Dave Mason, the legendary guitarist for British psychedelic rock band Traffic, has died aged 79.
The musician, who worked with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones, died on Sunday (19 April), his social media accounts shared on Tuesday (21 April). No cause of death was given.
A picture of Mason accompanied the news, which read: “It is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dave Mason.
“On Sunday, April 19, after cooking an amazing dinner with his beloved wife Winifred, he sat down to take a nap with sweet Star (the maltese) at his feet. He passed away peacefully, in his favourite chair, surrounded by the beautiful Carson Valley that he loved so much. A storybook ending. On his own terms. Which is how he lived his life right up until the end.”
Mason’s family wrote that he would “leave a lasting imprint on the soundtrack of our lives and the hearts he has lifted”. “His legacy will be cherished forever,” the post concluded.
Born in Worcester in 1946, Mason learnt to play the guitar aged 16, and began his professional career as a member of the rock group the Jaguars. He left the group in 1963 to join the Hellions, which featured future Traffic member Jim Capaldi.
Mason’s entry to the more mainstream music scene came through the Spencer Davis Group, who he originally worked with as a roadie but went on to record backing vocals for.
Traffic was formed in 1967 from Spencer Davis Group’s Steve Winwood, Mason, Capaldi, and flautist Chris Wood.
Their first year, the psychedelic group, known for their lengthy songs, scored three top 10 singles: “Paper Sun”, “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush,” and “Hole in My Shoe”.
The success of the latter song, which Mason wrote and sang on, led to him stepping away from the band temporarily to put out a solo single, but he returned to the band to work on their self-titled second album in 1968, a follow-up to the previous year’s Mr Fantasy.
The album included the track “Feelin’ Alright”, which Mason wrote after leaving the band for the first time. While not a huge hit for Traffic, it became more popular after it was covered by Joe Cocker in 1969, and later Huey Lewis in 2000.
Mason left Traffic once more after the album’s release, with the group disbanding the next year and later reforming without Mason.
Having worked as a session musician for musicians including Hendrix and George Harrison alongside his work with Traffic, Mason pursued a solo career upon leaving the band. He put out 10 albums between 1970 and 1980, including a record with Cass Elliot of The Mamas and the Papas in 1971. He had three gold albums and wrote more than 100 songs.
Traffic were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 by Dave Matthews, while Mason retired from touring last September, citing ongoing health challenges at the time.
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