Gypie Mayo
guitarist · songwriter
- July 24, 1951 · Hammersmith
- October 23, 2013 · Bath
- 62 years
About Gypie Mayo
Gypie Mayo, 62, English rock guitarist (Dr. Feelgood, The Yardbirds) and songwriter ("Milk and Alcohol").
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Full Biography
|John "Gypie" Mayo (born John Philip Cawthra; 24 July 1951 − 23 October 2013) was a British guitarist and songwriter, playing in Dr. Feelgood from 1977 to 1981, and from 1996 to 2004 in the reborn Yardbirds with Alan Glen.
Early career
Mayo was born in Hammersmith, London, on 24 July 1951. At an early age, he listened to the classical music his father played while at home. Later, he heard "Apache" by The Shadows and enjoyed the record. However, it was when Mayo saw the group on television with their Fender Stratocasters that he became passionate.
I was instantly hooked. I bought all their records etc. aged 10–11. Then the Beatles happened and the whole music thing changed. At about this time I acquired a cheap Russian made acoustic (1964) and taught myself Beatles/Stones etc. songs. I chose the guitar 'cos I'd always been fascinated with its sounds + looks ever since becoming a Shadows freak.
— Gypie Mayo, May 1997
After being expelled from school, Cawthra began using the performing name of Mayo and worked in a printing shop before joining the blues band White Mule in 1969. The band stayed together for about a year and played all over the United Kingdom, along with gigs in Switzerland and France. They released a single on MCA Records which was produced by Mike Leander. After White Mule, Mayo played in various rock line-ups during the early to mid-1970s including Halcyon, 747 and Alias. He also was part of an Irish traditional band called Concrete Mick where he played the mandolin before becoming Wilko Johnson's replacement in Dr Feelgood.
With Dr. Feelgood
Mayo had been relatively unknown until early 1977 when he replaced Wilko Johnson in Dr. Feelgood, although Henry McCullough had temporarily stood in when Johnson left. He was known as John Mayo until, having suffered several minor ailments, Dr. Feelgood's Lee Brilleaux said "you've always got the gyp" and the nickname stuck.
Mayo played with Dr. Feelgood for four years and on six albums (Be Seeing You, Private Practice, As It Happens, Let It Roll, A Case of the Shakes and On The Job). He co-wrote the Feelgood's only UK Top 10 single "Milk and Alcohol" with Nick Lowe, and played on four of the five other Dr. Feelgood singles to have appeared in the UK Singles Chart ("She's A Wind Up", "Down at the Doctors", "As Long As The Price is Right" and "Put Him Out of Your Mind"); the only Feelgood single to have charted without him was "Sneakin' Suspicion".
Later life and death
Mayo's guitar work was featured on the Yardbirds' 2003 album, Birdland.
He lived in Bath, Somerset, where he played in several bands, taught guitar, and made guest appearances on albums such as Pete Gage's Tough Talk.
On 23 October 2013, it was announced that Mayo had died at the age of 62. News of Mayo's death broke, when former Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson posted a message on his Facebook page stating: "Very sad to hear Gypie Mayo passed away this morning..RIP Gypie." Mayo was informally separated from his wife Lesley Cawthra (née Foster) whom he married in 1980. He is survived by their son, and by his partner Jenny Carruthers. Carruthers has since campaigned for the legalisation of assisted dying.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypie_Mayo
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- September 29, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Gypie Mayo's archived record and the sources above.
1.Where was John Gypie Mayo born?
- A.Hammersmith, Londoncorrect
- B.Liverpool
- C.Bath, Somerset
- D.Manchester
John Gypie Mayo was born in Hammersmith, London, on 24 July 1951.
Source: early career section
2.What was the birth name of John Gypie Mayo?
- A.John Paul Foster
- B.John Peter Carruthers
- C.John Philip Cawthracorrect
- D.John Patrick Mayo
John Gypie Mayo was born as John Philip Cawthra.
Source: biography header
3.Which band did John Gypie Mayo join in 1969?
- A.The Yardbirds
- B.Concrete Mick
- C.White Mulecorrect
- D.The Shadows
John Gypie Mayo joined the blues band White Mule in 1969 after working in a printing shop.
Source: early career section
4.What instrument did John Gypie Mayo play in the band Concrete Mick?
- A.Mandolincorrect
- B.Drums
- C.Bass
- D.Guitar
John Gypie Mayo played the mandolin in the Irish traditional band Concrete Mick.
Source: early career section
5.Who did John Gypie Mayo replace in the band Dr. Feelgood?
- A.Pete Gage
- B.Nick Lowe
- C.Alan Glen
- D.Wilko Johnsoncorrect
John Gypie Mayo replaced Wilko Johnson in Dr. Feelgood in early 1977.
Source: With Dr. Feelgood
6.How did John Gypie Mayo get his nickname?
- A.Lee Brilleaux said he always had the gyp due to minor ailmentscorrect
- B.He chose it because he was a fan of the band The Shadows
- C.He acquired it while playing in the band Halcyon
- D.It was a childhood nickname given to him by his father
Lee Brilleaux coined the name Gypie because John Gypie Mayo often suffered from minor ailments.
Source: With Dr. Feelgood
7.With whom did John Gypie Mayo co-write the single Milk and Alcohol?
- A.Alan Glen
- B.Pete Gage
- C.Wilko Johnson
- D.Nick Lowecorrect
John Gypie Mayo co-wrote the Dr. Feelgood hit Milk and Alcohol with Nick Lowe.
Source: With Dr. Feelgood
8.Which Dr. Feelgood single charted without John Gypie Mayo's participation?
- A.Sneakin' Suspicioncorrect
- B.She's A Wind Up
- C.Down at the Doctors
- D.Put Him Out of Your Mind
Sneakin' Suspicion is noted as the only charted Dr. Feelgood single that did not feature John Gypie Mayo.
Source: With Dr. Feelgood
9.In what year did John Gypie Mayo start playing with the reborn Yardbirds?
- A.2004
- B.1977
- C.2003
- D.1996correct
John Gypie Mayo played in the reborn Yardbirds from 1996 to 2004.
Source: biography header
10.What album by The Yardbirds featured guitar work from John Gypie Mayo?
- A.Tough Talk
- B.Birdlandcorrect
- C.As It Happens
- D.On The Job
John Gypie Mayo's guitar work was featured on the 2003 Yardbirds album titled Birdland.
Source: Later life and death
11.Where did John Gypie Mayo live during his later life?
- A.France
- B.Bath, Somersetcorrect
- C.Switzerland
- D.Hammersmith, London
John Gypie Mayo lived in Bath, Somerset, where he taught guitar and played in local bands.
Source: Later life and death
12.When did John Gypie Mayo pass away?
- A.23 October 2004
- B.24 July 2013
- C.24 July 1951
- D.23 October 2013correct
The announcement of John Gypie Mayo's death occurred on 23 October 2013.
Source: Later life and death
13.Who announced the death of John Gypie Mayo on Facebook?
- A.Lesley Cawthra
- B.Alan Glen
- C.Wilko Johnsoncorrect
- D.Jenny Carruthers
Wilko Johnson broke the news of John Gypie Mayo's death by posting a message on his Facebook page.
Source: Later life and death
14.What was the maiden name of John Gypie Mayo's wife, Lesley?
- A.Leander
- B.Carruthers
- C.Cawthra
- D.Fostercorrect
John Gypie Mayo was married to Lesley Cawthra, who was born Lesley Foster.
Source: Later life and death
15.Which band inspired John Gypie Mayo's passion for the guitar after he saw them on television?
- A.The Beatles
- B.The Shadowscorrect
- C.White Mule
- D.The Rolling Stones
John Gypie Mayo became passionate about guitar after seeing The Shadows on television playing their Fender Stratocasters.
Source: early career section
16.Who has campaigned for the legalisation of assisted dying after the death of John Gypie Mayo?
- A.Wilko Johnson
- B.Jenny Carrutherscorrect
- C.Alan Glen
- D.Lesley Cawthra
John Gypie Mayo's partner, Jenny Carruthers, has campaigned for the legalisation of assisted dying.
Source: Later life and death
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