Traffic co-founder Dave Mason dies at 79

Dave Mason died April 19, according to his social media accounts. He was 79.

Key Points

• The guitarist was a founding member of '60s British rock group Traffic, who were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

• Afterward, Mason embarked on a solo career in which he worked with artists including George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones.

Rocker Dave Mason, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member who co-founded British band Traffic in the '60s and went on to work as a solo artist with hits including 1977 song "We Just Disagree," has died. He was 79.

"It is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dave Mason," posts on his officialFacebookandInstagrampages read late Tuesday. "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 favorite 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."

"He leaves a lasting imprint on the soundtrack of our lives and the hearts he has lifted. His legacy will be cherished forever," the statement continued.

Mason was born on May 10, 1946, in Worcester, England, where he grew up singing in the choir, according toRolling Stone. He began playing guitar at 16.

By 1967, the guitarist formed Traffic with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood. The band took off in England the next year with the release songs such as "Hole in My Shoe," "Paper Sun," and "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush." Mason's "Feelin' Alright?" was memorably covered by Joe Cocker.

Mason left his band temporarily after feeling overwhelmed, according to the music magazine, but he returned before being fired.

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In his 2024 memoir,Only You Know & I Know, Mason recalled that Winwood had told him that he didn't like the way he sang, wrote, or played.

Even so, Traffic was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 by Dave Matthews.

"Traffic dove into the psychedelic rabbit hole of their own minds," the band'sHall of Fame tribute pagereads. "Beholden to no one but the music and their muse. With their nine minute songs and sudden hook appearances mid-song, Traffic broke all the rules."

After leaving the band in 1969, Mason went to the U.S, for a solo career.

The prolific artist played with artists such as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, and Fleetwood Mac. He had three gold albums, per hiswebsite, and had written more than 100 songs.

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