Dave Mason 1946 - 2026

Quietly, Dave Mason changed the texture of rock music for 60 years...

Image courtesy of Paul Natkin

What do the songs, “Feelin’ Alright,” “Hole in My Shoe,” “Pearly Queen,” “Just for You,” “You Can Join In,” Only You Know and I Know,” “Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Gave,” "World in Changes,” “Sad and Deep as You,” and "Let It Go, Let It Flow,"

And the songs (-album),

“We Just Disagree,” “All Along the Watchtower,” “Crosstown Traffic,” “Street Fighting Man,” All Things Must Pass, “Listen to What the Man Said,” “Military Madness,” and “Save Me.”

have in common with one another?

Dave Mason.

Guitar-composer Dave Mason died peacefully at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada, on April 19, 2026, at 79.

Born in Worcester, England, Mason began his career in local bands like The Hellions and The Jaguars. After working as a roadie for the Spencer Davis Group, he co-founded Traffic in 1967 alongside Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood. While his tenure with the band was fractured because of creative differences, he penned two of their most enduring tracks, “Hole in My Shoe” and “Feelin’ Alright.”

Mason moved to California in 1969 to pursue a solo path. His debut solo album, Alone Together (Blue Thumb, 1970), featured a distinctive “marble-patterned” vinyl and reached gold status in the U.S.. He followed this with a series of successful solo projects and hits, most notably: “We just disagree,” “Only You Know and I Know,” joining and recording with Fleetwood Mac, contributing to the 1995 album Time (Warner Bros, 1995).

Throughout his career, Mason provided crucial musical contributions to:

• Jimi Hendrix: Played the 12-string acoustic guitar on “All Along the Watchtower” and provided backing vocals for “Crosstown Traffic.”

• The Rolling Stones: Contributed the shehnai (an Indian reed instrument) and bass drum to “Street Fighting Man.”

• George Harrison: Played on the landmark 1970 album All Things Must Pass (Apple, 1970).

• Paul McCartney & Wings: Featured as a guitarist on the 1975 hit single “Listen to What the Man Said^.”

• Michael Jackson: Duetted on the 1980 track “Save Me” from the album Old Crest on a New Wave (Columbia, 1980).

Dave Mason was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 as a member of Traffic. He continued to tour and record late into his life, releasing his 21st album, A Shade of Blues (Barham Productions), in 2025. He died peacefully at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada.