Taylor but were then covered by blossoming blues rock artists like “Cream,” “Led Zeppelin” and “The Rolling Stones” when they began performing in the 1960s.