Dave Mason, British singer, songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of the legendary band Traffic, died on Sunday at the age of 79informs. His family announced his death in a statement to Rolling Stone magazine, saying he lived a “remarkable life dedicated to music and the people he loved.” The cause of death has not yet been released.
Mason made his mark in music history not only as the author of the hit “Feelin’ Alright”, which was later made famous by Joe Cocker, but also thanks to his successful solo song “We Just Disagree” from 1977.
The musician, who was born in 1946 in Worcester, England, was at the birth of the group Traffic in 1967, along with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood. Although he recorded the successful debut album Mr. Fantasy and participated in hits such as “Hole in My Shoe”, due to artistic disagreements with Winwood he left the group several times and returned to it again.
During his career, he became a sought-after studio musician and worked with the biggest stars of his era. For example, he played on the iconic recording “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix and he collaborated with The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Michael Jackson.
In the late 1960s, Mason moved to the United States, where he fully launched his solo career. His debut Alone Together was an instant success and stabilized his position in the US market. He reached his biggest commercial peak with the platinum album Let It Flow. During the following decades, he went through various musical groups, recorded a joint album with Cass Elliot from The Mamas & the Papas, and in the 1990s even briefly worked as a member of the famous Fleetwood Mac formation.
In 2004, Dave Mason, together with the band Traffic, was officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Even in his later years, he remained active, regularly giving concerts and releasing new versions of his older recordings. In addition to his musical legacy, he also left a significant philanthropic footprint. He was involved in charity projects providing musical instruments for schools, supporting programs for people recovering from addictions, and co-founding Rock Our Vets, an organization that helps homeless war veterans.
