Dave Mason has been hospitalized due to what his Facebook page described today (March 14, 2025) as “a serious infection that developed quickly.” As a result, said the announcement, “Tickets for all March, April & May shows will be refunded at the point of purchase.” The announcement added that “the entire Dave Mason family, band and crew deeply appreciate your love and prayers during this time,” and added that they are “hoping for a swift recovery.” The musician, 78, had announced many more concerts for his “Let It Flow” tour just three days earlier.
The update on Mason‘s health comes four months, nearly to the day (Nov. 12, 2024), after it was announced that he had undergone successful heart valve replacement surgery. At that time, Best Classic Bands reported, “Dave Mason has shared great news about the heart valve replacement surgery that he had on November 11, 2024. In an update today (Nov. 12), the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer wrote that it was a success and he is now ‘home with strong vitals after an overnight stay.’ He added that he was ‘so lucky to have caught this, as I was unknowingly on the brink of heart failure.’ He had originally disclosed the news of his ‘serious heart condition’ on September 23, that caused him to abruptly cancel his 2024 fall tour. At that time, during a routine appointment, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer revealed that doctors detected an issue that required immediate medical attention. In a post on November 4, the legend indicated that he would have the heart valve replacement surgery—the same that Mick Jagger had in 2019.”
Dave Mason in 2022
Besides the cancellation of the forthcoming tour dates, the latest Mason health news coincides with the impending release of a new album, A Shade of Blues, the singer-songwriter-guitarist’s first set composed entirely of blues material. Due on March 21, the album includes guest appearances by Joe Bonamassa, Michael McDonald and others, performing both original Mason songs and covers of songs originally performed by blues greats Albert King, Robert Johnson and Elmore James, as well as bluesy rearragements of “Dear Mr. Fantasy” and “The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys,” two signature songs originally recorded by Traffic, a band in which Mason was at one time a core member. [It’s available for pre-order in the U.S. here.]
Mason’s memoir, Only You Know and I Know, arrived 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 had a long run of dates last spring and summer for his “Traffic Jam” 2024 tour in which he shared the stage for some of the performances with the Beach Boys and Jefferson Starship. The fall leg of the tour had shows booked into October.
From the book’s 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 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 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, born May 10, 1946, 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
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.
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8 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.
If you’re going to somehow, as Greg says, pull off a tour with Winwood, and Capaldi, you might as well go for it and include Chris Wood, to really do it right. Talk about a fantasy reunion!