Dave Mason, Co-Founder of Traffic, Passes Away at 79
Dave Mason, the British singer and guitarist who co-founded the rock band Traffic and collaborated with legendary musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and Fleetwood Mac, has died at the age of 79.
A statement from his representative confirmed that Mason passed away peacefully on Sunday at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada, where he had resided since moving to the United States in 1969. The statement remarked,
"Dave Mason lived a remarkable life devoted to the music and the people he loved."
Early Life and Formation of Traffic
Born in Worcestershire in 1946, Mason had a distinctive role in Traffic, serving as a frontman who wrote and performed some of the band's most enduring hits, despite intermittently leaving and rejoining the group.
Mason formed Traffic alongside singer and multi-instrumentalist Steve Winwood, a teenage prodigy who had departed from the Spencer Davis Group after achieving several hits. Mason had previously contributed backing vocals for the Spencer Davis Group and joined forces with drummer Jim Capaldi and woodwind player Chris Wood to establish Traffic's lineup.
With Winwood's reputation aiding their signing to Island Records, Traffic recorded their debut album Mr Fantasy. This album featured their biggest chart success, "Hole in My Shoe," which reached number two in the UK in 1967. The track was written and sung by Mason.
Band Dynamics and Mason's Departures
Despite early success, tensions arose within Traffic. Winwood later reflected on Mason's approach, stating,
"Dave would come in with a complete song that he was going to sing and tell us all what he expected us to play. No discussion, like we were his backing group."Mason left the band in 1967, explaining,
"I realised I needed more life experiences in order to write stuff that would become timeless."
Mason returned to Traffic and contributed to half of the songs on their self-titled second album. Among these was the signature track "Feelin’ Alright?", which Mason also performed vocally. Although it was a moderate hit for Traffic, the song gained significant recognition through numerous covers by artists including Joe Cocker, Lulu, the Jackson Five, Gladys Knight, and Paul Weller.
He departed from Traffic once more, later stating,
"I had to write on my own. There was a conflict between me and Steve; I think he felt threatened."In a 2024 interview with , Mason revealed that he was fired from the group and left feeling
"in shock."
Post-Traffic Career and Collaborations
Mason embarked on a distinguished career following his time with Traffic. He collaborated with Jimi Hendrix, playing acoustic guitar on "All Along the Watchtower" and providing backing vocals on "Crosstown Traffic." He also contributed to the Rolling Stones' track "Street Fighting Man."
Touring with the duo Delaney & Bonnie, Mason entered the circles of George Harrison and Eric Clapton. He appeared on Harrison's acclaimed album All Things Must Pass and briefly joined Clapton's group Derek and the Dominos. Mason also reunited with Traffic's Jim Capaldi for Capaldi's 1972 album Oh How We Danced, co-writing the song "Big Thirst."
In the 1990s, Mason toured with Fleetwood Mac and played on their album Time. However, Christine McVie described her professional relationship with Mason as
"very acrimonious."
Solo Success and Other Ventures
Alongside his session and touring work, Mason enjoyed a successful solo career, releasing 15 studio albums. His first seven albums—including a collaborative effort with Cass Elliott of the Mamas and the Papas—reached the US Top 50. His 1977 album Let It Flow was his most commercially successful, achieving platinum status and featuring the hit single "We Just Disagree."
Mason also founded RKS, an electric guitar company whose instruments were used by members of the Rolling Stones and other prominent musicians.
In 2024, he published his memoir Only You Know & I Know and continued touring until 2025, when he announced his retirement due to health concerns.
