Dave Mason, Traffic Co-Founder and Rock Journeyman, Dies at 79

Dave Mason, the guitarist and songwriter who co-founded the influential British band Traffic, died on April 19 at his home in Nevada. He was 79.

His death was confirmed in a statement from his publicist. Mason’s career was defined by its breadth, moving from the psychedelic and folk-rock foundations of Traffic to a successful solo path and notable session work.

He was a key architect on Traffic’s first two albums, “Mr. Fantasy” and “Traffic,” contributing classics like “Hole in My Shoe” and “Feelin’ Alright?” His tenure in the group was intermittent, a pattern that characterized his collaborative spirit. He played on Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower,” joined Fleetwood Mac briefly in the mid-90s, and later found solo success with the 1977 platinum album “Let It Flow.”

Mason was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 for his work with Traffic. His songwriting, marked by a melodic clarity and roots in British blues and folk, left a distinct imprint on the rock landscape of the late 1960s and beyond.