{"id":322654,"date":"2026-04-22T09:09:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T03:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=322654"},"modified":"2026-04-22T09:09:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T03:39:56","slug":"traffic-co-founder-we-just-disagree-singer-was-79","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/04\/22\/traffic-co-founder-we-just-disagree-singer-was-79\/","title":{"rendered":"Traffic Co-Founder, \u201cWe Just Disagree\u201d Singer Was 79"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tDave Mason, the singer, songwriter and guitarist who first found fame with Traffic and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the band, died Sunday. He was 79.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\t\u201cOn behalf of his family, it&#8217;s with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dave Mason,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/music\/music-news\/dave-mason-traffic-dead-obituary-1235459696\/\" target=\"_blank\">said a press release from the family shared with <em>Rolling Stone<\/em><\/a>. \u201cDave Mason lived a remarkable life dedicated to the music and other people he loved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tNo reason behind death was given. <\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tMason, who co-founded Traffic and wrote one in all their best-known songs, \u201cFeelin\u2019 Alright,\u201d later a success for Joe Cocker, scored his own solo U.S. hit in 1977 with \u201cWe Just Disagree,\u201d co-written with Jim Krueger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tHe recorded and performed with the likes of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Steve Winwood, Fleetwood Mac, Delaney Bramlett and Cass Eilliot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tBorn May 10, 1946, in Worcester, England, David Thomas Mason fell 20 feet from a ceiling loft on the age of 5, bending a hipbone and contacting a rare disease that landed him in a hospital for 18 months and compelled him to learn learn how to walk again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tHis initial dream was to develop into a member of the Royal Air Force, but at 16, he began to play guitar and sing, and by the next yr, was a working musician in his first band, The Jaguars, before forming The Hellions, striking up a lifelong friendship with Jim Capaldi.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tThe 2 wrote their first song together, \u201cShades of Blue,\u201d and recorded it as a B-side for his or her Pye Records single, a canopy of Jackie Deshannon\u2019s \u201cDaydreaming of You,\u201d produced by rock gadfly Kim Fowley. The 2 continued to work as a team, forming yet one more group, The Deep Feeling, before hooking up with two Capaldi acquaintances, Winwood and Chris Wood, to form Traffic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tTraffic\u2019s mythology began after they retreated to a secluded stone cottage within the countryside to jot down and rehearse material for his or her classic 1967 debut, <em>Mr. Fantasy<\/em>. The group\u2019s first single was the Winwood\/Capaldi-penned \u201cPaper Moon,\u201d followed by Mason\u2019s \u201cHole in My Shoe,\u201d which went to No. 2 on the U.K. chart.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tMason\u2019s whimsical melodies, light feel and mellow vocals provided a contrast to Winwood on his three tracks, \u201cUtterly Easy,\u201d \u201cHouse for Everyone\u201d and \u201cHope I Never Superb Me There,\u201d demonstrating his virtuosity on sitar, vocals and guitar.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tMason suddenly quit the band after their debut album over artistic differences with Winwood, recording a solo single, \u201cLittle Woman,\u201d for Island Records in 1969, the B-side of which, \u201cOnly for You,\u201d appeared on Traffic\u2019s third album, <em>Last Exit<\/em>. Mason had rejoined the band briefly during sessions for his or her second, self-titled album (which included his \u201cFeelin\u2019 Alright\u201d) before leaving again for a solo profession and moving to the U.S. in 1968. When Traffic got here over for his or her first stateside tour in March, he rejoined the band for a handful of songs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tWhen Traffic broke up again in late \u201968, Mason, Capaldi and Wood teamed with Mick Weaver within the short-lived Picket Frog, while Winwood joined the super group Blind Faith with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tDuring this era, Mason was energetic as a session player, turning his friend Jimi Hendrix on to Bob Dylan\u2019s \u201cAll Along the Watchtower\u201d and playing 12-string acoustic guitar on the recorded version. He also appeared, though was uncredited, on the Rolling Stones\u2019 <em>Beggars Banquet<\/em> through his relationship with Traffic producer Jimmy Miller, and he also played on George Harrison\u2019s <em>All Things Must Pass<\/em> with Clapton.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tHe sang on each Hendrix\u2019s \u201cCrosstown Traffic\u201d and The Beatles\u2019 \u201cAcross the Universe.\u201d Other cameos included work with Graham Nash (\u201cSongs for Beginners,\u201d \u201cWild Tales\u201d), McCartney (\u201cVenus and Mars\u201d), Joe Walsh (\u201cYou Can\u2019t Argue With a Sick Mind\u201d), Ron Wood (\u201cGimmee Some Nick\u201d), Clapton (\u201cCrossroads\u201d) and Stephen Stills (\u201cThoroughfare Gap\u201d).<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tHaving relocated to Los Angeles in \u201869, Mason joined Delaney &#038; Bonnie &#038; Friends, playing lead guitar for the band after they opened for Blind Faith, where Clapton took a right away liking to the group and eventually joined them. Mason\u2019s \u201cOnly You Know and I Know\u201d became a No. 2 hit for them and in 1970, he signed with Blue Thumb Records as a solo act, co-producing his debut album with Tommy LiPuma.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tThe primary results of the sessions was \u201cWorld in Changes,\u201d a single released in April 1970, followed by the classic <em>Alone Together<\/em> album in June. The LP peaked within the Top 25, and a second single, Mason\u2019s tackle his own \u201cOnly You Know and I Know,\u201d became a Top 40 hit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tWhile in L.A., Mason struck up a friendship with Cass Elliot, forming a duo that debuted on the Hollywood Bowl after which played the Fillmore East in Latest York, releasing the 1971 album, <em>Dave Mason &#038; Cass Elliot<\/em>, before Mason briefly attached with a brand new configuration of Traffic for the live album, <em>Welcome to the Canteen<\/em>, featuring a version of \u201cFeelin\u2019 Alright\u201d and \u201cSad and Deep as You,\u201d recorded within the U.K.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tMason decided to stay in England after the shows and was an original member of Derek And The Dominos prior to the discharge of the song \u201cLayla,\u201d when he was replaced by Duane Allman after recording several tracks as their second guitarist. \u201cThat\u2019s when Eric was pretty fucked up,\u201d said Mason. \u201cAnd there was just never any rehearsing. I just got bored and returned to the States.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tLegal issues with Blue Note Records had Mason withholding the follow-up to the successful album <em>Alone Together<\/em>, leading to a lawsuit and the label releasing unauthorized \u201cbootlegs\u201d of the fabric comparable to \u201cHeadkeeper\u201d in 1972 and \u201cDave Mason Is Alive\u201d in 1973. Leaving Blue Note by declaring personal bankruptcy, he was snapped up by Columbia Records and legendary label exec Clive Davis just prior to his own ignominious departure from the label.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tThe primary album under the arrangement, 1973\u2019s <em>It\u2019s Like You Never Left<\/em>, included one in all his all-time best ballads, with a harmonica solo from Stevie Wonder on the song \u201cThe Lonely One,\u201d nevertheless it wasn\u2019t until <em>Let It Flow,<\/em> released in 1977, that Mason struck paydirt, going platinum on the strength of the hit single, \u201cWe Just Disagree,\u201d which peaked at No.12 on the <em>Billboard<\/em> Hot 100, and was later successfully covered by country singer Billy Dean.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tIn 1979, Mason played himself within the roller disco movie <em>Skatetown, U.S.A. <\/em>opposite Scott Baio, Flip Wilson, Ruth Buzzi and, in his first big screen role, Patrick Swayze, writing and performing two songs, including the film\u2019s theme. His single, \u201cSave Me,\u201d from the 1980 album, <em>Old Crest on a Latest Wave<\/em>, featured a duet with Michael Jackson.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tDuring this time, Mason was a serious concert attraction, headlining Madison Square Garden and the L.A. Forum before growing taking a break, because of problems with drug and alcohol addiction. He returned to recording with 1987\u2019s \u201cSome Assembly Required,\u201d on the Canadian Maze label (A&#038;M within the U.S.), then attached with Voyager\/Mca for <em>Two Hearts<\/em> later that very same yr. He briefly joined a brand new Fleetwood Mac lineup in 1994 and 1996 for tours and the 1995 album, <em>Time<\/em>, which included two songs he co-wrote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tIn 1997, Mason was scheduled to hitch Ringo Starr &#038; His All Starr Band to perform \u201cOnly You Know and I Know,\u201d \u201cWe Just Disagree\u201d and \u201cFeelin\u2019 Alright,\u201d but he was dropped from the lineup just before the tour began.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tIn 2002, a <em>Dave Mason Live at Sunrise<\/em> DVD was released, as he continued to tour, performing 100 shows a yr together with his Dave Mason Band and, more recently, Traffic Jam. In 2004, Traffic and Mason were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Dave Matthews.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tMason released <em>26 Letters, 12 Notes<\/em>, his first solo album in greater than 20 years in 2008 and started to release a few of his archival recordings since then, including 2014\u2019s \u201cFuture\u2019s Past,\u201d and 2016\u2019s \u201cTraffic Jam,\u201d each featuring recent material and rerecorded versions of his most iconic songs. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tMason was energetic in a lot of philanthropic pursuits, including an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit organization providing free musical instruments and lessons to public school children throughout the U.S.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/  a-font-body-m     \">\n\tHe was also a founding board member of Yoga Blue, which is dedicated to teaching yoga and other holistic practices to those recovering from substance abuse. He also was a founding father of Rock Our Vets, a charity helping supply food and clothing to homeless veterans and laptop computers for those aspiring to proceed their education, in addition to a suicide prevention program.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dave Mason, the singer, songwriter and guitarist who first found fame with Traffic and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the band, died Sunday. He was 79. \u201cOn behalf of his family, it&#8217;s with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":322655,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20669],"tags":[12489,15236,17372,7084],"class_list":["post-322654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hollywood","tag-cofounder","tag-disagree","tag-singer","tag-traffic"],"aioseo_notices":[{"message":"The permalink for this post just changed! 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