Dave Mason, the British guitarist and songwriter who co-founded Traffic and wrote some of the most enduring songs in rock history, died Sunday at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada. He was 79.
Mason's family confirmed his death Wednesday in a statement to People, calling it a moment of "deep and profound sadness." Fox News reported that Mason died on April 19 and that he "passed away peacefully, in his favorite chair, surrounded by the beautiful Carson Valley that he loved so much."
No cause of death has been announced. But Mason had battled serious health problems for more than a year. He developed a severe infection in 2024, and the illness forced him to postpone touring. Breitbart reported that Mason had canceled tour dates and retired months earlier because of health issues related to the infection.
In a statement last year, Mason acknowledged the toll the fight had taken. He wrote:
"I'm incredibly grateful to my team of doctors. This has been challenging territory, to say the least."
He is survived by his wife, Winifred Wilson, his daughter Danielle, and several nieces and nephews.
Mason co-founded Traffic in 1967 alongside Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood. The band became one of the defining acts of the British psychedelic and progressive rock era, blending jazz, folk, and blues into something entirely its own. Mason wrote two of the group's most recognizable songs, "Feelin' Alright?" and "Hole in My Shoe", before the band's internal dynamics pushed him out after their first album.
He returned to Traffic in 1971, left again, and came back once more in 2004, the same year the original members were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. That restless creative energy defined Mason's career. He never stayed in one place long, and the music kept coming regardless.
His solo work proved he didn't need a band name behind him. Mason released "We Just Disagree" in 1977, a mellow classic that became one of the decade's most-played songs. AP News noted that Mason's solo career produced multiple gold and platinum albums, a feat that few musicians who leave legendary bands ever manage.
Mason also collaborated with some of the biggest names in music history. He worked with the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. Newsmax reported that his session credits extended to recordings by George Harrison and Eric Clapton as well. In 1995, he joined Fleetwood Mac and played guitar on the group's album "Time."
For all his accomplishments, Mason carried himself without the ego that often accompanies a career at that altitude. In a 2020 interview with Rock Cellar, he offered a characteristically grounded self-assessment:
"I'm not a rock star, let's put it that way. I never wanted to be. I just wanted to write great music, make some money and have fun. And when I was younger, meet girls."
That plainspoken honesty was part of what made Mason's music connect. He wasn't chasing fame for its own sake. He was chasing the craft, and he caught it more often than most.
The music world has been losing giants at a steady pace in recent years. Don Schlitz, the songwriter who gave Kenny Rogers "The Gambler," died at 73 not long ago, another reminder that the generation of writers and players who built the American and British songbook is thinning out.
Steve Winwood, Mason's bandmate in Traffic for decades, paid tribute on Instagram. As Page Six reported, Winwood praised Mason's lasting contribution to rock music:
"His songwriting, musicianship and distinctive spirit helped create music that has lasted far beyond its era, and continues to mean so much to listeners around the world."
Mason's family echoed that sentiment. A spokesperson described him as a "Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, celebrated songwriter, musician, singer and author" who "passed away peacefully at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada."
The family's full statement captured what Mason meant to the people closest to him:
"Dave Mason lived a remarkable life devoted to the music and the people he loved. He leaves a lasting imprint on the soundtrack of our lives and the hearts he has lifted. His legacy will be cherished forever."
Fox News reported that Mason had canceled his 2024 "Traffic Jam Tour" because of a serious heart condition and later announced his retirement due to ongoing health challenges. The infection that sidelined him proved to be a battle he could not win, though he fought it for more than a year before his death.
Mason's career spanned nearly six decades. He wrote songs that people still sing. He played alongside the greatest musicians of his generation. And he did it all without pretending to be something he wasn't.
They don't make them like that anymore, and the silence gets a little louder every time one of them goes.
