Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason has announced his memoir, Only You Know and I Know, coming September 10, 2024. The book marks the first time a member of Traffic has penned a memoir, offering fans a rare glimpse into the extraordinary life and career of one of music’s unsung legends. He’s also added to his “Traffic Jam” 2024 tour in which he’ll share the stage for some of the performances with the Beach Boys and Jefferson Starship. The tour resumes May 22 with shows booked into October. Tickets are available here.
From the book’s May 9 announcement: In Only You Know and I Know, Mason shares captivating tales from his remarkable rock ‘n’ roll journey, recounting the many extraordinary situations he found himself in throughout his illustrious career. From recording sessions with legendary acts such as the Rolling Stones on “Street Fighting Man” and Paul McCartney on the #1 single, “Listen to What the Man Said,” to his time spent in Fleetwood Mac and beyond, Mason’s memoir is a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes stories and insights. It’s available for pre-order in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here.
Filled with never-before-seen photographs, Only You Know and I Know delves into the highs and lows of Mason’s multifaceted career with candid storytelling and vivid anecdotes.
A co-founder of the legendary classic rock band Traffic, Mason’s musical path started strong and only grew more significant over time. In addition to his renowned work as a revered guitar player and singer-songwriter (who penned “Feelin’ Alright,” one of rock’s most-covered anthems, when he was only 21), Mason has appeared on some of the most acclaimed recordings in music history, including George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album, the Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man” and close friend Jimi Hendrix’s classic “All Along the Watchtower.” After leaving Traffic, Dave’s popularity exploded with the release of his debut solo album, Alone Together—marked by sell-out performances at Madison Square Garden.
“I was 22 years old [when I started doing sessions and solo work],” Mason told Best Classic Bands, “and what the hell do you know when you’re 22? There was no manual. I was just out there following my dream. It just happened that I was in a lot of places where things worked out for me.”
Related: Our interview with Dave Mason
Mason, who turned 78 on May 10, recently unveiled a new version of the timeless Traffic hit, “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” breathing new life into the classic song with the help of modern blues rock icon Joe Bonamassa. The song has long been a cornerstone in Mason’s sets, a testament to its enduring brilliance and his personal connection to the song. “Dear Mr. Fantasy has been a favorite song of mine since its release in 1967,” he said. “I’ve played it live for years in a number of different arrangements. As I’ve often said, there are no old songs, just good songs, and ‘Dear Mr. Fantasy,’ in my mind, is one of the finest examples around.”
Dave Mason Traffic Jam 2024 Tour (Tickets are available here)
May 22 – Kent, OH – The Kent Stage
May 24 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater+
May 25 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Broadview Stage at SPAC+
May 26 – Gilford, NH – BankNH Pavilion+
May 29 – Lynn, MA – Lynn Auditorium
May 31 – Washington, DC – The Fillmore Silver Spring
Jun 01 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center*
Jun 04 – Annapolis, MD – Rams Head on Stage
Jun 06 – Newton, NJ – Newton Theater
Jun 07 – Jim Thorpe, PA – Penn’s Peak
Jul 10 – Waite Park, MN – Ledge Amphitheater*
Jul 11 – Green Bay, WI – Capitol Credit Union Park*
Jul 12 – Cedar Rapids, IA – McGrath Amp*
Jul 16 – Camdenton, MO – Ozark Amphitheater*
Jul 18 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom
Jul 19 – Salina, KS – Stiefel Theatre
Jul 20 – Kansas City, MO – The Uptown Theater
Jul 24 – Cincinnati, OH – Ludlow Garage
Jul 25 – Cincinnati, OH – Ludlow Garage
Jul 26 – Mount Vernon, KY – Renfro Valley
Jul 31 – Hopewell, VA – The Beacon Theater
Aug 02 – Greenville, SC – Peace Center^
Aug 03 – Peachtree City, GA – Frederick Brown Jr Amphitheater^
Aug 06 – North Tonawanda, NY – Riviera Theatre
Aug 08 – Wantagh, NY – Jones Beach Theater*
Aug 09 – Collingswood, NJ – Scottish Rite
Aug 12 – Amagansett, NY – Stephen’s Talkhouse
Aug 14 – Natick, MA – The Center for The Arts
Aug 20 – Nashville, TN – CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Sep 14 – Dallas, TX – Longhorn Ballroom
Sep 15 – Houston, TX – The Heights
Sep 17 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theatre
Sep 24 – Santa Barbara, CA – Lobero Theatre
Sep 26 – Montclair, CA – The Canyon
Sep 27 – San Juan Capistrano, CA – Coach House
Sep 28 – Ojai, CA – The Libbey Bowl
Oct 03 – San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts
Oct 11 – Grass Valley, CA – The Center for the Perf. Arts
Oct 12 – Stateline, NV – Harrah’s Lake Tahoe
^ w/Jefferson Starship
* w/Beach Boys
Related: Listings for 100s of classic rock tours
Watch Mason perform “We Just Disagree” at Farm Aid in 1986
Mason’s recordings are available for purchase here.
Masons’ co-author on the upcoming memoir, Chris Epting, is a veteran music journalist, and former columnist for the Los Angeles Times and Huffington Post. He has collaborated on memoirs with John Oates, Phil Collen of Def Leppard, and on a book with Doobie Brothers founding band members, Simmons and Johnston.
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7 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationI’ve always liked Dave’s music and seen him many times throughout his career. My wife is an even bigger fan. It’s a shame that he feels that’s he’s got to be such a namedropper, at every opportunity, regarding his career, as the music should speak for itself. I was disappointed to also find that Dave is a bit of a crankapus, when my wife was getting her T-shirt signed at a show in recent years. I understand that some fans don’t understand boundaries, and that traveling on the road at his age is no picnic, but when you get to the point where you regard your fans as irritating, it may be time to stop — or at least stop doing signings and meet and greets.
I have always liked his music very much. My favorites songs of his are: “The Lonely One”, “Long Lost Friend” and “You can Lose it”. Songs that were not hits, but could have been if someone with ears…..
I saw the show in February. Great song selection and great supporting musicians. His voice is still strong and had a Master’s Class on guitar.
If it’s true that Paul McCartney had Mason play guitar on Wings’ “Listen to What the Man Said” that would be the second time he had a Dave Mason play on one of his big hits. Remember the name of the piccolo trumpet soloist on “Penny Lane”? Yep, David Mason.
Wonder how Steve Winwood feels about Mason calling his tour “Traffic Jam.” Anybody heard from him about it?
Dave Mason has many great songs on his own merit. But it is somewhat odd to be calling it “Traffic Jam Tour.” He could cover some of the iconic hits from Steve Winwood?
He has so many hits over the years and into the 1980;s, he stands in his own class. As long as the tour is not called Mr. Fantasy tour. Now a true fantasy tour would include Dave Mason, Capaldi and Winwood!
Melf… If he could pull that off with Capaldi involved, that would be interesting to say the least.