Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Dave Mason of Traffic dead at 79

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Dave Mason has died at the age of 79.

According to a statement provided on behalf of his family, Mason “passed away peacefully at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada” on April 19. The statement noted he “lived a remarkable life devoted to the music and the people he loved.”

Mason is best known as one of the founding members of the band Traffic, which he formed in April 1967 with Jim Capaldi, Steve Winwood and Chris Wood. They released their debut album, Mr. Fantasy, that year, which was a hit with critics and contained one of their signature tunes, “Dear Mr. Fantasy.”

The self-titled follow-up, released in 1968, featured the huge hit “Feelin’ Alright?,” which Mason wrote. The song has gone on to be covered by a variety of artists, most notably Joe Cocker, who left off the question mark in the title and made it a hit.

Mason had a rocky tenure with Traffic, leaving the group following the release of Mr. Fantasy due to artistic differences, only to rejoin during the recording of their self-titled sophomore album. He then left again after that album’s release. He briefly returned for a third time, touring with them in 1971 — but he only performed six shows, including the show featured on the live album, Welcome to the Canteen.

While promoting his 2024 memoir, Only You Know and I Know, Mason told ABC Audio that all the drama in the band led to them making great music.

“What made the band great? Unfortunately, you know, differences combine to form beauty and so the differences are what made things great, but the differences unfortunately drove it apart,” he said.

Mason was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the group in 2004, although Winwood and Capaldi performed “Dear Mr. Fantasy” without him. He did join in for the all-star jam on “Feelin’ Alright?,” which also featured Keith Richards, Tom Petty and others.

Outside of Traffic, Mason had a successful career as a session musician and appeared on such well-known albums as Jim Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland, George Harrison’s All Things Must Past, Paul McCartney and Wings’ Venus and Mars, and The Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet. He also did a brief stint as guitarist in Fleetwood Mac in the ’90s after both Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks left the group.

Mason had a somewhat successful solo career, releasing 15 albums. His last album was 2025’s A Shade of Blues. His biggest solo hit was 1977’s “We Just Disagree,” which he wrote. The tune, which appeared on his album Let it Flow, peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also wrote and recorded the tune “Only You Know and I Know,” which was a Hot 100 hit for him, and went on to be a top-20 hit for Delaney & Bonnie.

In September of 2025, after 60 years in the music business, Mason announced that he was retiring from touring due to “on going health challenges.” The prior year, in September 2024, he canceled a tour due to an urgent heart condition.

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