Dave Mason Dies at 79: Traffic Co-Founder Passes Peacefully

Rock music has lost a legend. Dave Mason, the guitarist, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the iconic British rock band Traffic, passed away on Sunday, April 19, at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada. He was 79 years old.

The Traffic co-founder died exactly as he lived, on his own terms.

The evening unfolded like a scene from a film. Mason cooked dinner with his beloved wife, Winifred, then settled into his favorite chair for a nap. At his feet lay Star, his Maltese. He never woke up. His family called it “a storybook ending” for a man who spent nearly six decades shaping the soundtrack of rock and roll.

The news that Dave Mason dies was shared across his official social media accounts, with his family expressing deep sorrow while celebrating a life fully lived.

Mason rose to fame in 1967 as a founding member of Traffic, alongside Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood. The band’s psychedelic-blues fusion produced timeless hits, but two songs in particular bore Mason’s signature: “Feelin’ Alright” and “Hole in My Shoe.”

“Feelin’ Alright” became a rock standard, famously covered by Joe Cocker and later the Jackson 5. “Hole in My Shoe” climbed to Number 2 on the UK charts, cementing Mason’s reputation as a songwriter who could bend genres at will.

Mason never stayed still for long. He left Traffic shortly after their first album, embarking on a solo career that yielded the 1977 hit “We Just Disagree.” But his true gift was collaboration. His acoustic guitar work can be heard on Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower.” He played on sessions for the Rolling Stones and George Harrison’s masterpiece All Things Must Pass. He toured with Eric Clapton and even spent time in Fleetwood Mac during the early 1990s.

He once described himself as “the Forrest Gump of rock”, always showing up at the right place, next to the right people.

In 2024, Mason canceled his “Traffic Jam” tour due to a serious heart condition. He officially retired from touring the following year, citing ongoing health challenges. But retirement never dimmed his spirit.

Mason was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic in 2004. He is survived by his wife Winifred Wilson and his daughter Danielle.